Shoring is the temporary structural support that holds soil and adjacent structures in place while foundation, basement, or excavation work is done below them. Benitez Concrete Construction is a shoring and excavation support contractor serving San Jose and the greater Bay Area, with more than 30 years of experience keeping structures safe and stable during deep and complex concrete work. On tight Bay Area lots, where a new basement or foundation often sits close to an existing home or a neighbor’s property, shoring is what makes the work possible without putting the surrounding structure at risk.
What Shoring Involves
Shoring supports the ground and any structure resting on it while the soil beside or beneath it is removed. Whenever an excavation goes deep, or a foundation is worked on in sections, the surrounding soil loses its natural support and can move. Shoring replaces that support temporarily so the excavation stays open, safe, and stable until the permanent concrete is in place.
Benitez handles the shoring that structural and below-grade work requires, including soldier piles and lagging, bracing, and the staged support used during underpinning. It is an integral part of our excavation and foundation construction work, designed to the engineer’s specifications for each site.
When a Project Needs Shoring
Not every job needs engineered shoring, but many structural and below-grade projects do. Shoring is typically required when:
- An excavation is deep enough that the soil walls cannot stand on their own
- A new basement or foundation is being built close to an existing structure
- The work sits near a property line or a neighbor’s building
- A foundation is being underpinned and must stay supported in stages
- The soil is loose, sandy, or otherwise prone to collapse during excavation
If you want to understand the fundamentals first, our post on what shoring is and when it is required explains how it protects a site and the structures around it.
Why Bay Area Builders Choose Benitez for Shoring
Shoring is safety-critical work where the margin for error is small, so it demands experience and coordination with the engineer of record. Benitez Concrete Construction has supported deep excavations and complex foundation projects across the Bay Area for more than 30 years as a family-owned company. We hold California Contractor License #706549, classification C-8 (Concrete), and we are fully bonded and insured.
We work alongside general contractors, structural engineers, and geotechnical engineers to design and install shoring that fits the site and keeps the project moving. Our portfolio includes demanding basement and foundation projects on constrained lots in Los Altos Hills, Hillsborough, and across the Peninsula, where protecting the surrounding structures was as important as the concrete itself. You can read more about our team and our approach.
Our Shoring Process
Every site is different, but shoring follows a careful, engineered sequence:
- Site review and engineering. We review the soils report, the excavation plan, and the surrounding structures with the engineer and design the shoring system.
- Permitting and planning. We handle the requirements so the shoring meets code and inspection before excavation begins.
- Installation. We install the shoring, piles, lagging, or bracing to hold the soil and adjacent structures in place.
- Excavation and structural work. We excavate and build the permanent foundation or basement within the supported zone.
- Removal or integration. We remove temporary shoring or integrate it into the permanent design as the engineering calls for.
Shoring Across the Bay Area
Benitez provides shoring and excavation support in San Jose, Atherton, Cupertino, Hillsborough, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Redwood City. Shoring is most often the first structural step in two of our specialties: building concrete basements beneath and beside existing homes, and foundation and seismic retrofit where an older structure must stay supported while its foundation is reinforced.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is shoring in construction?
Shoring is temporary structural support that holds soil and nearby structures in place while excavation or foundation work is done below or beside them. It keeps deep excavations open and stable and protects adjacent buildings until the permanent concrete is installed. The system is engineered for each site based on the soil and the surrounding structures.
When is shoring required?
Shoring is generally required when an excavation is deep enough that the soil cannot stand on its own, when work sits close to an existing structure or property line, or when a foundation is being underpinned in stages. Loose or unstable soil also calls for shoring. The engineer of record and local code determine when it is needed.
Do you provide shoring for basement projects?
Yes. Shoring is often the first step in building a basement beneath or beside an existing home, where the surrounding soil and the existing structure must stay supported during deep excavation. We design and install the shoring, then build the permanent basement within the supported area.
How long does shoring take to install?
Every project is different. The timeline depends on the depth of the excavation, the soil, the shoring method, and the surrounding structures. After we review the site and the engineering, we give you a realistic schedule. A site visit is the only way to estimate your project accurately.
Do you work with geotechnical and structural engineers?
Yes. Shoring is engineered work, and we coordinate closely with geotechnical engineers, structural engineers, and general contractors. We install the shoring to the engineer’s design and to code, and we can work within your existing project team.
Support Your Project From the Ground Up
On a deep or tight-lot project, the shoring is what keeps everything else safe. Contact Benitez Concrete Construction for a free estimate, or call (408) 271-9826 to talk through your shoring and excavation needs with a team that has supported Bay Area projects for over 30 years.