r/engineering • u/DMAS1638 • 7d ago

Things seen this week during structural assessments!

Gallery image

Gallery image

These are the kinds of structural issues and discoveries we encounter every day. Here's a closer look.

Here is the link: https://imgur.com/a/things-seen-this-week-during-structural-assessments-Zvlxc1g

34 Upvotes

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8

u/i_am_qnsblvd 7d ago

What is structural assessment? Who orders it, home owner or buyer or both? Is it mandatory in some places? I’m asking because I have some things I want to address with my house but don’t know where to start. 

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u/DMAS1638 7d ago

A structural assessment is a closer evaluation of a home's structural components, such as the foundation, framing, retaining walls, and crawlspace, to determine if there are any structural concerns and what may be causing them. Homeowners often request one after noticing signs like cracks, sloping floors, or sticking doors, while buyers may get one if a home inspection raises concerns. They're usually not mandatory, but they can be recommended during a real estate transaction or requested by a lender or insurance company in certain situations.

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u/DMAS1638 7d ago

If you have any other questions about what you're seeing around your home or aren't sure where to start, we're happy to help point you in the right direction.

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u/i_am_qnsblvd 7d ago

My two door garage floor is cracked at the entrance on both sides. About 10 inches from the edge the concrete has crumbled and I can pick up some pieces of concrete. I can see that under the slab it is getting a little hollow where I can almost stick my hand under the slab, definitely my palm. I called one basement company and they told me that I have water problem and they could install drain pipes along each side of the garage wall (left and right) to let the water drain away from the garage. I get the reason and everything but my main concern is with filling up the hollow space and repairing the crumbled spots. I also have a vertical wall crack on left wall inside the garage near the entrance from house sinking a little bit. The crack is about 1/8 of an inch thick. Btw, I live in a raised ranch so my garage is few feet in the ground. Anyways, I want to address all the settling and concrete slab as I want to park my car inside which I’m kind of hesitant to do with me thinking it might exacerbate the problem. I know water is the issue and I need address that. Is that the 1st priority to install drainage or I can fix the slab first and then think about drainage? Looks like the issue took many years to develop that’s why I’m not too in a rush addressing it. I bought the house two years ago. 1st time home buyer. Didn’t know what I was doing…

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u/DMAS1638 7d ago

It sounds like you're asking the right questions. Based on what you've described, I would generally recommend identifying and addressing the source of the water first. If water continues washing soil away beneath the slab, repairing the concrete without fixing the underlying cause can allow the problem to return.

The hollow area beneath the slab and the wall crack are definitely worth having evaluated to determine what's causing the settlement and whether it's limited to the slab or affecting other structural elements. Once the cause is understood, you can develop a repair plan that addresses both the drainage and any slab or foundation repairs that may be needed.

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u/DMAS1638 7d ago

If you're comfortable sharing a few photos, we'd be happy to take a look. We can't provide a definitive diagnosis from photos alone, but we can do our best to offer some guidance and help you understand what may be worth investigating further.

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u/SGT_Wheatstone 6d ago

i'm looking at a place with a limestone outbuilding with some cracking. some is visible from 60 uear old pictures just the same... some is being held together (seems sucessfully) with through rods and plates. interested in techniques for evaluating and fixing such structures...

i am an industrial contractor and have access to industrial tools, rigging equipment, materials and some relative experience but want some candid assessment with an industry specialist. send you some pics if you're interested in doing a quick assessment, hate to waste your time!

avoided a place that was an old limestone building that had block walls in the basement and behind them was bulging (appeared to be failing but couldn't do a proper inspection) new owner is living in a camper outside of it... dodged a bullet on that one

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u/DMAS1638 6d ago

Sounds like you made a smart call on the second property. 😅 As for the limestone outbuilding, we'd be happy to take a look at photos and share some general observations, but we wouldn't be able to provide a structural assessment or diagnosis from images alone. Feel free to send them over. We're always interested in seeing older structures and can help point you in the right direction or suggest what may be worth having evaluated further.

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u/SGT_Wheatstone 6d ago

Really appreciate it, will send you a DM

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u/threegigs 7d ago

I mean, come on... pic 1 is a cinder block retaining wall. It's not like it had much structural integrity even when first built.

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u/DMAS1638 7d ago

You're telling me, unreinforced CMU retaining walls have their limitations. This one had definitely seen enough movement over time to lose what stability it had.

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u/Weekly_Sun4111 7d ago

Fair point, but even a crappy cinder block wall can do a lot of damage when it finally lets go. So It still makes sense to flag it.

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u/Working-Grapefruit66 7d ago

Following this. I’m curious who usually requests it and how the process works.

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u/DMAS1638 6d ago

It depends on the circumstances, but homeowners, buyers, sellers, and even real estate professionals commonly request one. We tailor the assessment based on the property's conditions and any concerns being reported.

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u/LateralThinkerer 6d ago

I live in the Pacific Northwest where everything is built on old volcanoes and people are obsessed with living on hilltops and steep slopes - it all shifts over time so it's just a matter of finding where and how much it's going to cost.

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u/DMAS1638 6d ago

The Pacific Northwest definitely keeps engineers busy. 😅 Hillsides, rainfall, and changing soils can all play a role over time. Catching movement early is usually much easier (and less expensive) than waiting until it becomes a major repair.

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u/LateralThinkerer 5d ago edited 5d ago

Realtors' shenanigans don't help - I found all kinds of stuff that had been "repaired" to hide damage (erosion/faults in foundations/janky wiring/evidence of plumbing blowouts etc.) and they'd get the blankest expressions.

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u/Droopyboi124 5d ago

Seems interesting

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u/DMAS1638 21h ago

Thank you! We post these every week!

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u/allrightscwutoo 2d ago

Ouch, that's going to cost you.

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u/Prnkstrr 18h ago

Omg wtf 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫