Journal
The Del Mar structural journal
Considered notes on bluffs, the North Beach floodplain, salt air and older homes, with a clear line between City of Del Mar and City of San Diego rules.
- Follow-Up Checks After a Del Mar RepairOnce the crew leaves, a foundation repair still needs watching. A follow-up plan for Del Mar owners, including those who manage the house from out of town.
- Comparing Structural Bids for a Del Mar ProjectStructural bids in Del Mar rarely line up neatly. How to read scope, engineering, design review, site limits and exclusions so two proposals can be compared fairly.
- The Beam Over a Del Mar Garage DoorSagging lines, binding doors and cracked stucco above a Del Mar garage opening can trace to the header. A measured look at what it carries and when to ask.
- Lifting a Sunken Slab in Del Mar: Methods and LimitsGrout, polyurethane foam, piers or replacement: a reflective look at how settled slabs in Del Mar are raised, and why the cause matters more than the method.
- Olde Del Mar Hillside Homes: Foundation NotesOlder hillside homes in the original streets of Del Mar often rest on early footings, old terrace walls and many remodels. Notes on reading and preserving them.
- Access and Staging Factors for Del Mar Structural WorkNarrow streets, construction hours, summer racing and utility work all shape how structural work is staged in Del Mar. A measured list of access factors.
- Cottages Near Stratford Court: Old Footings and Damp AirOlder cottages near Stratford Court in Del Mar often rest on modest footings in damp, salty air. A measured look at what to note, and how undergrounding fits in.
- Where Del Mar Houses Show Movement FirstCottages, stepped hillside homes and North Beach houses in Del Mar each show foundation movement in their own places. A journal of where to look, by house type.
- Documenting Damage for Insurance Conversations in Del MarHow Del Mar owners can document structural damage before talking to an insurer: which policy may be involved, what to photograph, and what to leave alone.
- Diagonal Wall Cracks in Del Mar HomesWhy diagonal cracks form at door and window corners in Del Mar homes, how to tell drywall movement from finish flaws, and what to note before an evaluation.
- Sinking Steps and Porches on Old Del Mar CottagesOn raised Del Mar cottages, the porch and steps often rest on ground the house never touches. Why they drop, what to look at, and how repair stays modest.
- If the Tracks Move Inland: What Del Mar Owners Should WatchSANDAG is studying four ways to move or reinforce the rail line on the Del Mar bluffs. A measured look at what each could mean for nearby homes and what to record.
- Reading a Garage Slab in Del MarA Del Mar journal entry on garage slabs: ordinary shrinkage cracks, patterns that need a closer look, salt-air corrosion, flood-map context and conversions.
- Sewer Laterals and Foundations in Del MarDel Mar owners own the sewer lateral. How an aging lateral can leak into soil near footings, the trench rule for replacements, and the order to address both.
- Coordinating Engineers, Design Review and the CommissionAfter the approvals: how Del Mar structural work stays aligned across design review conditions, coastal permits, plan check, special inspections and field changes.
- Marine Layer Moisture Under Del Mar HomesHow Del Mar's marine layer keeps air under raised floors damp even without leaks, what that does to wood and steel, and how we measure it before choosing a fix.
- Doors and Windows That Bind in Del Mar HousesA measured note on doors and windows that bind in Del Mar homes: salt air on hardware, damp wood, framing and foundation movement, and how to tell them apart.
- Soft Ground in the San Dieguito Valley: A Del Mar Soils NoteA measured note on the young river and lagoon soils under parts of Del Mar: what the geologic maps describe, why they settle, and what owners can observe.
- Adding Square Footage in Del Mar: Foundation QuestionsBefore a Del Mar addition or second story goes to design review, a few structural questions about existing footings, soils and load paths deserve quiet attention.
- Hazard Maps for Del Mar ParcelsA quiet guide to the flood, bluff, earthquake, fire and sea level rise maps that touch Del Mar parcels, what each one shows, and what none of them can tell you.
- Under-Slab Leaks in Del Mar HomesA measured look at under-slab plumbing leaks in Del Mar homes: reading the City meter at rest, quiet signs indoors, and what hidden water can do beneath a slab.
- Water Getting Under a Del Mar HomeHow water finds its way beneath Del Mar homes, from grade at the wall and low crawl spaces to slab edges and groundwater, and how to trace the path before repairs.
- Driveways, Walks and Patios in Del Mar: A Quiet GuideA measured look at cracked and lifted driveways, walks and patios on Del Mar properties: what flatwork reveals about drainage, and City rules at the street edge.
- Selling in Del Mar: Structural and Flood DisclosuresA measured guide for Del Mar sellers on the structural, soil and flood items buyers will read, the floodplain and bluff overlays, and how to prepare a clear record.
- Block Walls on Del Mar Property LinesA measured look at block walls between Del Mar neighbors: how they show distress, what the fence rules say, and how shared costs are treated in state law.
- Keeping a Structural File for a Del Mar PropertyA quiet case for keeping a structural file on a Del Mar home: what belongs in it, how to request what the City holds, and why it matters at sale or after a storm.
- Prepping a Del Mar Home Before Winter RainA measured pre-winter plan for Del Mar homes and second homes: what to check, who should check it, and what to record before El Niño rain arrives.
- Torrey Pines, Eucalyptus and Roots Near Del Mar FoundationsHow tree roots, from Torrey pines to eucalyptus, relate to Del Mar foundations, what evidence actually links a tree to damage, and the City's protected-tree rules.
- What Affects Timing on a Del Mar Structural ProjectWhy Del Mar structural projects take the time they do: investigation, design review steps, coastal questions, neighbors and site access. Factors only, no promises.
- Steel Hardware and Connectors in Del Mar Salt AirHangers, straps and anchor hardware age quickly in Del Mar's salt air. How distance from the surf, exposure and access shape what to inspect and what to replace.
- Ocean-View Decks on Del Mar Slopes: Footings and SaltOcean-view decks on Del Mar slopes: where the footings land, how salt air treats connectors and flashing, and what the bluff overlay asks of decks near an edge.
- Who Does What on a Del Mar Bluff or Hillside ProjectWho prepares each document on a Del Mar bluff or hillside project, from the slope analysis and geology report to story poles, drainage plans and the build.
- Masonry Chimneys in Older Del Mar HomesBrick and block chimneys on older Del Mar homes: why they matter in earthquakes, what code asks of new ones, warning signs, and the choices owners weigh.
- What a Del Mar Structural Evaluation InvolvesWhat a structural evaluation of a Del Mar home involves, from records and access to the walk-around and written findings, for full- and part-time owners.
- Finding Building Records for a Del Mar PropertyWhere Del Mar building, design review and coastal records live, how to request them, and how to read them before structural work on a home or second home.
- Stucco Cracks on Del Mar HomesReading stucco cracks on a Del Mar home: surface crazing, corner cracks, trouble at the weep screed, salt air, and when the foundation is involved.
- Expansive Soil in Carmel Valley: A Note for Newer HomesWhy clay soils still matter under Carmel Valley's newer homes, how the code defines expansive soil, the signs owners notice, and how water habits affect a slab.
- Underpinning in Del Mar: When Footings Need Deeper SupportA measured look at underpinning in Del Mar: confirming movement, why the ground matters by setting, common pier families, and coastal and floodplain cautions.
- Before and After Rental Season: Structural Checks in Del MarRenting your Del Mar home for the season? A quiet structural routine for decks, guards, stairs, crawl spaces and drainage before guests arrive and after they go.
- Del Mar's Sea-Level Rise Adaptation Plan and HomesWhat Del Mar's adopted Sea-Level Rise Adaptation Plan says about North Beach, the river valley and the bluffs, and what it means for the structure of your home.
- ADUs in Del Mar: Foundation and Review QuestionsPlanning an ADU in Del Mar? Which reviews the City's ADU chapter waives, which still apply, and how flood, bluff and slope overlays shape the foundation.
- Seawall and Revetment Maintenance in Del MarHow Del Mar's Beach Overlay Zone treats seawall and riprap upkeep, the Shoreline Protection Area line, emergency reinforcement and a seasonal owner record.
- Buying an Older Del Mar Home: Structural QuestionsA measured guide for buyers of pre-1980 Del Mar homes: what housing age implies, which local disclosures matter, and how to fit a structural look into escrow.
- Hillside Drainage in Del Mar: Where Water Should GoA measured look at routing water on Del Mar hillside lots: where roof and yard water belong, what City stormwater rules say, and a seasonal rhythm for upkeep.
- Reading Foundation Cracks in a Del Mar HomeA measured guide to reading slab, wall, and stem-wall crack patterns in Del Mar homes — Heights slabs, cottages, inland bluffs, and salt-air clues.
- Del Mar Condo Owners: Structural Questions for BoardsQuestions Del Mar condo owners can bring to the board about salt-air concrete, Civil Code 5551 reports, reserves, shared drainage, and structural evaluations.
- After a Winter Storm in Del Mar: An Owner's WalkA measured Del Mar post-storm walkaround for primary and second-home owners — drainage, crawl spaces, canyon edges and North Beach notes without panic language.
- Torrey Sandstone and the Ground Under Del MarA Del Mar geology note on Torrey Sandstone and the Delmar Formation — what map units mean in a soils report and why nearby lots can differ.
- Retaining Walls in Del Mar: Permits, Height and SignsHow Del Mar treats retaining walls: why the City asks for a permit, how height is measured, when engineering applies, and what an owner can read in an aging wall.
- Sloping Floors in Del Mar Homes: First QuestionsThe first questions to ask about a sloping floor in a Del Mar home, from the age of the slope to the ground beneath it, and how to keep a record between visits.
- Flood Vents and Enclosures Below Base Flood ElevationWhat FEMA's flood openings bulletin says about vents, garages and crawl spaces in Del Mar's AE-zone areas, and how to read an existing enclosure with care.
- VE Zones and Del Mar Beachfront Homes: What the Map Study ShowsHow FEMA's coastal study reshaped Del Mar's flood map, what a VE zone asks of a foundation, and the questions a beachfront owner should settle early.
- Del Mar Heights Slab Homes: Cracks and SettlementFor Del Mar Heights homes on concrete slabs: reading cracks and settlement, why fill and clay matter on the mesa, and how City of San Diego rules apply.
- Living Near the San Dieguito River and LagoonHomes near Del Mar's San Dieguito River mouth face river and ocean flooding. How the lagoon inlet, flood zones, and wet soils bear on foundations this winter.
- Crawl Spaces Under Old Del Mar CottagesOlder Del Mar cottages often sit over damp crawl spaces. What to check for moisture, posts, vents, and floodplain context without invented elevations.
- Seismic Basics for Older Del Mar HomesOlder Del Mar raised houses often need a clear explanation of mudsill anchors and cripple-wall bracing—what changes under the floor, and when design is required.
- Beachfront Concrete in Del Mar: A Maintenance CalendarA season-by-season maintenance calendar for concrete and metal connectors on Del Mar beachfront and near-shore homes, drawn from Caltrans and FEMA guidance.
- Does Structural Repair Need Design Review in Del Mar?How Del Mar's Design Review Ordinance treats like-for-like structural repair, when work tips into an ADR or a Board hearing, and where coastal review enters.
- What Drives Foundation Scope in Del MarCost factors for Del Mar-area foundation projects: access, soils, coastal and design review, jurisdiction, and investigation depth—factors only, never prices.
- Del Mar vs Carmel Valley: Which Rules Apply?City of Del Mar rules are not City of San Diego rules. Which permit path applies in Del Mar, Heights, and Carmel Valley.
- Crest Canyon Canyon-Edge Homes: Runoff, Slopes and FireA measured note for owners on the rim of Crest Canyon: two cities, steep erodible slopes, a mapped fire hazard, and what the Del Mar plan says about runoff.
- Del Mar's North and South Hills: Living on an Inland BluffDel Mar maps an inland bluff erosion hazard in the North and South Hills. What that means, how the 25 percent slope rules work, and what hillside owners can check.
- Carmel Valley Mesa Pads: Why As-Graded Reports MatterWhy Carmel Valley mesa-top cut-and-fill pads depend on the original as-graded geotechnical report—and how City of San Diego rules differ from City of Del Mar.
- Remote Owner's Structural Checklist for Del MarA discreet monitoring checklist for second-home and remote Del Mar–area owners: what to photograph, schedule, and when to request evaluation.
- Why Del Mar's Bluffs Keep Making NewsThe geology under Del Mar's bluffs, the railroad work finished in fall 2026, the long-term move of the tracks, and what all of it does and doesn't mean for homes.
- North Beach Cottages and FEMA's 50 Percent RuleHow FEMA's substantial improvement rule and Del Mar's Floodplain Development Permit shape foundation repair, remodels and elevation for North Beach cottages.
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