Large Hole Knocked in Foundation Wall

I dont mean to defy common sense but just wanted your take on this photo. There is a large hole in the foundation wall. I have seen this on homes with crosswalls foundations and mobile homes, but not on an actual house where it is providing support on the outside. I dont want to make the issue bigger than it is or minimize it in my description. I know to report what I see and recommend an engineer, but other than that, what do yall think?

My god! The weight and load of that plastic vent must be enormous!!

I guess I dont need to say that I am looking for some education and insight not smart ass comments. Go find something else to do. Your response does not tell me or teach me anything. You assist at times but mostly must be a pretty miserable person.

2 Likes

Dont even bother responding to me unless you can contribute in a positive manner or not at all. The latter I would prefer.

2 Likes

Are you sure that is not a curtain wall, instead of one that is providing support to the floor and load bearing walls?

Write it up.

I would call it out as the foundation wall has been breached.

Hey idiot, use your brain! Is there a lintel above that plastic vent? Should there be?
Sure, call for an engineer and be the laughing stock of your realtor referral base community!

Actually I’m a structural engineer, and assuming that wall is load bearing, I have a problem with it.

1 Like

Looks to me like you need a Mason and a new vent screen.

2 Likes

I am very sure it’s load bearing exterior.

He is miserable person (look at his picture). I blocked him a long time ago. Makes my search for real information easier. I got tired of the fake made up advice with nothing to back up his fairytales.

It looks like someone needed to get something in or out, I’m guessing that is done now. I would recommend repairs by a qualified mason. I see no need for an engineer

1 Like

Then it’s a problem. Not the hole. The entire wall. That’s what we call a composite masonry wall. There doesn’t appear to be anything but grout holding the two dissimilar wythes together. That’s no bueno for a load bearing wall. Again, assuming it’s load bearing. Home could be on piers, and this is just a facade element. I once did an engineering call-back on a home with a garage with this type of wall that was holding up a second story addition.

Hard to tell definitively from the pic, but it almost appears that the vent is in an original position. May not be the original vent, but the brick to either side look to me to have been assembled to accommodate a vent of some sort. Can you clarify?

The leftover bits in the second pic suggest this was the chosen way to gain access to the space to perform some plumbing work.

I’d recommend that a licensed contractor be brought in to restore that section of the wall.

I’m taking a wild guess that some sort of lintel exists over the vent. Would be nice to see that whole area in a pic.

That’s the problem with small pics and little explanation of the wall structure.
Looking at this 2nd picture I see a brick exterior with a 4" CMU back-up block with a 3/4" cavity full of mortar droppings. The full header course that we see is not tied to the 4" back-up block as we see in that picture. If you look closely at the header course under the vent.
It is obvious to me that they opened that up under the vent to gain access.
Assumption has to be made as mentioned, that there is a lintel above the vent.
Is see no problem with this and would call it out as needing repairs by a mason contractor.
Logically, if access was required for repairs, the vent should be repaired and a proper access should be installed for future use.

1 Like

The original structure has been damaged / breeched. If a support wall and no sign of lintel REFER to engineer and his/her design for repair. If a lintel above OR non-support wall, REFER to a mason for repair

I think a mason could take care of that either way with no problem for a 16" opening.

1 Like

I’m guessing the plumber… :cold_face:

1 Like

I agree, Marcel…

1 Like