When the ground tilts sharply

The Verdugo Mountains don't ease gradually into Burbank — they rise fast, and the residential parcels tucked into Burbank Hills and the terrain flanking Stough Canyon Park sit on slopes where expansive soils and grade changes make conventional foundation approaches inadequate. Homes on these hillside lots frequently require deepened footings, caissons drilled to stable bearing strata, or engineered retaining walls to resist lateral soil pressure. Hollywood Contractor Corp scopes each hillside project with the specific slope angle, soil condition, and existing structure in mind, then carries the work through the City of Burbank's building department — which runs its own permitting and inspection process independent of Los Angeles County. If you're on a sloped parcel anywhere from the upper Morella-Cordova neighborhood to the edges of the Media District where grade transitions occur, call (818) 264-1955 to start with a thorough site evaluation.

• ✓Caisson drilling to stable bearing depth on steep Verdugo foothills parcels
• ✓Engineered retaining walls for lateral soil pressure on hillside lots
• ✓Deepened continuous footings where expansive soils are present
• ✓Grade-beam systems for sloped building pads
• ✓Coordination with City of Burbank plan check for hillside structural submittals
• ✓Drainage integration to reduce hydrostatic pressure behind retaining walls

Pre-war cottages, careful work

Magnolia Park's concentration of pre-war Craftsman and Spanish Revival cottages presents a specific foundation challenge: the homes are older than most of Burbank's mid-century stock, the original footings were often shallow by modern standards, and any foundation intervention has to account for the historic character of the structure above. Disturbing original plaster walls, period wood floors, or decorative trim during underpinning or mudjacking work is a real risk if the contractor doesn't plan carefully. Hollywood Contractor Corp approaches these projects with the finished interior in mind — shoring and sequencing work to minimize vibration transfer, protecting original finishes, and matching the repair scope to what the structure actually requires rather than defaulting to the most invasive method. If you own a bungalow in Magnolia Park and have noticed sloping floors or sticking doors, those are early signs worth investigating. Call (818) 264-1955.

• ✓Underpinning sequenced to protect original plaster walls and wood floors
• ✓Shallow footing extensions for pre-war Craftsman and Spanish Revival cottages
• ✓Vibration-controlled mudjacking on sensitive historic structures
• ✓Shoring plans that preserve period trim and decorative elements
• ✓Coordination with City of Burbank historic review where applicable
• ✓Targeted repair scopes to avoid unnecessary demolition of original fabric

How Burbank's permit process works

Because Burbank is an incorporated city with its own building and planning department, foundation permits and inspections run entirely through the City of Burbank — not through Los Angeles County. That means plan check, structural engineering review, and field inspections are all handled locally, with timelines and submittal requirements specific to the city. For hillside projects in Burbank Hills, the structural package typically requires geotechnical input in addition to the engineering drawings. For valley-floor repairs, the scope of the permit depends on whether the work is classified as repair or replacement. Hollywood Contractor Corp manages the full permitting process — from preparing the submittal package to scheduling inspections — so the project moves through the City of Burbank's system without the homeowner having to navigate it alone. Call (818) 264-1955 to talk through what your specific project will require.