Concrete Slabs and Foundations in San Diego
A concrete slab in San Diego can be a simple pad or the base of a whole building, and the bigger the load, the more the soil under it matters.
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Pads, Sheds and Equipment Slabs
Small pads hold sheds, spas, trash bins, generators and AC units. They are short jobs, but the base still matters. A pad that tilts will throw a shed door out of square.
Tell the contractor what will sit on the pad and how heavy it is. That sets the thickness and the reinforcement.
Foundations Go With the Building Permit
A slab for a garage, a room addition or a new unit is part of that building. Its design goes in with the building plans. Check with Development Services about what your project needs before you set a pour date.
Clay and Slab Design
The County says Expansive clay soaks up water and swells, then shrinks as it dries. That movement can lift and crack slabs. absorb water and change volume as water content changes, per its soils report. These soils occur mostly in the coastal plains, plus valleys and foothill slopes in parts of the county.
For walls and foundations, ask for a soils report. A soils engineer can tell you what is under your lot. You can also look up your parcel on the Web Soil Survey.
Who Should Do the Work
The CSLB says a C-8 is the CSLB license class for concrete work. It covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing flat and mass concrete. concrete contractor forms, pours, places and finishes mass, pavement and flat concrete. The class does not cover a contractor whose only trade is placing steel bars for concrete. A B general contractor can also run a slab job when the B holds C-8 or hires a licensed C-8 for the pour. See general contractors and concrete.
Where This Job Comes Up in San Diego
These communities often call for this kind of work, based on their ground and the age of their homes.
- Mission Valley Pads and slabs where drainage needs care.
- San Ysidro Slabs for infill homes, under the building permit.
Questions People Ask
Do I need a soils report for a new slab?
For a small pad, usually not. For walls and foundations, ask for one. Clay that swells can move a slab, and a soils engineer can tell you what is under your lot.
Does a shed pad need a permit?
Ask the city about your exact project. The pad and the shed are judged together by size and use, so check with Development Services before you pour.
Related Services
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