We had some moisture issues in our finished basement after heavy rains so we asked for some quotes. Alameda Engineering was one of them. Their quote was not on the low end but based on how Lance proposed to fix our problem and their timeline and also based on a friend's experience with them, we decided to hire them. We chose not to do a french drain around our house. His solution (downspouts all connected to drains that led to the street, regraded the concrete walkways alongside our house, etc.) fixed the problems we were having with moisture in the basement. His crew was timely, polite, clean, and efficient and Lance was always responsive. I'm pretty sure Lance did a few more things for us and didn't charge extra. He was always very responsive. We had this done in November of 2025. The review is a bit overdue but since it has rained a bunch since then, I can say that their solution has worked for us. read more

I reached out to Lance when I was looking to fix some retaining walls in the backyard of my home in the Redwood Heights area of Oakland. Not quite Oakland Hills-style engineering challenges, but the walls looked bad in my 1950's era home and I thought I had to replace them. Estimates were coming in at over 100k(!!). Lance came by to give an estimate on replacing the walls, but took the initiative to call back after a few hours and suggest going a different direction. He came by the house several times to discuss doing drainage work instead (which lowered costs significantly), and we ultimately used him to replace the concrete patio in the backyard. Quick list of the positives: - Punctual and did what was promised, when it was promised. - Problem-solver and hands on. Lance was on-site when big decisions needed to be made and in constant communication. - Hard-working team - Fantastic final result - Good value for the money I would absolutely recommend Lance and Alameda Engineering for work, and will use them again. Before and after pictures attached. read more

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Lance and crew completed a large cement and drainage project on our 90 year old patio that had sunk and was letting water into the lowest unit on our property. Very knowledgeable and trust worthy. Highly recommended. read more

Alameda Engineering - General Contractors Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Great company! Very responsive and great to explain the purposed project. Highly recommend very professional.

I have been trying to replace a low retaining wall along the side of our home for a couple of years. I reached out to Alameda Engineering after another contractor backed out after multiple delays. Lance took care of everything. He offered alternative designs that he could do cheaper than the original design, coordinated all the necessary interactions with the county, surveyor, geotechnical engineer and structural engineer. He kept me informed and was able to get the job implemented quickly after getting the project approved with the county. They may not have been the cheapest option, but so appreciate the quality and thorough follow through with all the details. Lance was on-site regularly. His team was great to work with and they cleaned up the site afterwards very well. They only thing I personally would desire is a bit more proactive detail in what is being covered and detailed plans, but always got timely answers to my questions. read more

Our house is on a slight slope and had been having water drainage issues. This gives us a lot of stress and anxiety, especially during heavy rain. We seek out several contractors to assess the situation and to give us suggestions and proposals. Alameda Engineering was not the lowest bid, but we felt that they were the most knowledgeable, gave us the most confidence and the cost was reasonable. Lance was a great problem solver, professional, and a good communicator. His team was punctual, hands on, hardworking, and respectful. The project was completed as promised and on time. The result was night and day. We've been through several heavy rain storms in the last several months since completion. Everything works as expected and we no longer have issues or concerns with water drainage. We highly recommend Alameda Engineering. read more

Well, this was a hilarious interaction. I've been getting quotes for a very small sidewalk the last few days. Contractors usually want to come see the job site and have been quoted around $1500-$3000 for this job. I've been trying to get a quote with Alameda engineering for multiple days so I attempted one last time today and the man on the phone was pretty rude to me and not knowledgeable about the area without even wanting to see it, he quoted me $16,000 and so I just laughed. Be more professional than that please. read more

We had water intrusion in our basement after the October 2021 deluge. Two other contractors suggested a sump pump, French drains, and/or sealants at great expense and major property disturbance. Lance suggested a simple pipe to drain water away from the foundation. His solution was tested by the recent deluge: our basement is dry! Lance clearly seeks to solve the problem in the least costly way, unlike many other contractors out there. Thanks Lance! Your fix may not be as easy as ours, but with Lance you'll know your contractor is solving the problem in the most efficient way possible. read more

After 2 floods in the lower level of our house, we knew we needed the French drains replaced. My husband interviewed 3 contractors, but Lance Capilla of Alameda Engineering was the person who gave him the most confidence in his ability to do the job. We were so fortunate that he made us a priority, started quickly and got the preliminary work done before the next storm hit. We were protected! My husband is an architect and understands the many issues having to do with drainage around a building. Lance was not the lowest bid we received, but it was the most detailed. Nothing was left to chance. The extent of his knowledge and his approach made it clear that he would solve the problem of water incursion. We did lose a few plants around the perimeter of the house, but Lance was able to save a vintage camellia for us, for which we were very grateful. We highly endorse Lance Capilla and Alameda Engineering for an excellent job! read more

I've been shopping around for a retaining wall for my house for over 5 years, most companies either quoted me ridiculous prices or not even sent the estimate at all! Lance and he's crew literally saved my house! Price was very reasonable and quality of work was exceptional! It was truly a pleasure to see these guys are capable of! They sure don't make them like this anymore- very strong work ethic! Thanks you Lance for an amazing work! read more

Alameda Engineering - Stamped concrete by alameda engineering - General Contractors Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I want to give a shout-out to Alameda Engineering. They did a great job in installing a subsurface sump pump and underground drainage pipe to the uphill street. I subsequently hired another contractor to install a french drain, which was connected to the sump pump vault. That contractor allowed concrete slurry to enter the vault (which messed up the vault area and interfered with the drainage system), which I later discovered. Lance with Alameda Engineering came out, and at no cost, fixed my issue. This is above and beyond service. I highly recommend him, both for his quality of work and his caring character. read more

We needed a new retaining wall after our old one washed out in a rainstorm. Lance from Alameda Engineering came out soon after we called and made suggestions to prevent further damage before a new wall could be constructed. He installed a new wall that looks like it will last forever. When work started the crew from Alameda Engineering worked quickly without stopping until the project was completed. Our new wall looks great and everyone who has seen it agrees that Alameda Engineering did a great job. Five Stars!! read more

Lance is the best - period. Called Alameda Engineering after my entire downstairs flooded after the he New Years Eve rain. Lance picked up my call and even though he was over booked he came by the house and not only walked throughout the property to asses the damage - he helped me come up with a temporary solution to keep the rain water out of my house until the issue could be fixed. We ended up hiring Lance and his team and they did an amazing job. Walked us through every step of the way as his team put in new drainage on both sides of my house. If you even think you need updated drainage or if you have a drainage emergency like I did - Lance is 100% the guy to hire. read more

The worst company ever! They are working on my neighbors house and digging up the walkway between our two houses. Today is Friday and they left for the day and left all of the broken concrete and piles of dirt outside my back door so I cannot open my back door and I have no access to my backyard. they did not check with me to see if they could do such a thing. Also, they hooked up to my water instead of using their clients water. I am a 70-year-old woman and what they've done is extremely dangerous and a hazard. I have no access to my own backyard and I have a dog that I need to take out from time to time. I called Lance and asked him to come back and clear a path for me and he said they can't come back until Monday. I talk to my neighbor about it and asked her to try to call Lance and get him to come back but he won't answer the phone now. This is a $25,000 job, who in the right mind would think it's OK to put concrete and dirt outside of someone's back door. don't use them, they are stupid. read more

Last year we used Lance Capilla and his wonderful helpers to fix a huge drainage problem behind our house. This year we used Lance and his helpers to build a retaining wall in our backyard, pour us a new back patio and construct wheelchair access along one side of our home. Everything was done beautifully and with tremendous precision. I never knew a retaining wall could be lovely, but Lance created an absolutely gorgeous structure for us. He soaked Douglas Fir boards in water so that the wood grain became engorged. Then he added some color to take the shine out of the concrete, but not in a concentrated, uniform fashion. He then poured the lightly colored concrete into the wet wooden forms and we ended up with a variegated faux bois finish which is so beautiful! We've never seen a retaining wall like it anywhere else and we absolutely love how it looks. Next year we are planning to use Lance and his workers to pour us a new driveway. 5 star Yelp reviews are nice, but repeat business is truly the highest form of praise a homeowner can bestow upon a company. Lance has consistently exceeded our expectations and repeatedly earned our repeat business. Lance is smart, experienced, kind, honest, conscientious, punctual, diligent, tenacious and super nice. My husband and I give Lance Capilla and his company, Alameda Engineering, an enthusiastic two thumbs up! read more

We were having massive drainage issues in my mother's basement. We had Lance come out & take a look. He presented us with a few different options. We ended up with a gravity fed drain thru the basement floor and out the back wall. No longer need to worry about if the sump pump craps out if the power blows, overheats or it plugs up because of silt. He's local and did a fantastic job. 537-6550. Alameda Engineering. On top of being honest he's actually a really nice guy. read more

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Had Lance and his crew back to replace a section of our foundation, it had failed due to the weight of the fireplace. Removed the fireplaces, foundation and replacement of the foundation, went smooth as silk. My wife and I want to personally thank Lance and his awesome crew for being on time, cleaning up each and every day and acting very professional read more

Lance and his team are courteous and efficient. The scope of work remained consistent, on schedule and on budget. Lance was both timely and knowledgeable in responding to any questions we had. We are very pleased with the outcome of the foundation and retaining wall repair. read more

We chose Alameda Engineering to build an engineered retaining wall at our home. After speaking with reps from some of the large, big-name local companies, we decided to go with a smaller business that was responsive to all our inquiries and provided personalized service. Alameda Engineering did not disappoint. Owner Lance Capilla was involved in all aspects of the project from start to finish. He handled the permit and inspections. He provided referrals to civil and geotechnical engineering for the wall design. He had professionals at the ready for crane work and heavy equipment operation. Best of all, he personally was on-site at our project each and every day to provide oversight and even worked alongside the crew when necessary. We were pleasantly surprised to have had direct daily access to the owner for any questions that came up. We were very impressed with Lance and his crew. Same guys every day and everyone speaks English so easy communication. Daily clean up was performed and job site was kept tidy. Lance has a very kind and patient demeanor and is willing to take the time to answer questions and explain the technical aspects of the project. Work was performed on consecutive weekdays until the project was completed. There were no gaps due to scheduling issues. The crew even worked during an entire week of a heat wave with 105-108 degree temperatures! Pricing was fair and competitive. All went smoothly and thanks to Lance and his meticulous planning our proposal was spot on without surprises or extra costs. Support a small business and hire Alameda Engineering. You'll be glad you did. read more