Originally Posted By: smcintire This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hello, everybody thanks for the post except for the Realtor comment, which is far better left un-commented by me. Joseph, the building is 100 units and 9 floors tall. I will most likely recommend a qualified structural engineer evaluate this project, but as I said before, I do not like to recommend a P.E. Unless absolutely necessary. I really appreciate the constructive comments, which will help me make my own decision.
Originally Posted By: roconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
lkage wrote:
Yes it needs to be repaired ... A mason could fix the problem but the cause of the problem, IMO, is what needs to be addressed first or the problem will come back.
Right on the money. I see repairs fail all the time, as the root cause of the problem was not correctly evaluated or addressed [see my comments in the "Sagging lintel" thread for one example I came across during one of my inspections]. That evaluation is also beyond a building/home inspection, unless you also hold a license as an engineer.
There is a tendency to want to figure out why a problem is occurring, and offer hard solutions to a problem. As an HI instructor also I understand that. But it's really crossing the professional practice lines, which HI's have to be very mindful of, and it's only a matter of time before you get burned ... sometimes badly if it's a very costly repair of the real problem.
JMO and 2-nickels ... 
-- Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee
I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong
Originally Posted By: rsonneson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I think that this is well beyond a masons ability to determine proper coarse of action. He could very well fix it but finding cause is beyond his ability.
Originally Posted By: mmasek This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Steve,
I was in the masonry business for 20 plus years before becoming a home inspector. The damage you have on that building is substantial and would require an engineer's evaluation and remedy.
Originally Posted By: mcyr This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I would strongly recommend an SE on this one. It is beyond a regular HI's compressional experience magnitude to resolve.
A building built in the 1950's is far from meeting todays' design criteria and meet established codes of repair. This would usually shove most masonry contractors out the door. They would not want the liability or get involved without a PE's design for restoration.
