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Avatar for Level Foundation Repair & Waterproofing

Level Foundation Repair & Waterproofing

5.00(
2
)

Level Foundation Repair & Waterproofing

5.00(
2
)
Customers say: Quick response
Recommended by 100% of Angi customers
Recommended by 100% of HomeAdvisor customers

We are a team of well-educated professionals with a company culture of mutual respect and trust. We deliver quality projects on time and within budget because we have genuinely care and concern for our customers. About the owners: Levi Bechtum has been in the construction industry for the past 12 years. His primary focus has been in remodel construction, excavation and plumbing. Born and raised in La Crosse, Levi attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where he majored in Accounting and Finance. Levi lives in La Crosse with his wife and two kids. During his free time, Levi enjoys taking his family camping, buying reduced and damaged produce at the grocery store, creating small batches of charcuterie with his grandma’s recipes and organizing messy spaces—specifically tools. Josh Hutson grew up in rural Washington State. His family operated a sustainable organic hobby farm in addition to logging and excavating. Hard work and family values weren’t talked about as much as they were lived. In 2004, Josh left high school to enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he deployed twice to Iraq. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Norwich University in Vermont and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduating with a degree in History and Creative Writing. He has held roles at the US State Department and most recently was the Director of Business Development at a regional construction firm. Josh is committed to excellence. He enjoys providing long lasting solutions to complex problems, and is ultimately driven by wanting to help and serve. Josh lives in La Crosse with his wife and three children. He enjoys playing in the park near his house, eating ice cream and shooting things from very long distances.

"Quick and efficient. Nice work."

Ann V on August 2019

We are a team of well-educated professionals with a company culture of mutual respect and trust. We deliver quality projects on time and within budget because we have genuinely care and concern for our customers. About the owners: Levi Bechtum has been in the construction industry for the past 12 years. His primary focus has been in remodel construction, excavation and plumbing. Born and raised in La Crosse, Levi attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where he majored in Accounting and Finance. Levi lives in La Crosse with his wife and two kids. During his free time, Levi enjoys taking his family camping, buying reduced and damaged produce at the grocery store, creating small batches of charcuterie with his grandma’s recipes and organizing messy spaces—specifically tools. Josh Hutson grew up in rural Washington State. His family operated a sustainable organic hobby farm in addition to logging and excavating. Hard work and family values weren’t talked about as much as they were lived. In 2004, Josh left high school to enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he deployed twice to Iraq. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Norwich University in Vermont and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduating with a degree in History and Creative Writing. He has held roles at the US State Department and most recently was the Director of Business Development at a regional construction firm. Josh is committed to excellence. He enjoys providing long lasting solutions to complex problems, and is ultimately driven by wanting to help and serve. Josh lives in La Crosse with his wife and three children. He enjoys playing in the park near his house, eating ice cream and shooting things from very long distances.

"Quick and efficient. Nice work."

Ann V on August 2019

Earthquake Retrofitting questions, answered by experts

Almost all new buildings in California need an earthquake shut-off valve. The requirements for an earthquake gas shut-off valve (and who can install it) depend on where you live. For example, according to the Los Angeles Municipal Code, you’re required to hire a licensed contractor to install one whenever you build, sell, or renovate a home. Check with your local building department for your city’s laws on installing, permitting, and inspecting earthquake shut-off valves.

An earthquake retrofit is essential for safety in an earthquake-prone area. Without proper retrofitting, your home is at risk of sliding off the foundation, shifting, or collapsing.

You may also require a retrofit if your home was built before 1980 when building codes began requiring reinforcing, bracing, and bolting for new construction. You may not be eligible for insurance to help pay for earthquake-related damages without a retrofit.

Grounding is a great first step to prevent electrical shock, but you can take it further with GFCI outlets and AFCIs (arc fault circuit interrupters). In particular, AFCIs help protect against the type of electrical arcs that cause fires, like if a mouse chews on a wire or your laptop starts overheating at the wall. These are required in some areas of your home.

Even if you invested in the cost of a gas shut-off valve for your oven and other appliances, it’s a good idea to add a seismic shut-off valve as an extra safety measure. 

Gas shut-off valves for appliances are manual, meaning someone has to cut off the flow of gas. This leaves room for error, as you might not be home or might be too distracted to think about gas lines during an earthquake. An earthquake valve is automatic and will protect your home from gas-related disasters in the event of an earthquake.

Hearing or feeling vibrations in your house can be unsettling, but there are a few possible causes for a vibrating noise in your wall or floor. Light bulbs and fixtures, circuit breakers, loose pipes, or faulty wiring could all cause vibrations. If you’re not sure what’s causing the vibrations, you can call a contractor to assess your home and narrow down the cause.

The Elgin, MN homeowners’ guide to earthquake retrofitting services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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