Kirkland Foundation Repair works in Kenmore on cracked walls, crawlspace supports, dropped corners, unbolted sills and wet foundations. Kenmore sits on the north shore of Lake Washington.
In Kenmore, 40 percent of homes predate 1980, with 28 percent of all homes from 1960 to 1979. A third (34 percent) are from 1980 to 1999 and 26 percent from 2000 on. Median year built: 1985. One-unit homes make up 67 percent.
A footing drain along the entry side of a split-level
Example project
Home
Split-level house in Kenmore on a sloped lot
Original request
Water that collects along the front of the house after rain
Site
Low mossy concrete retaining walls beside the entry steps and a wet driveway
Work
A drain along the front wall at the lower level, run to a safe outlet
Not included
Retaining wall work and planting
Cost
$3,700
In this example, the owners of a split-level house in Kenmore see water collect at the front after rain. The lot slopes, low retaining walls sit beside the entry steps and the driveway stays wet.
A crack in a Kenmore foundation wall is read the way any other is: by shape, width and whether it changes. Houses from the 1980s sit near the middle of the local stock, and walls that old can show cracks. Our page on foundation crack repair covers what each pattern can mean.
Crawlspace post and beam repair
In a house over a crawlspace, a bouncing floor or a dark sill is the cue to read crawlspace post and beam repair. Roughly 28 percent of Kenmore’s homes date from 1960 to 1979.
Foundation settlement and piering
On a wet lot, a dropped corner or a sloping floor means finding the cause first, with an engineer when it is unclear. Piers, underpinning and their limits are on foundation settlement and piering.
Seismic retrofit and foundation bolting
For Kenmore this is the service to lead with in an older house: bolting the sill and bracing the cripple walls. The city sits on ground that its own code treats seriously, as the rules below describe. See seismic retrofit and foundation bolting.
Foundation drainage
Gutters, downspouts, grading and slope runoff come first on any Kenmore lot; footing drains are on foundation drainage.
Homes and foundations here
Kenmore’s median owner-occupied home is valued at $920,800, and about 3.5 percent of housing dates from before 1950.
Without seeing the house, its age tells you only which questions to ask: whether the sill is bolted, how the floor is supported and where the roof water goes.
Permits and rules to check
Kenmore’s critical-areas code names two hazard types that matter here. High landslide hazard areas are at high risk of landslides from geologic, topographic and hydrologic factors together. Seismic hazard areas face severe risk from earthquake shaking, slope failure, settlement, liquefaction, lateral spreading, tsunami or surface faulting. A lot inside either is one to ask the city about before work starts.
Kenmore takes part in the MyBuildingPermit regional program. Its tip sheet lists retaining walls under 4 feet in height that are not sustaining a surcharge as not needing a permit, and says a permit is required for work not listed. For a property in a critical area, it tells owners to check with the local jurisdiction. Call Kenmore’s permit staff before work starts to ask whether a repair needs a permit.
Only the city can say. Kenmore’s code designates landslide, seismic and other hazard areas, and King County and the state publish hazard maps you can look at first. Ask Kenmore’s permit staff about your address.
Does a retaining wall behind my house need a permit?
Walls under 4 feet with no surcharge are listed as not needing a permit by the regional tip sheet, which says to check with the city for a critical area. Taller walls, or walls carrying a driveway or house, go to the city.
Is my 1980s house likely to be bolted to its foundation?
We cannot say without looking. The sill and stem wall show it from inside the crawlspace, so it is quick to check on a visit.
Send the address in Kenmore, a description of the problem and whether the lot slopes. We'll get back to you soon with an estimate or any questions we have. Estimates are free and there's no obligation.
