The 7 Foundation Problems Darin Wells Saw Over and Over While Flipping Houses in SoCal

Before he became the CEO of Professional Foundation Repair, Darin Wells was deep in the Southern California real estate flipping scene. He saw it all—coastal bungalows with ocean breezes, mid-century gems with clean lines, and tired properties begging for a second chance.

Flipping wasn’t just a business for Darin—it was an adventure. Every property told a story, and he loved being the one to write the next chapter. But over time, he began to notice something most people overlook: no matter the style, neighborhood, or price point, the same kinds of foundation problems kept showing up.

“People get caught up in finishes and curb appeal,” Darin says. “But the foundation is what keeps everything standing. Ignore that, and you’re in for a world of trouble.”

From the coastal plains to hillside neighborhoods, here are the seven foundation issues Darin saw again and again while flipping homes in SoCal—and the lessons they taught him.

1. Cracked Slabs  Southern California’s seismic activity leaves its fingerprints on concrete slabs. Darin saw everything from hairline fractures to large cracks that signaled significant movement. “Not every crack is a crisis,” he explains, “but the ones that widen over time or have vertical displacement usually point to soil shifting or settlement.” Those are the ones that can derail a flip if not handled quickly.

2. Uneven Floors  Sometimes the clue was subtle—a slight slope you could feel under your feet. Other times, it felt like walking downhill inside a house. “Uneven floors often mean the foundation has shifted or the support beams have been compromised,” Darin says. Left unchecked, it can lead to larger structural issues that cost far more than cosmetic fixes.

3. Sticking Doors and Windows  In SoCal’s climate, wood swelling isn’t the main suspect when doors stick. “If several doors and windows in different rooms are suddenly hard to open or close, that’s usually the foundation talking,” Darin explains. The structure is moving, and those shifts put pressure on frames and tracks.

4. Moisture in Crawlspaces  Despite the sunny stereotype, Southern California homes can suffer from moisture buildup beneath them. Darin recalls flipping a 1920s Craftsman in Long Beach where the crawlspace was damp enough to smell. “It turned out the drainage was shot,” he says. Moisture under a home accelerates wood rot and can lead to mold—issues that are expensive to fix and dangerous to ignore.

5. Exterior Wall Cracks  Hairline cracks in stucco are common, but patterns matter. Cracks radiating from corners of windows or doors often point to structural movement. In hillside homes, Darin frequently traced these back to soil creep or insufficient retaining walls. “It’s nature trying to reclaim the hillside,” he says. “You’ve got to fight back with proper engineering.”

6. Sagging Rooflines  It might seem like a roof problem, but Darin learned a sagging roofline can be the symptom of foundation trouble. A compromised base can throw the entire frame out of alignment. “If you catch it early, you can address the root cause before replacing the roof,” he says. “Wait too long, and you’re paying for both.”

7. Poor Drainage Around the Property  The rare but heavy SoCal rains reveal drainage flaws quickly. Darin saw properties where water pooled at the base of the home, slowly undermining the foundation. “Water is the enemy,” he says. “If you don’t get it away from the house, you’re asking for settlement and erosion issues.”

From Flipping Problems to Fixing Them

Over time, Darin realized these weren’t just flipping headaches—they were signs pointing toward a new path. Each foundation issue was more than a problem to work around; it was an opportunity to solve something critical.

“That’s when I started thinking about the bigger picture,” he says. “Instead of flipping past these problems, what if I built a business around fixing them?”

That thought eventually led him to step away from the high-stakes world of flipping and launch Professional Foundation Repair. Today, instead of avoiding properties with serious foundation issues, he runs toward them—armed with both his construction knowledge and the lessons learned in the field.

Advice for Homeowners and Buyers

Darin’s advice is straightforward: don’t ignore the small signs. A sticking door, a hairline crack, or a faint slope in the floor might not seem urgent, but they’re often the first whispers of a larger issue.

“Foundations don’t fix themselves,” he says. “The sooner you catch the problem, the easier—and cheaper—it is to repair. Waiting never helps.”

For buyers in Southern California, that means looking beyond the surface beauty of a property. For current homeowners, it’s about being proactive and calling in an expert at the first sign of trouble.

Why This Matters Beyond Flipping

SoCal’s mix of soil types, seismic activity, and climate make foundation maintenance a non-negotiable part of homeownership. Darin’s flipping years taught him that even the most stunning properties can be hiding costly structural problems.

“The foundation is like the health of the home,” he says. “You can ignore it for a while, but eventually, it’ll catch up with you.”

For Darin, those years in real estate flipping were an education he couldn’t have bought. They gave him an eye for trouble, a deep respect for structural integrity, and the drive to build a company dedicated to keeping homes safe from the ground up.