Foundation block wall installation in South Whittier CA - walls that hold back the soil
Planning an addition or a new house on a block foundation? We build walls with steel and grout matched to the soil they hold back.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What a foundation block wall does
Foundation block wall installation in South Whittier, CA means building the concrete block walls a house or addition stands on. Most people call it cinder block. It can be a crawl space, stem walls, piers or a basement, and besides carrying the house, those walls hold back the soil packed against them.
The price moves with the wall's height and thickness, the footing under it, and how much steel and grout it needs. The schedule mostly turns on the permit and its inspections. I'll give you your own figure on site. If the foundation you already have is cracked, look at foundation repair instead.
Concrete footing underneath
The block sits on a concrete footing that spreads the house's weight into the ground.
Room for steel
Hollow block cores can take steel and grout wherever the design calls for strength.
Level, square courses
Each course goes down level and square so the framing above sits true.
Protected outside face
The outside face usually gets drainage and waterproofing before soil goes back against it.
Block foundation or another kind of wall?
We build new walls, repair worn or cracked masonry and add features, so start with what the job has to do.
- Foundation repairThis pageRight when an existing foundation has cracks, settling or gaps you want fixed.
- Chimney repairThis pageA good fit when your chimney leaks, leans or has loose brick up top.
- TuckpointingThis pageChoose this when mortar joints are crumbling but the brick itself is still sound.
- Brick repairThis pageFor cracked, chipped or loose bricks in a wall, step or planter.
- Driveway paversThis pageA good fit when you want a paver driveway instead of plain concrete.
- Retaining wall constructionThis pagePick this when a slope in the yard needs a wall to hold the dirt back.
- Masonry restorationThis pageMakes sense for older brick or stone that needs cleaning, repair and new mortar together.
- Fireplace installationThis pageFor adding a new masonry fireplace inside the house or out in the yard.
- Stone veneer installationThis pageA good fit when you want the look of stone over an existing wall.
- Concrete block wallsThis pageChoose this for an above-ground block wall along a property line or yard.
- Foundation block wall installationThis pageRight when a new house or addition needs block walls that carry it and hold back soil.
- Outdoor kitchen masonryThis pageFor a built-in grill island or counter made of block, brick or stone.
- Walkway constructionThis pageWhen you want a new path from the street, driveway or yard to the door.
- Brick wall installationThis pageChoose this for a new brick garden wall or privacy wall.
- Stone masonryThis pageA good fit for walls, steps or features built from natural stone.
- Brick pointingThis pageFor filling worn joints on brick so water has a harder time getting in.
Foundation block wall examples
Press any photo to see it larger, and ask us about a style you like.
Why South Whittier homeowners call K&L
I come out to every job
I look at every foundation myself before you get a number, and I work alongside my crew while it's built, so you know who's on your property.
Raised on masonry crews
I spent my school summers mixing mortar and hauling block for masonry crews, then started this business here in South Whittier.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm glad to go over both with you at the estimate before you decide anything.
How a block foundation job runs
You'll know who's on your property and what they're doing, from my first look to the final walk-through.
Call or send the form
Call (562) 358-3030 or send the form with your address and what the foundation will carry.
I come out and measure
I measure the site and ask your address so we know which permit office covers it.
Your estimate
With your estimate, we talk through steel and grout, since they depend on the soil the wall holds back.
My crew and I build it
Backfill waits until the floor is in or the wall is braced to take the soil's push.
We walk it and clean up
I walk the finished foundation with you before we leave, and we clean up the site.
Block foundation questions
Read through the answers below, and if your question isn't here, call or send it over.
Ask us directly
Call (562) 358-3030 or send the form with anything the list above doesn't cover.
How much does a block foundation cost in South Whittier?
Across the US, a concrete block foundation usually costs about $12 to $18 per square foot. That's a national range, not our price, and your wall's size and design decide where yours lands. Call (562) 358-3030 to get your own number.
Does a block foundation wall need reinforcing steel?
Not every one does. Block foundation walls can be built without steel, but a wall holding back a lot of soil may need it. If yours will have deep dirt against it, ask whether the design calls for steel, since that's decided wall by wall and not by habit.
Should a block foundation be fully or partially grouted?
Partially grouted walls usually cost less, but fully grouted walls are more common in high seismic areas. If you're comparing bids, ask each one which grouting it uses, because that choice changes both the price and how the wall is designed for earthquakes.
Who issues the permit for a block foundation in South Whittier?
For homes in unincorporated LA County, county Public Works issues permits, and its South Whittier Building and Safety Office in Norwalk takes calls at (562) 946-1390. In the cities around it, another office may handle permits. We check what your job needs before we start and take care of the permit when one's needed.
What inspections does a new block foundation get in LA County?
County inspectors check that the work matches the permit, with general checks of walls and structures, grading checks where slopes or soil are changed, and a final inspection. If your lot sits in a state liquefaction zone, where the ground can soften in a strong earthquake, permitting may also require you to investigate and reduce that risk.
Does a small foundation job need a licensed contractor in California?
Yes, if the job needs a permit. The state requires a contractor license for minor work that's subject to a permit of any kind, even when the project comes in under $1,000. So even a small block job that needs a permit calls for a licensed contractor.
Tell us about your block foundation
Send your address, what the wall will carry and its rough size. We reply within one business day, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation.
Whittier, CA 90604