Your foundation carries everything. Portland Concrete builds new footings and walls to the engineer's specifications, handles crack sealing and structural repair when problems emerge, and waterproofs existing foundations to keep basements dry. Every job is formed, reinforced and poured by the book, with a free written estimate before we start.
A foundation's job is to transfer the weight of your house into stable soil without settling, cracking or letting water in. That starts with the footing, which must be sized and placed at the right depth on bearing soil that can handle the load. Foundation installation in Portland means excavating to the engineer's depth, confirming the soil, and forming a footing that spreads the building's weight evenly.
The walls come next, formed plumb and true, rebar tied to the drawings, concrete placed without voids or cold joints. Waterproofing and drainage are not afterthoughts, they are part of the pour sequence. Weeping tile and a proper membrane keep groundwater from pushing through the wall, which is what keeps your basement usable.
Curing is where patience matters. Forms stay on until the concrete has gained strength, and backfill waits until the slab is ready. This is why foundation work takes longer than it looks, and why it lasts.
Recent work
The sequence
How Portland Concrete Pours a Foundation Slab
Site prep and soil check
We excavate to the depth on the drawings, verify the bearing soil is solid, and set out the footing layout with survey-grade accuracy.
Form and reinforce
Footings and walls are formed straight, rebar is tied to spec, and the work is inspected before any concrete truck arrives.
Place and finish
Concrete is poured and worked so there are no air pockets or weak spots, footings first, then walls, using the mix design from the engineer.
Cure, strip and protect
Forms come off on schedule, waterproofing is applied, and the foundation cures before backfill or any load is placed against it.
When concrete moves
Catching Foundation Cracks Early Saves Money
Small cracks are warnings. A hairline in the wall, a damp spot in the corner, a door that sticks in winter, these are signs that water or movement is starting. Foundation crack repair seals those early, before frost cycles and water pressure can widen them into structural problems.
Bigger issues need bigger fixes. Foundation repair addresses the root cause, whether that is settlement, poor drainage, or a footing that was never adequate. Underpinning deepens or widens a footing when the original cannot carry the load, common when adding a storey or lowering a basement. Pairing any repair with waterproofing ensures the fix holds.
Installation, repair, waterproofing and what foundation work involves in Portland.
Yes. Foundation installation is formed, reinforced and poured to the structural engineer's drawings, footing size, wall thickness, rebar and mix design, and is ready for inspection before the pour.
Watch for stair-step or horizontal cracks, bowing walls, doors and windows that stick, sloping floors or a damp basement corner. Any of those is worth a look, and crack repair early is far cheaper than structural repair later.
Yes. Foundation waterproofing excavates the affected wall, addresses the cracks, applies a proper waterproof membrane and restores drainage and weeping tile so groundwater is carried away instead of pushing in.
Underpinning extends a foundation deeper or wider when the original footing cannot carry the load, common when adding a storey, lowering a basement, or correcting a footing on poor soil.
Yes. We pour footings and foundation walls for additions, tied in or isolated from the existing foundation as the engineer specifies, and matched so the addition settles with the house, not against it.
Homeowner reviews
What Portland Homeowners Say About Foundation Work
Footings and a foundation wall for a two-storey addition. Poured to the engineer's drawings, passed inspection first try, and they sent photos at every stage.
F. W.
Portland
★★★★★
Had a crack that leaked every spring. They excavated the wall, sealed it properly and redid the weeping tile. Bone dry through the next melt.
O. D.
Beaverton
★★★★★
Underpinning to lower our basement. Careful, methodical work, and they explained every step so we understood what was happening under the house.
H. S.
Gresham
★★★★★
Caught a few small cracks early on their assessment and sealed them before winter. Honest about what needed doing now versus what could wait.
N. R.
Vancouver
From the blog
Concrete Guides & Articles
Practical reading on planning, finishes and caring for concrete in Portland.
New build, addition, or a foundation showing age, send us the drawings or describe what you are seeing and we will schedule a site visit with a written, itemised quote.
