AlphaStructural
1952541
1884
13
Things seen this week during structural assessments!
If it crumbles off this easy with a couple of wiggles, imagine an earthquake.
Aw, just missed it!
Shim and pier?
This is what you don't want your post and pier to look like.
That internal brick foundation wall needs work, but let's focus on the water. We do not want to see that in a crawlspace.
Cracks can grow and worsen over time; left unattended, cracks will let moisture into your crawlspace.
Little guy didn't make it out.
We made some friends at one of the appointments.
Cracks in your garage can be common.
When there is a significant crack like the one above, examining them further and checking the home for other signs of possible soil and foundation movement is recommended.
To help analyze if the cracks are a concern, look at other factors in the home.
-Are the floors of the house sloping?
-Are the doors or windows difficult to open or shut?
Wood rot.
This is just ugly.
lance415
I love your posts. Can you share a post of a house or structure that is in good shape? We only get to see the bad ones ;-)
jumbosmooth
Terrifying. All those little shakers add up.
graehall
Yas! Two @AlphaStructural posts within the space of a few days. I love these!
AlphaStructural
Thank you! Glad you enjoy them!
EarthDiedScreamin
This week on “Hell to the nawww”
SteveMND
#1 "What the hell man...? Stop trying to break my house!" -- homeowner, probably
purdhapley
That’s load bearing debris!
finetoroastasimamarshmallow
Should go assess condos in Florida
AlphaStructural
Come for the buildings stay for the beach.
SirSmurfalot
#1 Oy, no diggin at it mate, that's holdin' the 'ole place up, see?
NotHeretoFSpiders
Your posts give me anxiety. I still can't help but look.
moecurlylarry
My favorites are the foundations that look like they are made like Jenga
AlphaStructural
Yeah, those are fun.
DiscountMentat
Careful, that looks like load-bearing debris.
mangoshapedspace
pictures like these gives me anxiety. this year, our goal is to hopefully find a home. and i am terrified of our dreams being crushed.
AlphaStructural
Good luck! Just remember inspections are always worth it.
jethz
vagabon
BurnThatBridgeAsWeCrossIt
Your job is daunting. I was in excavation for a while in particular digging foundation holes.
BurnThatBridgeAsWeCrossIt
I found out many years later, the ground had sank below a few of these foundations I had dug, because the region I was digging in had (2
BurnThatBridgeAsWeCrossIt
Deteriorating soil. Too many organics available in the soil that would run away after being exposed the first time. 3)
BurnThatBridgeAsWeCrossIt
There are a ton of foundations that you would love to see or hate to see (@op), that I was responsible for somewhere around 13 years ago...
AlphaStructural
Yeah there are entire regions here known to have expansive soil yet many communities are still being built there.
BurnThatBridgeAsWeCrossIt
I dug in Colorado, tons of expanding clay. I wonder how some of my structures have faired.
blitzuuu
american houses are weird
XeononSolomon
I remember on one inspection my father and the client were under the home checking the foundation during an inspection. Both said it was one
XeononSolomon
Of the scariest moments of their lives. The house held though and the guy happily bought the place
AlphaStructural
Yes, happens quite often.
end100
-Are the floors of the house sloping? yes
-Are the doors or windows difficult to open or shut? yes
fuck
AlphaStructural
I'll see you next week, bro.
end100
i mean if you arrange your own transportation and hotels... otherwise i wouldn't mind advice on finding a good inspector
SiegeWeapon
I was 19, I worked with a general contractor. We went under a house, lifted a section with a jack, and replaced a support block. TERRIFYING.
AlphaStructural
It's not for the faint of heart.
LjubljanaJeNajlepseMestoNaSvetu
Perhaps building houses out of planks and cardboard on little bits of concrete isnt the best idea
AlphaStructural
When you put it like that it doesn't even sound possible yet here we are.
AllTheGoodOnesWereGone
What's the worst thing that's ever happened when you tugged on / poked something during an inspection?
AlphaStructural
I've seen some things but I think the one that made me worry the most was finding a skunk. I really didn't want to get sprayed.
notblubber
"So, what do you do for work?" "I find buildings with poor structural integrity and crawl under them." You're a brave person.
ImbetterthanOKImHomerSimpson
I do mold remediation and there are some houses I've been under where only the mold was holding the flooring system together.
jcoddinc
Think it's more like, "I get paid to tell people they're living in death trap and they can't sell it and listen to 'but why's' complaints"
SirJackDaReaper
Couldnt we use camera rovers for jobs like these?
CorydorasAfavorplease
No, lots of details cameras just miss.
SirJackDaReaper
Wouldnt a sonar system with it work then?
CorydorasAfavorplease
I suppose, but then it would be a pricey piece of equipment to potentially damage or lose in wet or uncertain terrain.
SirJackDaReaper
Wouldn’t all-terrain rover wheels work for that? You could make it out of flexible material like those weird lego cars you see sometimes.
EyeSpyABreathtakingPerson
And then pull some of the weaker bits off just to further cement the magnitude of my kahones.
Quizz25S
Imagine having to drag those giant balls of steel around in a crawl space.
HostMigrationPleaseWait
that post/crumbling pier looked like it was there for deflection, not support at the ends of a beam
gilliamv
He has shoved a pocket knife into not just dry rotten wood, but also concrete! D00d! A knife into concrete!
FlameArath
“Then jiggle off loose bits of concrete holding said house up”-man with death wish. Also he’d have a field day with my grandpas old house
AlphaStructural
CarpetheCarp
Are people living in these houses?!
Aksuuuh
Makes me wonder if you've ever been in danger or legit feared for your life while under a building.
KatsukiLaxus
How can I make sure my future house doesn't end up like any of these?
AlphaStructural
Inspections before purchasing.
MooseSK
Hire a reputable builder
cking1
You sir have the right to bear arms
MacklinBurtMacklinFBI
@AlphaStructural can you find it in your heart to explain some of the repair methods
AlphaStructural
I can try.
BlowOnItAndStickItIn
@OP if you have a slab foundation with a crack or that's sloping to one side, what can you do to fix it and would it be worth it?
UserNameCorrupted
.
GiggityGooJustForYou
Slab… not really. There’s no real way to securely lift it again to the point it will stay. Sadly, best to demo and rebuild.
AlphaStructural
Depends on how big the crack is. There are several ways to fix it and some ways could be expensive only to have it happen again.
LNIwemissyou
All I think of seeing this is how many rats, spiders and dirty old corpses you find there.
AlphaStructural
Quite a few.
LNIwemissyou
A few of what?
SteveMND
Yes.
AlphaStructural
Spiders, rats are very common.
raulote
What animal is that in that your post?
HONHHONHHONHTITTYCROISSANTS
DjNeHi
And the dirty old corpses?
AlphaStructural
In all honesty, we've found some.
insanitycontinuum
Less so but more memorable
Kamikazipigeon
Why do Americans build their houses like this?
thickythickydumdum
You kidding? This kind of sub-par construction is found world-wide.
mambonumberfour
None of these structures are new, just poorly maintained. Nothing wrong with post and pier if you keep an eye on it and repair if needed.
Kamikazipigeon
I just feel like the foundation is the most important part. Do people just cheap out so they can build a bigger house? Or is that standard?
mambonumberfour
The houses would have outside foundation walls. The posts are there for beams that span far enough that they need the support.
Kamikazipigeon
In Germany our entire foundation is concrete. https://www.hausjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/bodenplatte-keller.jpg
mambonumberfour
We do slab foundations as well. And basements, too.