Fill soil that was not compacted
Man made slopes need compaction testing as the fill goes in. Fill that was not compacted properly makes an unstable slope, and piles drilled into native soil are one way to hold a slope built that way.
Hillside Repair · Problem Signs · Since 2011
Signs of slope movement you can see from your yard.
Leaning trees, tilting fences and walls, gaps in the concrete around the house and leaning deck posts are the signs we see most often on Southern California hillsides.
Let's take the first step toward solid ground.
A local specialist will evaluate your foundation, walk you through the findings, and send a clear estimate. No cost, no pressure.
What this symptom means
Signs of Slope Movement: diagnosed and explained.
A moving slope shows up in the things built on it. Trees on a slope want to grow straight up toward the sun, so when the ground under them shifts, they lean and then turn back upward. Fences and walls are built straight, so a top that leans toward the bottom of the slope is a sign the ground has moved, especially on a wall or fence that is fairly new. The concrete around a house tells the same story. As a slope moves, it pulls whatever sits on it downhill, and a gap usually opens where the house meets the patio, then widens as the concrete keeps moving. Decks built out over a slope rest on posts in the soil, so a level held against a post will show a lean when the slope under it is moving. We evaluate homes on Southern California hillsides every year, and these are the signs of slope movement we see most. The repair is stabilizing the slope that is moving, whether that means a retaining wall system, soil nails grouted into the hillside or drilled piles, and it starts with a free evaluation.
For the repair side of this, the hillside repair solutions page lists every method Dalinghaus installs, including the ones that fix problems other than signs of slope movement.
Catch It Early
Four signs of slope movement to check
- Leaning trees A tree on a moving slope leans, then grows back toward the sun, which leaves a bend or bow in the trunk. Trees growing straight up usually mean the slope is not moving much.
- Tilting fences and walls Walls and fences are built straight. A top that leans toward the bottom of the slope points to movement, especially on one built recently. A leaning wall on its own is covered by retaining wall repair services.
- Gaps in the concrete around the house A gap usually opens first where the house meets the patio, then widens as the concrete moves with the slope. Patios and walkways closer to the slope than the house are the easiest place to spot it.
- Leaning deck posts Hold a level against the posts under a deck built out over the slope. Posts that are not straight up and down are likely being moved by the slope under them.
Most Common Causes
What causes signs of slope movement in regional homes.
Clay soil and water
Clay expands and contracts, and it turns slippery when it gets wet. Water on a clay slope sets up the conditions for the slope to start sliding.
Poor drainage
Drainage is critical to how long a slope lasts. Without catch basins and V shaped ditches to break up the water, runoff flows freely down the slope and can wash it out.
Too little plant cover
Roots weave the soil on a slope together and reduce runoff during heavy rain. A slope without that cover loses the help.
A home built without a proper foundation
A home built on a hillside without a proper foundation, or on a slip plane in the slope (the layer a slope tends to slide along), moves with the slope. When the house is moving too, tiebacks on the foundation can anchor it into native soil, as our foundation tieback anchor page explains.
Repair Solutions
How hillside repair specialists actually fix signs of slope movement.
Solving signs of slope movement means addressing the underlying soil, pressure, or settlement cause. Not just patching the visible damage. Below are the engineered solutions we install most often for this symptom in California homes.
Why Choose Dalinghaus
Care and expertise from a team that's been doing this since 2011.
If your home is showing signs of slope movement, the team you call matters. Dalinghaus crews handle hillside repair and related structural work across California, and nothing else.
01
Specialized expertise.
Foundation repair, concrete leveling, and crawl space repair are our entire focus. Not a sideline.
02
Locally owned since 2011.
More than 2,000 projects on the clay and desert soils of California, Arizona, and Nevada since 2011.
03
Licensed in California, Arizona and Nevada.
CSLB License #983851 in California, ROC #330307 in Arizona, and License #0089738 in Nevada. Look us up with the state before we ever set foot on your property.
04
Warrantied solutions.
Warranty terms come in writing with every proposal, and the terms that apply to your job are stated in that job's paperwork. Ask your project specialist during the free evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about Signs of Slope Movement.
Don't see your question here? Our team is happy to help. Reach out anytime.
The most common signs are leaning trees, fences and walls whose tops lean toward the bottom of the slope, a gap opening where the house meets the patio, and deck posts that are no longer straight up and down.
Our Process
From signs of slope movement to a fixed home.
How a repair moves from free evaluation to completed work once signs of slope movement is diagnosed.
Step 01
Schedule your free evaluation.
A local specialist walks the areas showing signs of slope movement, measures what is moving, and answers your questions on site. No cost, no obligation.
Step 02
Get your written estimate.
The method is matched to the cause behind the signs of slope movement, with scope and pricing in writing. No pressure in either direction.
Step 03
Repairs, done right.
A Dalinghaus crew corrects the movement behind the signs of slope movement, and leaves the site cleaner than we found it.
Customer Reviews
More than 1,000 Google reviews across our offices, averaging 4.9 stars.
Before you call anyone about signs of slope movement, read how homeowners across California rate our work.
Free Evaluation
Start with a free evaluation.
Share a few details and a local specialist will follow up as soon as possible to set your evaluation.
What to expect
- A local foundation specialist on site
- A complete walk-through of the findings
- A clear written estimate at no cost
- No obligation, no pressure
Prefer to call
877-360-9227Seeing signs of slope movement? Get the cause diagnosed.
A free evaluation pins down the cause: one visit, clear findings, written estimate.