I agree that you need to first understand the reason and extent of the differential settlement. Has it been gradual over the age of the home or more of an "event?" Do you expect settling will continue? Should corrective and//or preventive measures be implemented to the footings? Are there other causes such as poor storm water management?

Hire a structural engineer now.

Ditto comment #1, #2, and #3 as option. Cabinets are cart before horse. Investigate.

You need an experienced general contractor. If he needs an engineer, he's got one on speedial.

Don't be scared off by the idea of jacking up the structure. First, find the source of the issue and stabilize the structure then decide how to correct or disguise the issue. 

A two inch difference would be very obvious and significantly concern future buyers. Self leveling cement is for minor concerns. This will need to have the structure lifted or remove the subfloor, sister new joists at correct height and then replace subfloor. Cabinets, appliances, doors and windows need to be level to function correctly

If you are in Maine NH area I would highly recommend TCHafford Basements. They did an excellent job stabilizing and jacking undersized and inadequately sistered joists in a 1920 house we had. They used steel joists, new footings, and posts. Yes, the dip was greater than 2” in about 11’.

It is foundation sinking in our area (SF Bay Area) being right next to the Bay and lagoon water.

The house is a 50'x40' two story home on a concrete perimeter and two lengthwise concrete walls/piers that divide the width by thirds. The kitchen is above the middle third.

A structural contractor recommeneded we could put some 10'x10' underpinnings to prevent/slow future settlement but didn't recommend jacking. His more immediate recommedation was to address some horizontal cracks in the concrete perimeter by replacing just the sections affected. He made it sound like I could do any remodeling now and address the structural in the next year or two (ie nothing imminent).

So my question was, how would one go about, assuming we are going to do underpinning next year but cannot get the house to be perfectly flat for reasonable cost or time.

I disagree with your structural contractor. Get the foundation fixed, flattened, and leveled before any other work.

I'd fix any foundation issues you plan to address in the next five years first. When you do that, it will shift and crack anything you've renovated above, which is a PITA. If you're looking at a fix longer out than that--we're in the same region with similar issues, and our old house definitely has ongoing settling due to the drought and the clay soils in our area, but when we did the kitchen, our structural engineer had given it another 10-15 years before it needed to be replaced--then I'd level the floor and install everything level. When you get to the ceiling, either redo that too and absorb the difference above the finished ceiling or (our choice) leave the ceiling alone, scribe the moulding to the ceiling, and live with the fact that it will be a little off-kilter. Our cabinetmaker was adamant that we should not do crown moulding because it would make it even more noticeable (but fortunately we didn't want to anyway, so just have a simple single moulding piece). We are doing a bathroom now where the wall leans a full inch vertically over 9' and that has to be planned into the tile design because some tile patterns will accentuate that, while others will help mask it. (In that case we didn't want to take the wall down and rebuild it because it would have significantly expanded the scope of the project and because it may shift further anyway when we do finally get around to doing the foundation underneath it, but it means living with imperfections in the meantime.)

Just re-read your comment. If your engineer is recommending structural work in the "next year or two"--that counts as imminent. It can take almost that long in many parts of the Bay Area just to get your plans and permits lined up, given how backed up many structural engineers are right now. You can also potentially roll it all into the same project, which is less costly for permitting, too.

Since we just bought the place couple months ago, there’s no insight as to the rate of settlement and whether it is constant (would assume) or suffered some episodic drops. Therefore our preference was to do some budget conscious remodeling and observe the situation over the next few years and perform the corrective measures with that insight. We’re ok if some cosmetic patch up needs to be done during or at the time of foundational repair. I should also mention that we are interested in moving in sooner and we’re can’t afford to diagnose and fix the foundation, flatten the subfloor joists and then put the kitchen given the money and time delay that would connote.

Maybe consider using cabinets that have adjustable height legs in the toe kick space. Then if there is significant settling the height could be readjusted on the base cabinets. It would also allow flexibility in what your final height of your cabinets are. I just moved out of a kitchen that dropped nearly 1 1/2” in 5 feet. When the cabinets were installed the height was tied to the high spot in the cabinet run, which was the first cabinet. The primary prep space in this kitchen though was in the middle of the run, making the finished countertop height about 37 1/2”. At 5’6” it wasn’t horrible, but it is much more comfortable to work at 36”. Ordering cabinets without a toe kick and building one that gives a more comfortable finished height would be another option. You would need to keep in mind the adjustment height of any appliances. My stove top surface was about 1” below the countertop.

You aren’t describing anything cosmetic in your description of the remodel. Cosmetic is painting. You're describing a gut remodel that will crack your counters if you don’t fix your foundation first.

Congratulations on your new house, and in SF by water, wow! If you were my best friend, I’d sit you down, put a big goblet of wine in your hand and gently lay some hard questions on our conversational cheeseboard. Like, a structural contractor said you have at most 24 months to mitigate settling and make foundation repairs, but “made it sound like” for now you can remodel the kitchen instead. Did they put that in writing? Are other structural contractors recommending the same? What have neighbors done and is it working? The consequences of making the wrong decision seem pretty high here; objective advice from a structural engineer would be good insurance.

To clarify, the structural contractor recommended the foundation be addressed in the near future and assured there were no safety concerns as such. He deferred the urgency assessment (future settlement potential) to be addressed by a soil engineer. From the contractor’s experience doing many perimeter fixes and underpins, he said they didn’t incur any damages to interior finishes. But I doubt he will guarantee that in writing. Like mentioned above, structural engineers I approached earlier were backlogged by months and hence didn’t seem like a viable option prior to moving in. I am going to call a few more engineers tomorrow to see if any would provide an assessment /second opinion soon.

Current working assumption is (a) reverting the house to perfectly plumb will be impossible and or cost prohibitive for this large house (b) we will invest in measures to prevent or minimize further settling, which hopefully wont ruin the interior (c) so addressing the floor and counter level is practical and acceptable for the scenario.

Adjustable legs sound like a good idea. I’ve seen those in euro style cabinets. Will need to inquire with cabinet guys if they can incorporate it and how it compares to trimming cabinet toe-kick heights to absorb some of the skew.

[sigh] We’re gonna need more wine.

You might also consider just getting some freestanding kitchen pieces (IKEA has a newish line that's pretty cheap) to make the space usable enough for the moment while you do the foundation work. You can definitely live in the house while that work is underway--not the most fun thing ever, but totally workable and much less expensive than waiting to move in until it's done. In the meantime, start planning the kitchen, which will take some time too. If the sink is all that was left behind, a cheap range and refrigerator would get you through short-term. It is true that you can do some foundation work with minimal impact on finishes--but in your case part of the point would be to level the house, so you'd then have to redo work you'd just finished, which would cost more in the long run.

Hi, TR,

In my experience, retrofit work to stabilize footings and foundations involves the collaboration of a structural engineer, a geotechnical engineer and a specialty contractor depending on the particular remedy. If your contractor has experience doing this type of work they should have better access to the other professional resources required than you will.

I also need to add that the home had two home inspections in the past few months - seller side and buyer side. Both concluded that the visible parts of the foundation were in 'serviceable condition'. I can get another independent foundation specific (eg. BearEng) to inspect for ~$950 if you all think it is worth it. In fact, BearEng has some sample reports on their website -- this hillside home sample report shows some minor interior and foundation stemwall cracks, similar to what we see in our property, and level changes of upto 3" in one room and >7" across the house and yet concludes it to be in 'serviceable condition' and not uncommon for the age and the area.

Question is: if we get them to inspect and hear back those words, that it is "serviceable condition" and "not uncommon for the age and the area", should we bother with repairs now or monitor for the next few years and then decide? (which is where we are already)

Serviceable condition is quite different from “structural issues that should be addressed in the next year or two”—who gave the latter rec? You could also reach out to the structural engineer who’s already been out and ask directly how critical the repairs are. My personal threshold is five years or more and I’m not worrying about it, but less than that and I’m holding off on work that will be impacted—but yours may be different. Cracks are common, especially in CA, but a level change of 7” would give me pause. The other thing to consider is whether the foundation has been braced for earthquake safety. That would be high priority for me and might be cheaper to do with other work.

Whew! I just can’t imagine spending $50k+ to remodel a kitchen when the floor is off by 2”. This isn’t really a safety question so much as does it even make sense to do other remodels when your home’s foundation isn’t ready for it?? I liked the idea earlier of just creating a temporary kitchen while you do the major repairs to the home first.

@artemis78 the year or two is from a structural contractor, specifically about the horizontal cracks in the stem walls. Which he said he could replace with some epoxy concrete with coated steel, without causing interior damages. The rate of settlement is an unknown - foundation engineers defer to soil study and am not sure if soil folks can give a specific answer as opposed to generic expectation for the soil type and surrounding environment. Only sure way to me, seemed like living there for 5 years and see if the settlement worsens or has already somewhat consolidated underneath. If things can hold for 5 years and I do foundation repair and worst case scenario that causes some tile or counter damage, I am OK with addressing them ad hoc.

@Morgan L my worry is that leveling + fixing the foundation of the house will be forbiddingly expensive (just three underpinnig pads and replacing ~40 ft of stem walls will run past 100K). Jacking the house will mean doing all 4 bathroom walls and dry wall cracks, painting etc. and likely another 50K+. So the idea of spending ~200K and 6 month delay in moving in is giving me a pause ( not a fan of getting a disposable 'temp kitchen', sorry). Hence leaning towards embracing the imperfection, doing the best with the scenario, see how it evolves for 5 years and then act with the knowledge. Is that too crazy?

Wasting money on a remodel that will be damaged by the house moving is the height of close your eyes and the problem won’t exist. That is a double waste of money. Too much Pinterest and not enough Holmes on Homes. The actual structure needs to be stabilized first or you risk more than a new kitchen being damaged. SMH that anyone’s thought process doesn’t include fixing the real problem and just spackling over it and closing their eyes.

Just curious (and sorry if this was mentioned earlier), was this pointed out during a home inspection before you completed the sale? I’m not a designer, but I am a NorCal realtor (east of Sacramento where we don’t have the fault lines) and have seen foundation issues. My worst one was about 1.5” over 15’ and I was able to negotiate the price to compensate the repair (which was $40k several years ago).

I do understand wanting the home to be livable and pretty. When we moved into our 1970s ranch home 5 years ago I really wanted to do the kitchen first, but instead we ended up doing drainage, retaining wall, redo the cracked driveway, new siding and new windows. All the things that would make the house last longer. During that process I realized how much exterior projects can influence the interior. In particular, when the new siding and windows were added the banging and suttle adjustments of the framing added some cracks around our windows and doors. We’re doing the kitchen this year and will have the drywaller patch those cracks.

There really is an optimal order to do things in on older homes. $200k is a lot of $$$ for a repair, though in a Bay Area home you’ll quickly see those dollars in equity. If it were me, I’d do those repairs first. But the joy of being a home owner is you get to choose.

@Morgan L neither home inspections, buyer or seller side, made any mention of unevenness of the floor or foundation having settled (or any other issue with the foundation) for that matter. We only discovered it when we brought in contractors for kitchen remodel, after removing the dated kitchen. Would that constitute a professional negligence on the home inspectors' part and is there typically a recourse in these situations? I hate to even think about pursusing that route...

“We only discovered it when we brought in contractors for kitchen remodel, after removing the dated kitchen.

Before reading that I hadn’t fully grasped your situation. It’s heartbreaking! While it might be ideal to tackle the foundation first, that would mean living without a kitchen for years through absolutely no fault of your own. You could put in a temporary kitchen, but that would mean a poorer quality of life now, and a forfeited investment when you tore it out.

So it is reasonable to roll the dice by building your kitchen now and hoping it won’t be affected by the eventual foundation work. In your shoes I would try to get a structural engineer’s opinion before proceeding. I would invest now in leveling the kitchen floor, rather than limiting cabinet options or living with sloped counters and off kilter toekicks etc. The compromise I‘d make would be to install cheaper materials for the finishes that would be most vulnerable now, and plan to replace them after the foundation project. If you ultimately want tile floors, for example, do vinyl sheet or cork for now.

Would that constitute a professional negligence on the home inspectors' part?

Good question for a lawyer, but issuing a poor report may only get your inspection fee back, anyway. if the sellers knew they should have disclosed it, but it may be tough to prove they were aware.

I would try to find a supplier of used restaurant equipment and buy a couple of stainless steel tables and some chrome shelving. When you are finished with them, you can resell them and recover a good portion of initial cost.

I can’t tag the OP for some reason, but it sounds like you may be in Alameda. If so, PM me. We lived on the water there for 6 years and I may be able to be helpful.

I also agree that you need to fix the underpinings before anything else.

I’m surprised the home inspector didn’t notice. The one I work with seems to notice every little thing. But not sure it would be considered professional negligence. They generally have lots of clauses about what they cover and don’t cover and that they can miss things.

Usually my home inspector mentions other signs of foundation issues (such as cracks near windows/doors and doors/windows that don’t open easily) and then recommends hiring an engineer for further investigation. Also, please note that ANYONE can call themselves a home inspector in CA…no license is required. The good ones do have one of several certifications.

Pursuing things legally can be very difficult. My home inspector has been involved as an expert witness in several cases. I’m happy to confer with him / refer him to you for consult.

I second all of the advice to invest in a temporary modular kitchen now so that you have a functioning kitchen while you investigate the foundation issues. I live on a hillside in Southern California, so I feel your pain, but this can impact your ability to get and keep homeowners' insurance (and earthquake coverage). I know that we had both a geologic inspection (for soils, etc.) and a separate foundation inspection, but in the current market, many folks are waiving inspections. Issues are definitely common here, but it makes zero sense to invest a ton of money into a permanent kitchen until you address this (even if it's down the road). Get the place livable (Ikea and other places have options for modular kitchens that are decent looking for minimal cost) and then regroup.

I too live in the Bay Area, in Oakland. I’m not a pro, although my husband was a geologist and taught me a little…When we purchased our home in 1987 it needed foundation work, which we completed immediately. However, the foundation damage (caused by the previous owner DIY digging out the basement) was discovered during the closing process and the estimated cost was part of the negotiations. I would definitely consult whatever experts (soil geologist, foundation engineer, etc) I could, in order to have a full understanding of the conditions and risks involved. Perhaps you will gain some clarity and will be able to postpone foundation repairs and earthquake retrofitting with peace of mind. I would protect the integrity of the structure before addressing the cosmetics, without question, although it is not fun. You may already know about liquefaction as it relates to possible damage in an earthquake, but if not you might want to learn about it. I feel for you, this must be disheartening.

OK as an update, I got an independent civil engineer (foundation specialist) to come evaluate the foundation and map the elevations. Bottomline - he thinks the elevation changes in the house (2" in kitchen and 4.5" overall) are within the range seen in this neighborhood. Based on soil reports he has seen in the region as well, much of the settlement is from consolidation of the softer substrate, that typically tapers off after 3 decades (ours is over that timeframe). The foundation was structurally sound and he didn't think there was any fix imminently necessary (phew!). Further, he remarked that underpinning is very uncommon for my situation (in our area) and some bad underpinnings have actually worsened the settlement. Lifting is even less common (of course optional). From his experience in the region, he said it was quire reasonable to address the kitchen issue locally (eg. leveling the subfloor). So back to square 1!

That’s good news!

Great news!! Phew, what a relief!

TR that’s wonderful! Peace of mind and a path forward! I hope you have smooth sailing now, you sure deserve it after what you’ve been through.

I’d say the professional consultation cost was worth every penny!

Best fix is to level from under the floor vs filling under the cabinet (which leaves your ceiling still out of level)

@Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor regardless weather we adjust height in the subfloor or do leveling cement + cabinet height adjustment, the celing would remain askew, no? (hoping that with creative user of fillers and molding/trim we can make it less obvious)

The ceiling will typically follow the floor as it is supported by the wall built on the floor. The floor sag in a 60s two story could transmit through the roof (seen that before).

If possible treat the problem and the symptom may clear up also.