The common signs are stair-step cracks in stucco or block, doors and windows that stick or no longer latch, sloping or bouncy floors, diagonal cracks running from door and window corners, gaps between walls and ceilings or baseboards, and cracks wider than a quarter inch in the foundation itself.
Which ones are actually serious
One sticking door in a ninety-year-old house is normal. Several signs showing up together over a short period is not. Cracks that keep growing are not. Visible crumbling or flaking concrete is not. And water pooling against the foundation after rain is the single most common cause in Los Angeles, because our soil swells and shrinks with moisture.
What to do before you pay anyone
Get an inspection before you get a repair quote. A contractor or engineer can measure how far out of level the floors are, look at the crawlspace, and tell you whether the movement is still active or stopped decades ago. A lot of what gets sold as foundation repair is actually solved by fixing the drainage and bolting the house down.
Los Angeles County figures, reviewed 2026-10-29 by America General Contractors, California contractor licence CSLB 1083262. Planning ranges, not a quote, and not legal advice. We confirm the current rules for your parcel before anything gets drawn.
