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Uneven floors, sticking doors, wall cracks, and gaps around windows may indicate that part of your home has shifted or lost support. These problems can affect your home’s comfort, appearance, and long-term stability, so they should be evaluated before the damage becomes more extensive.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights, Inc. provides professional house leveling in Concord, CA, backed by more than 40 years of Bay Area construction experience. Since 1983, our team has helped homeowners address uneven structures, foundation concerns, weakened supports, and related structural problems with careful planning and dependable workmanship.
Every house settles differently. The proper solution depends on the foundation type, framing system, soil conditions, drainage, age of the home, previous renovations, and extent of movement.
Our process begins with an evaluation of visible symptoms and accessible structural components. We look for patterns that may explain why floors have become uneven or why doors, windows, walls, and finishes have moved out of alignment. If engineering or further investigation is necessary, those needs can be incorporated into the project plan.
Depending on the property, house leveling may involve:
Professional house leveling involves more than lifting a low section of flooring. Adjustments must be completed carefully because the framing, walls, plumbing, windows, doors, cabinets, and finishes are connected. Our team develops a property-specific plan designed to improve support while managing the effects on the rest of the home.
With an East Bay office in Concord, Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights provides responsive local service supported by decades of general contracting experience. We explain what we find, recommend practical next steps, and complete each project with close attention to safety, quality, and your property.
Ready to improve the stability of your home? Contact Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights and let our 40 years of Bay Area expertise guide your house leveling project.
A house does not always settle evenly. One area may remain stable while another sinks, shifts, or begins to sag. This uneven movement can create sloping floors, place stress on walls and finishes, and prevent doors or windows from operating properly.
The warning signs may develop gradually. You might notice that furniture no longer sits level, a door swings open on its own, or a floor feels uneven when you walk across it. While one minor symptom does not necessarily indicate a structural problem, several related or worsening signs should be professionally evaluated.
Watch for symptoms such as:
Unevenness can result from foundation settlement, changing soil conditions, poor drainage, deteriorated framing, dry rot, plumbing leaks, inadequate supports, or previous structural alterations. Because similar symptoms can have different causes, the underlying condition must be identified before an appropriate repair can be recommended.
Movement can place additional stress on connected parts of the home. If the underlying problem continues, cracks may widen, floors may slope further, and doors, windows, plumbing, or finishes may sustain additional damage.
A professional assessment can review visible foundation areas, floor elevations, accessible framing, support components, drainage conditions, and patterns of movement. Depending on the findings, the recommended solution may include targeted repairs, partial leveling, broader stabilization, drainage improvements, or consultation with a structural engineer.
Avoid attempting to level the house with improvised jacks, blocks, or temporary supports. Unplanned adjustments can create unsafe conditions and damage framing, plumbing, walls, tile, and other connected materials.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights provides honest, property-specific guidance to help you understand what is happening and what steps may be appropriate. Our goal is to develop a practical solution that supports your home’s safety, comfort, and long-term performance.
Concerned about uneven floors or signs of structural movement? Schedule a free estimate with Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights.
House leveling requires an understanding of how foundations, framing, soil, drainage, and connected building materials work together. Backed by more than 40 years of Bay Area construction experience, Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights provides property-specific recommendations based on visible damage, accessible structural components, floor alignment, and surrounding conditions.
Our experience with foundation repair, concrete construction, framing, drainage, waterproofing, dry rot repair, seismic retrofitting, and general contracting allows us to evaluate the home as a complete structural system. If engineering, further evaluation, or related repairs are necessary, those needs can be incorporated into the project plan.
From our East Bay office in Concord, we provide honest guidance, responsive communication, and quality-focused workmanship. We explain the proposed scope clearly, respect your property, and carefully manage work that may affect walls, doors, windows, plumbing, tile, and other connected materials.
Choose experienced professionals for your Concord house leveling project. Contact Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights to schedule a free estimate.
Contact Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights today and let our 40 years of Bay Area expertise turn your dream project into reality.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights is certified and accredited by the best manufacturers in the industry. From Grip-Tite Foundation Systems, to James Hardie Siding, to VELUX Skylights, you can be sure to get the highest quality products for whatever your project.
Serving the San Francisco Bay Area for over 40 years with quality general contracting, home remodeling, and skylight installation means you'll get the benefits of our expertise for every project.
Maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction, we are proud to have provided our customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with quality construction and home improvement services for 40 years. With half of our new clients coming to us from referrals, it’s no secret that our customers/friends are truly pleased with the work we do.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights, Inc. is a longstanding partnership of 40 years between Archie Mares, Dennis Dow and hundreds of great customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. We are a general contractor, building custom homes, additions, home remodeling, skylights, retaining wall construction and commercial remodeling.
Maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction, we are proud to have provided our customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with quality construction and home improvement services for 40 years. With half of our new clients coming to us from referrals, it’s no secret that our customers/friends are truly pleased with the work we do.
Quality and service come first. We approach every job, big or small, with the same care and attention to detail we’d give our own homes. Our team combines time-tested building practices with modern innovation to deliver results that stand the test of time.
Ready to start your next project? Whether you’re planning a home remodel, skylight installation, or foundation repair, our team is here to help.
Reach out to us for a free consultation. We’ll listen, offer expert guidance, and provide a detailed estimate tailored to your goals.
To enhance the lives of Bay Area homeowners through expert construction, thoughtful design, and dependable service. For over 40 years, our mission has remained simple: build with integrity, serve with pride, and create spaces our clients love to live in.
We believe in integrity, craftsmanship, and lasting relationships. Every project is built on honesty, transparency, and respect - for our clients, our partners, and the homes we’re entrusted to improve.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights installed a large Velux skylight for me in August 2017. The entire experience was wonderful and the skylight is beautiful, both functionally and aesthetically. Janet made sure the work was scheduled to be completed before a trip I had planned. Jimmy measured carefully when he quoted the work and even accommodated a last minute change on the location when he arrived to do the work. They protected my new floors and were careful to keep dust to a minimum. Archie came by to ensure that all was going smoothly. Freddy helped matched the stain on my nearly 70 year old tongue and grove ceiling that really took some effort and he even matched some a few small spots that a previous contractor had sanded and removed the original stain. EVERYONE was cheerful and knowledgeable. Now, my little mid century house has emerged into the light!
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights replaced two aging skylights in our bedroom and installed automatic blinds on four skylights. This was not an easy job, since our bedroom has very very high cathedral ceilings. In fact, one other skylight installer refused to do the job altogether, and a second made a bid that was almost twice as expensive as Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights. Janet Mares, who was our main contact for the job, was a pleasure to work with. Her son, Jimmy, who led the installation, was fearless climbing the ceiling, and he eally knew his stuff. We’re thrilled with our new and improved skylights, and we appreciate Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights’ solid, reasonably priced, work. Thanks guys!
I’ve had Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights install 3 sun tunnels in my home and most recently, 2 skylights in my garage/art studio. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the quality of their work and professionalism! All my communications with their office and installers have been extremely pleasant. I would use them again (and again) and highly recommend them to anyone looking to install Velux skylights/sun tunnels in their home!
Being a new homeowner, i really did my research before having someone come out and give me a quote on a skylight. You never know what to believe when you read yelp reviews. So, i went ahead and had Jimmy from mares and dow come out and give me an estimate. He was right on time, came out and measured and was very professional while he was here. Janet called me a few days later and sent me over an estimate. I went them them and couldn’t be happier. It arrived in the time frame she had told me, and they were out that week. The workers came out on time, and were very friendly and professional. Dennis ( one of the owners) came out as well and checked on the job. The went above and beyond with their work. The skylight looks beautiful! Night and day from the old one. If you are wanting a skylight, i strongly reccomend going with mare and dow
We had Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights install a Velux skylight in our new master bathroom. The space was small and dark, so Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights suggested a big skylight to add in lots of natural light. They built in a double crown molding to beautifully frame the skylight, and now the space is open and airy with wonderful natural light. We can open the skylight during warm months to let in fresh air. It was a superb addition to our bathroom renovation and a great suggestion from Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights. They did a fantastic job and were great to work with! Thanks guys!
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House leveling needs vary according to the home’s foundation, framing, age, site conditions, and degree of movement. Some properties require a targeted correction in one area, while others may need broader foundation stabilization or structural repairs.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights evaluates each Concord property individually before recommending a solution. Our goal is to address the source of the unevenness, restore dependable support, and help protect the home’s long-term structural performance.
We begin by reviewing the symptoms you have noticed, such as sloping floors, sticking doors, wall cracks, or gaps around windows and trim. We may also examine accessible foundation areas, floor framing, structural supports, moisture conditions, and drainage patterns to help identify the likely cause.
When movement is limited to one part of the home, a targeted leveling plan may be appropriate. This process focuses on the affected area while accounting for its connection to nearby framing, walls, plumbing, and finishes.
Widespread settlement or unevenness may require a more comprehensive approach. Whole-house leveling involves careful planning and controlled adjustments across multiple support points to improve the structure’s overall alignment.
Leveling and stabilization serve related but different purposes. Leveling improves the position of an uneven structure, while stabilization addresses the support needed to help manage continued movement. Depending on the property, both may be included in the repair plan.
Raised-foundation homes rely on properly installed and maintained piers, posts, beams, and connections. Deteriorated, displaced, or inadequate components may need to be repaired, reinforced, adjusted, or replaced to restore reliable support.
Uneven floors are not always caused by foundation settlement. Sagging or damaged joists, beams, subfloor components, and structural connections may also contribute. We assess accessible framing and recommend appropriate corrections when these materials are part of the problem.
Cracked, deteriorated, or displaced foundation components may require attention before or during leveling. The appropriate repair depends on the type of foundation, the condition of the concrete, and the effect the damage has on structural performance.
Water near or beneath a home can affect supporting soils and contribute to wood deterioration. If poor grading, runoff, leaks, or crawlspace moisture are related to the structural concern, drainage or moisture-control improvements may be recommended as part of a more complete solution.
Some house leveling projects may benefit from structural engineering or additional evaluation. When appropriate, these services can be incorporated into the project plan to support a carefully coordinated repair process.
Our team explains which services are relevant to your home and why they may be needed. You receive a practical scope based on the property’s actual condition—not unnecessary work or a generic repair package.
Get a house leveling solution tailored to your Concord home. Explore our house leveling services and request a professional evaluation.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights provides house leveling services throughout Concord, CA. With our East Bay office located on Forni Drive in Concord, we are well positioned to help local homeowners evaluate uneven floors, foundation settlement, weakened structural supports, and related concerns.
Concord includes homes of different ages, architectural styles, foundation systems, and site conditions. We evaluate every property individually because soil movement, drainage, past renovations, and structural deterioration can vary considerably—even between neighboring homes.
We serve established residential areas near Todos Santos Plaza and the Concord BART station, where foundation age, framing, and previous alterations may affect floor alignment.
Dana Estates contains established single-family homes that may experience uneven floors because of settlement, drainage changes, or aging structural supports.
We evaluate homes throughout Clayton Valley based on their foundation type, framing, drainage, and visible patterns of movement.
Properties in Clayton Valley Highlands may require careful consideration of grading, soil conditions, and runoff when structural movement appears.
Homes near Turtle Creek and Lime Ridge Open Space may have terrain and drainage conditions that should be considered during a house leveling evaluation.
House leveling plans in Bishop Estates should account for each home’s original foundation, additions, renovations, and property conditions.
Older homes in Holbrook Heights may develop uneven floors because of long-term settlement, crawlspace moisture, or aging structural components.
Homes near Canterbury Village and the Monument Corridor vary in age and construction, making a property-specific structural evaluation important.
We serve residential areas near Highway 4 and North Concord/Martinez BART, addressing both localized and widespread leveling concerns.
For homes near Newhall Community Park, we evaluate the foundation, floor framing, structural supports, and relevant drainage conditions before recommending repairs.
Wherever you live in Concord, our approach remains the same: evaluate the home carefully, explain the findings clearly, and recommend work suited to the property. Service availability and project requirements may vary according to the home’s location, condition, and repair scope.
Need house leveling assistance in your Concord neighborhood? Contact Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights to arrange a property-specific evaluation.
Uneven floors are often symptoms of an underlying structural or site-related problem. Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights evaluates the foundation, accessible framing, support components, drainage, and visible movement before recommending repairs.
When one part of a home settles more than another, floors may slope, cracks may appear, and doors or windows may become difficult to operate. The appropriate correction depends on the location, severity, and cause of the movement.
Moisture, dry rot, age, pest damage, improper alterations, and displaced supports can weaken posts, beams, joists, piers, footings, and connections. These components may need to be repaired, reinforced, adjusted, or replaced before dependable support can be restored.
Changing soil moisture, poor grading, overflowing gutters, irrigation runoff, and plumbing leaks can affect supporting soils or damage structural materials. A complete solution may need to address both the structural damage and the source of moisture.
Wall removal, additions, and other renovations can change how weight is supported. Improvised blocks, shims, or isolated adjustments may also conceal the problem without correcting its underlying cause.
Do not let uneven floors or foundation concerns continue unchecked. Learn more about our house leveling services and schedule an evaluation for your Concord home.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights has served San Francisco and East Bay property owners since 1983. With more than 40 years of construction experience and an East Bay office in Concord, our team provides local homeowners with knowledgeable, responsive, and dependable service.
Our goal is to help Concord homeowners make informed decisions about their properties. From the initial evaluation through project completion, we remain focused on honesty, reliability, and quality construction.
Work with a local contractor backed by more than 40 years of Bay Area experience. Request a free estimate for your Concord house leveling project.
Uneven floors, widening cracks, and doors that no longer close properly can be concerning. You do not need to identify the cause yourself, but taking a few practical steps can help you document the problem and obtain an informed evaluation.
Take dated photographs of cracks, gaps, sloping floors, and other visible concerns. Note where each symptom appears and whether it seems to be changing.
Look for sticking doors, misaligned windows, separating trim, plumbing leaks, standing water, overflowing gutters, or soil that slopes toward the home. Avoid entering a crawlspace if you see damaged supports, exposed wiring, water, or other hazards.
Do not use improvised jacks, blocks, or shims to lift the structure. Unplanned adjustments can create unsafe conditions and damage framing, plumbing, walls, tile, windows, and other connected materials.
A qualified contractor can examine accessible foundation areas, floor framing, structural supports, drainage, and visible movement. Depending on the findings, the next step may involve targeted repairs, house leveling, foundation stabilization, moisture correction, or consultation with a structural engineer.
If movement appears sudden, part of the home seems unstable, or utilities may have been damaged, stay away from the affected area and seek prompt professional assistance.
Not sure what is causing your home’s uneven floors or cracks? Contact Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights for guidance on the next step.
House leveling is the controlled process of correcting areas of a structure that have settled, sagged, or shifted from their intended position. Depending on the cause, the work may involve adjusting supports, repairing framing, addressing foundation components, or stabilizing part of the home.
Possible signs include sloping floors, sticking doors, misaligned windows, cracks in walls or ceilings, gaps around trim, and visible foundation movement. Because these symptoms can have several causes, a professional evaluation is needed to determine whether house leveling is appropriate.
Common causes include foundation settlement, shifting soil, poor drainage, plumbing leaks, deteriorated framing, dry rot, damaged supports, and previous structural alterations. More than one condition may contribute to the movement.
No. Some uneven floors are caused by damaged joists, inadequate beams, subfloor problems, or variations in the original construction rather than foundation settlement. The repair must address the actual source of the unevenness.
Leveling improves the position of the structure, while stabilization is intended to provide reliable support and help manage continued movement. No contractor can guarantee that soil or environmental conditions will never change, but addressing contributing structural, moisture, and drainage problems can support a more durable result.
The timeline depends on the foundation type, amount of movement, accessibility, repair method, engineering needs, and extent of related damage. A targeted repair may take less time than a whole-house leveling and stabilization project.
Leveling changes the position of connected building components. Drywall, plaster, tile, flooring, cabinets, plumbing, windows, and doors may be affected during the process. Controlled adjustments can help manage these risks, but some finish repairs may still be required afterward.
Some projects benefit from a structural engineer’s evaluation and recommendations. The need for engineering depends on the extent of the movement, proposed repair method, and overall structural conditions.
A professional evaluation may include reviewing visible signs of movement, checking accessible foundation and framing components, assessing floor alignment, and examining drainage or moisture conditions. The findings help determine the likely cause of the problem and guide appropriate repair recommendations.
Cost varies according to the foundation type, affected area, amount of movement, access, necessary repairs, engineering needs, and related drainage or moisture work. An on-site evaluation is necessary to prepare a meaningful estimate for your property.
Have another question about your foundation or uneven floors? Schedule a free estimate with Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights provides house leveling and related structural services in Concord and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. With an East Bay office in Concord, our team is well positioned to assist homeowners across Contra Costa County and nearby communities.
Our service area includes:
Homes throughout the Bay Area vary in age, foundation type, terrain, drainage, and structural condition. Whether you have noticed uneven floors, sticking doors, wall cracks, or possible foundation movement, our team can evaluate the accessible conditions and recommend an appropriate next step.
Project availability may depend on your location and the required scope of work. Contact our team to confirm service for your property.
Protect your home with more than 40 years of Bay Area construction experience. Learn more about our house leveling services and request an evaluation today.
Uneven floors, sticking doors, wall cracks, and foundation movement should not be ignored. A professional evaluation can help identify the source of the problem, determine whether structural repairs are necessary, and establish an appropriate plan for your home.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights provides house leveling in Concord with more than 40 years of Bay Area construction experience. From targeted floor corrections and framing repairs to foundation stabilization and moisture-related solutions, we tailor our recommendations to the property’s actual condition.
Our team is committed to honest guidance, responsive communication, careful planning, and dependable workmanship. We will explain the proposed scope clearly and coordinate engineering or related repairs when needed.
Ready to bring your vision to life? Contact Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights today and let our 40 years of Bay Area expertise turn your dream project into reality.
Disclaimer:
This page provides general information about house leveling services in Concord, CA, and is not a substitute for an on-site structural evaluation or professional engineering advice. Conditions, recommended repairs, costs, timelines, permit requirements, and results vary by property. Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights will assess accessible conditions and recommend appropriate next steps based on the specific needs of your home.