I’ve been around construction my whole life and have been looking at becoming a home inspector. We’re located in mid/northern Missouri. We recently moved into a new construction home which we had inspected. It is a walkout basement home. About 9 months after move in, I discovered something that bothers me. It appears the end of the foundation footing at the most upper step of the stepped foundation is exposed on the east side of the house. I suspect/hope it steps down lower as the foundation goes toward the walk-out part of the basement.
Pictures attached.
We’re worried this will allow frost heave under the footing and potential foundation damage in the future (granted its only about 3 feet of that footer that is above the 24 inch frost line in our area. The grade and exterior cladding of the home there preclude piling 24 inches of soil to bury it. I politely asked the original inspector from 9 months ago if this was something we should be worried about. He seemed to have no idea what “frost heave” is and related having foundation footing showing above grade was just fine as far as he was concerned. Just wondering if anyone else in freezing climates thought this was ever okay.
There is nothing to tell us that what we see is the top edge of a 2’ step down of a footing that is directly on top of ledge. But where the service entrance is, the lower foundation should have stepped up to allow the grade to be a little higher to provide more ground cover for the porch foundation footing.
So I would agree that it is a design issue.
What is that on the ground that looks like a radon mitigation fan?
And yes, it is a radon mitigation fan. We’re still in the process of it being mitigated. The radon specialist was unable to lower levels enough with a conventional pipe system through the basement slab with fan, but he has been able to lower them to almost zero by hooking up the fan to foundation drain tile. It’s been a 9 months trial and error process. It’s kind of strange… But is working. We’re awaiting the final install of this. It’s laying aside for purpose of taking pictures.
