I’m not sure how to write this one up or if it’s even a problem. House was built in a high water table area, so water was a continuing problem in the basement. Owner decided to abandon use of the basement, then he had 2 feet of gravel poured in there. Then they took out the basement interior walls and replace them with blocks and peers to support the floor above. So now it’s kind of like a six-foot high crawlspace. I’m wondering what was his point with the gravel because I’m assuming the basement floor was left in place. Does anyone have any ideas here or if I should write this up at all?
Mold and settlement issues are the first two items I see. If the floor was left in place, you basically have a swimming pool under the house. Mold, high humidity, dry rot fungus, termites and settlement issues would all be associated with excessive crawlspace moisture.
I sure would be interested in knowing why you are assuming anything?!
Why didn’t you dig down into the gravel and see what was going on under there?
If you do not to take it upon yourself to conduct due diligence during your inspections and what you’re looking at, I wouldn’t open my mouth about anything that I don’t know anything about and am assuming.
I bet if you went back there you’d find that somebody knocked out the floor, added footing-er’s and the gravel (just as they do in a crawlspace).
If I feel like dumping two truckloads of gravel in my basement, what business is it of yours? (unless you conduct your investigation and find that I actually did something wrong).
You people need to get off your *** and figure this stuff out before you start spouting off about it.
If you are afraid to move the gravel to see what is underneath you should change the way you inspect. I am with David on this and for information only it may be that they are hiding the cracked foundation and the intent was to disguise it with gravel to sell the home.
Update: Sounds like I should carry a shovel with me on future inspections. I did some asking and got more information on this issue. Ranch style with full basement was built in the 1970s, went for a few decades with no water problems in the basement, then a creek was rechanneled for a road construction project that changed the water table in the area. Because of the now high water table, basement was more trouble than it was worth. Homeowner hired a company to remove basement walls, jackhammer up portions of the floor to put in footings for pier supports to replace bearing walls. Then they put in 2 feet of gravel so the space could be walked or crawled on like a crawlspace. Anyway, most of the basement floor is still intact but has been broken up in the process. No ventilation of any kind was noted. This space also contain a horizontal flow furnace which is hung from the floor joists.
Update: Sounds like I should carry a shovel with me on future inspections. I did some asking and got more information on this issue. Ranch style with full basement was built in the 1970s, went for a few decades with no water problems in the basement, then a creek was rechanneled for a road construction project that changed the water table in the area. Because of the now high water table, basement was more trouble than it was worth. Homeowner hired a company to remove basement walls, jackhammer up portions of the floor to put in footings for pier supports to replace bearing walls. Then they put in 2 feet of gravel so the space could be walked or crawled on like a crawlspace. Anyway, most of the basement floor is still intact but has been broken up in the process. No ventilation of any kind was noted. This space also contain a horizontal flow furnace which is hung from the floor joists.