Foundation replacement that will affect driveway easement
Greetings! We are considering buying an old house in the city of Alameda that will need the brick foundation replaced. The big issue is that one side of the house abuts a narrow driveway that is shared with the building next door. The next-door building owns the land under the driveway, and the house in question has an easement to use the driveway to reach the back of the property. Both properties need to use the driveway to access their parking. We don't know if we would be able to replace a foundation without blocking the driveway. Has anyone else dealt with a similar problem? How did you handle it? Can a foundation be replaced by only accessing 3 sides of a house? Is it possible to reserve street parking for the neighbors for the duration of the project so they could still have parking? Thanks!
Parent Replies
When we had our foundation replaced (by Alameda Structural, who did a great job), I believe they were able to do it without blocking the driveway we share with our neighbors, or without even damaging shrubs that abut the foundation. The process was pretty noisy -- several guys under the house with jackhammers -- which may be a problem for the neighbors.
However, the work you're doing sounds like it may be within the lot-line set-back, that is, the distance between the property line and where you're actually allowed to build. A lot of old houses are built closer to the property line than would be allowed now, and making changes involves special requirements (Administrative Use Permits), which will add a bit to your costs and inconveniences. You might want to contact the local permitting folks so you know what's involved.