Ram Jack West - Portland

Best news of our day! Ram Jack came out, inspected our job and said the words we most wanted to hear, "yes we can do your job." After 4 different contractors getting our hopes up, and a month of hurry up and wait, we were thrilled. All my phone calls and emails with Brandy, Nora and others at the main office were always professional, friendly and understanding. Keith came out, set to work right away and got the job done within a week, not a small task for what he was up against. Due to years of water damage and some termites as well, the beams and posts under the house needed to be replaced along with the subfloor underneath the hardwood. Keith was prompt everyday, let me know what was going on with our job, cleaned up the worksite everyday and was an all around fabulous contractor, giving us his full attention and expertise. I highly recommend Ram Jack for all your foundation needs, they are as good as it gets.

We contacted RamJack because the foundation of the home we had just purchased was significantly lower in one corner of the house compared to the rest of the house. Our original intention was to have the house leveled, however after conferring of the RamJack staff and an independent structural engineer we decided that stabilizing the foundation would be a better choice. This was an expensive project, but less expensive than leveling the foundation and dealing with the damage that was likely to occur in the process of leveling it. It wasn't until we observed the RamJack crew at work and saw first hand what they had to do to stabilize the house that we understood why it cost as much as it did. It took four full days to complete the project. Because of the configuration of our house and yard, a considerable amount of digging had to be done by hand. The crew was great and they "worked like dogs." They were very pleasant and professional. The work done by RamJack is guaranteed and this guarantee is transferrable to the next owner.

He is exceptionally trustworthy and I recommend him all the time. I chose him based on the reviews that he had on Angie's List. People were talking about him being trustworthy. I would use him again.

You cannot find a better team of professionals for foundation work on your home. This job required the installation of helical piers and steel channel under the house. The crew was top notch from start to finish. Curt the estimator answered all of our questions via email and phone in a timely manner. Freddie the foreman arrived on time and his crew was excellent. The office staff is great, too. These folks are extremely competent, knowledgable, organized and friendly. If this were not enough, the warranty they provide even transfers ownership should you ever sell your house. Highly recommended.

We had discovered a large crack in our foundation that had resulted in a 3" drop in our master bedroom/bathroom. From the beginning we were impressed with RamJack West's professionalism and attention to detail. We met with Curt Klein for an initial consulation after meeting with another foundation repair company. He was great. He responded quickly to multiple emails as we thought of more questions. He recommended several structural engineers and geotechnical engineers for us to call. We did hire two engineers who had done work the RamJack and several other foundation repair companies in the Portland area. Based on their recommendations, we were able to come up with a modified repair plan. We presented it to RamJack. The entire job took about a week and a half. It took a little bit longer because the angle iron job was a little more involved than originally thought. This specific job anchored the addition to the main portion of the house, by accessing two crawl spaces - after the helicals and tie backs were in place. We loved the crew. They were very careful of the shrubs and mud. I have never seen such hard workers. They took a short lunch break during the day and that was it. I supplied them with cookies, juice and treats just to slow them down a little bit and make them take a breather! Time and time again they cheerfully addressed our concerns. We were able to recover 2-1/2" of the 3" drop at the end of the house with a minimal amount of interior damage. The cracks that appeared on the interior walls had been repaired several years ago - there was no new damage. We were very pleased as we had been pretty nervous about the potential of windows breaking, etc. ! Now our doors close well, and we don't walk downhill into that room. Time and time again the crew was professional and courteous. We absolutely recommend RamJack West.

The estimate was the lowest I could find, asked for before and after level readings, which I never received. Clean up was poor! They had to take part of my deck apart and replaced the damaged deck boards with lumber that was mine and not intended for my deck,

Great! Did outstanding work. Preformed the job in a timely manner. Kept the area clean while working, and cleaned up nicely when done.

They were great, on time, good attitude. Knew what they were doing and did what they said they were going to do. Very happy with Ram Jack.

Many piers under my house were no longer supported due to soil settling. Out of 3 quotes, Ram Jack was the lowest final price and most flexible. Their initial quote was about 2x higher. We discussed the situation in more detail, and they brought in a consulting engineer, resulting in an alternative approach that was much cheaper. Very happy with the final results. The work crew was good, although the supervisor was not around for the entire job, so there were some language barriers during the construction. Also they could have done a better job communicating with us to keep us updated on construction progress (e.g. an update at the end of the day). But not a major issue.

It went very well. Arrived on time to start project. Did what they were to do and beyond. Highly recommend.

We contracted Ram Jack over concerns about our basement walls. We're digging out an egress well which has afforded us a new glimpse of our old basement foundation (house built in 1912). We had a good visit with Kirk, who checked out our concern areas of spalling inside and out, and measured our house for settling. He clarified with us about what he saw and why it didn't look bad. I'm always impressed when a company doesn't push it's work on you when it's not needed.

RamJacks' estimator, Curt, was professional and gracious. He patiently answered many questions from worried homeowners who had discovered narrow cracks in a cement foundation floor after removing carpet & padding in preparation to replace it. Curt arrived at our house as the last appointment in what was a long day for him. Nevertheless, he was attentive, pleasant and diligent. He examined & mapped the house exterior perimeter, then came inside & used high tech equipment to measure upstairs & down, checking whether our house & foundation were level. He was able to determine a difference of less than 1/4", which he assured us is considered "insignificant," and that our house was remarkably level after all. There was no need for repair work. In fact, the small cracking in cement is minor, commonplace and easily sealed by the homeowner. Even though our foundation requires no repair, Curt readily agreed to write up a report for us citing the results of his examination. Upon eventual sale of this house, we wanted to be able to offer this information & reassurance to a buyer (wouldn't you want to know that sealed crack is okay?). And one again we are hugely impressed with this company. RamJack could have cited work needing done and we would have believed it. We think it remarkable to experience an honest company who will inform us the house is just fine as is. They have earned our gratitude, admiration, and glowing word-of-mouth recommendation to all. Certainly we will remember and feel secure with RamJack if ever we do need foundation repairs.

Evaluation and initial meeting: The RJ estimator came the day after I called. He went into every corner of every room in our house and in the addition, taking leveling data. He walked all around the outside of the house, with me, pointing out evidence of a problem with the addition foundation, no evidence of a drainage issue, etc. He answered my questions. He drew up a plan of our house with the leveling measurements on it, and wrote up the estimate in front of me, including prices for each line item. Our addition was pulling away from the house on one side, and was 3/4" lower on one corner. The solution was to temporarily support the addition where the 3 support posts were, and then use helical piers to be "screwed" into the soil to a certain torque (which means it can support a certain load). 3 new posts would be attached to the brackets on the top of the piers, and these would be reattached to the addition. I asked about scheduling and permits - this needed to be done in concert with the City of Portland Planning Dept. He explained that the job requires several steps, including a visit from a structural engineer, torque measurements from the test pile (see below), a soils report, permits, another inspection, and backfilling of the holes that are dug. He got back to me re. the permitting, stating that RJ had worked out a new arrangement with the City that allowed them to use the engineer's report in lieu of a City inspector's visit, which would save time during the course of the work, and which made the job cost lower. I should say here that I had one other quote, also from a contractor that specializes in foundation work. The man took random measurements in some rooms of our house, toured the outside, came to the same conclusion as the RJ estimator re. the problem and the solution, wrote up the quote, but without prices attached to each line item, and the price was almost exactly double the RJ price. Because of that and the time the estimator took with me at our initial meeting, and the new process to streamline the permitting, we chose Ram Jack. Scheduling: We were going on vacation and needed the work to be done before we left. They accommodated us, starting about 10 days after the estimate was made. The job: Workmen were always pleasant and prompt. The first day, the crew came to drill a "test pile" in the presence of the engineer: he witnessed them "screwing" a helical pier into the soil in 2 places near the work site, watching the torque gauge until they got to the torque target he had given them. The crew brought a tiny Bobcat along the side of the house to do this. The next day, permits having been obtained, another crew came to put in temporary supports and hand-dig 3 large holes for the piers. They drove in the piers. The engineer came back to check the torque numbers again. The City inspector came to OK the work, and the next day the crew returned to lift the addition to level, demonstrating this with the levelling machine for me. The engineer came back to make his final check. He turned in his soils report, and we waited for another inspection by the City. This happened after another day, and then the crew returned to remove the temporary supports and fill in the holes. All was left in very good order. I am pleased to recommend Ram Jack - we are very satisfied. They have given us a guarantee that lasts for the lifetime of the structure, and is transferable to another owner, should we sell.

Original bid was for part of the job and the rest was to be on a time & materials basis. When I asked for a 'not-to-exceed' price, the result was twice the price of another contractor who got the job. The work they proposed went far beyond the needs of the problem. They should have said they didn't do that kind of work and not bid on the portion that was time & materials.

Anytime a contractor spends two hours with you and comes to the conclusion that no work needs to be done, you know you are dealing with an honest organization. Curt was punctual, professional, and friendly. A competitor had quoted me an enormous sum for leveling work on my addition, suggesting that we would regret it if we didn't perform the work. Curt did a complete altitude survey at no cost and determined that the degree of settling in my home was minor, and suggested that at this time we continue to monitor it. Despite me feeling the need to apologize for wasting his time, Curt was incredibly gracious and seemed happy to have spent the time. What an enormous relief! He has earned my business if we ever do need work done. Would HIGHLY recommend.

I was very impressed with RamJack. A knowledgeable rep came by and did a thorough job evaluating my situation. I was fairly concerned about the floor sag but after discussion RamJack advised me that the work was not necessary. Not many contractors would do this and I really appreciate this. I will definitely call them again in the future if I need this type of work.

This is the type of customer service that exceeds my expectations. Curt did a full inspection complete with measurements. He even made extra effort to come by and perform the inspection on a Friday late in the day. I really appreciate him doing this. Even though the inspection determined no work was needed, Curt did not charge a penny for his excellent service.

The crew arrived on time and got right to work all 3 days until the project was complete. They drilled through concrete, installed the piers, replaced and compacted the dirt, then poured new concrete, very smoothly. Their clean-up of the area was outstanding. Foreman, Gustavo, was superb.

We had some major foundation issues, and Ramjack was recommended to us by a contractor I trusted. I didn't bother getting a second estimate, because the man who gave me the bid from Ramjack explained everything so clearly and even gave me the names of his major competitors so I could look them up and compare. (I did, but chose not to call.) Communication with the office about what was going to happen and when - from getting permits to dropping off the honey bucket to starting the work - was outstanding - thank you Michael! The crew was courteous, professional and clean. They tidied up everything and swept the work area every day before leaving, and they were a pleasure to have around - thank you Gustavo! The engineers checked in often and I always felt like my house was in good hands. The only problems were with their subcontractors, and those were minor and dealt with by the case manager.

Chose Ram Jack due to overwhelming positive reviews. Met with Curt - he took multiple measurements around my house/foundation. Curt informed me that the only bad news was that there was no work for Ram Jack. All measurements were within 1/4" so all was good. Like other reviewers said: didn't try to sell me something I didn't need - high degree of professionalism for sure!

It went perfectly. We got several quotes for the job. Ram Jack was the most flexible in their willingness to work with the other building contractors. Their price was very competitive, and their skill level was very high. Overall we could not be happier with the results. Thank you, Ram Jack!

Ken, the estimator, was extremely professional and thorough. I was confident from the beginning that Ram Jack knew how to resolve our problem. The office manager, was very communicative and professional throughout the process. The repair guys, were efficient and courteous.

I have a 1910 house with minor cracks in the concrete foundation. Last winter, I had some water coming up through my basement, so I installed a french drain to improve the drainage in that corner of the house, and the water problem was solved. However, some of the cracks in the foundation continued to grow, and some of the exposed mortar and concrete on the exterior of my foundation began falling off. I wanted a professional to assess the problem and give me an estimate. Ken from Ram Jack specializes in older homes. He was in West Linn on another project and made time to drive up to Portland to assess my foundation and give me an estimate. Ken was punctual, he called me to confirm the appointment, and he called again to notify me of his ETA because of traffic. He arrived on time and was very professional. It didn't take him long to determine that major repairs were not necessary. Instead, he suggested some minor repairs I could make myself. I was relieved that the problem wasn't as extensive as I had feared. If I ever need a company to work on my concrete foundation, I would give Ram Jack a call first.

I have a leaning retaining wall, a pathway that is crumbling and sidewalk that needs some work. I met with Ken (owner) of Ram Jack at site. He was straight forward with pros and cons of situation. He laid my options out. Did not try to hard sell sevices and in fact advised from prospective of what he would do in similar situation. I feel I can trust this company with future projects and highly recommend them.

During our home inspection, our inspector found crumbling section of the foundation. Ram Jack of Oregon was the only contractor that could give us an estimate within our tight time frame. Pat came out to give us an estimate promptly but it took him over a week to return with a bid due to some of the staff attending an out-of-town conference. The seller agreed to pay for the foundation repair and Ram Jack started the project and finished on time. The work was permitted and inspected by the City of Portland along with special inspection by Carlson Testing. When they gave us the bid, it was stated that the work was covered with a lifetime warranty. However, after the work was completed, they told us that since we didn't use their proprietary foundation jacks, the work would not have a lifetime warranty. After the work was completed we stopped by to take a look and noticed that there was an untreated 2x4 that was left poured in contact with the concrete. Untreated wood is ok to use for formwork - but is never supposed to be left in contact with concrete and now we have a slowly rotting 2x4 to deal with. This is according to my husband who has an engineering degree and works for Hoffman Construction. When we moved in a couple weeks later, the permit was still open pending the final inspection by the City. 6 weeks later, an inspector came out and stated that Ram Jack did not notify them to inspect the rebar before pouring the concrete. The city inspector said his supervisor would either need a copy of report from Carlson Testing or the work would need to be x-rayed to verify proper rebar placement. I talked to Pat who assured me that the report had been sent and that he would resend the report if needed. 4 weeks later, the permit was finally closed after yet another "inspection" by the City (basically another inspector who repeated what the previous inspector said). I recognize that there are aspects of this prolonged process that was not under Ram Jack's control. The communication between Ram Jack and the City could have been improved. Throughout the process, Ram Jack was always prompt and very apologetic about the delay. Toward the end, I got a phone call from the headquarter, a nice thank you note, and a home depot gift card.