When recommending your client monitor a foundation crack for further movement I recommend they use a witness mark and record measurements every 3 to 6 months to record the crack width and more importantly the rate of movement. See free graphic below:
4 Likes
Nice Graphic. As for witnesses:
2 Likes
Nice Randy, thanks again!
I recommended the client use “movement” marks to record the movement every month and to record the crack width when I recommended monitoring a crack, which wasn’t real often.
It works very well to be sure.
Thanks for the graphic, Rndy
1 Like
This guy got his for free…just can’t spell for sh…t.
That crack is past the monitor stage…
3 Likes
As Red Green would say, Needs more of the handyman’s best secret. Not enough duct tape is all. Lol.
Thanks for this Randy. Is there a total time period you recommend the crack be monitored for? I assume any movement then repair is needed.
1 Like
I think that is the $60,000 question.
Monitor for how long, how often and for what?
I’m not a big fan of monitoring for this reason unless you can fill in those blanks.
1 Like
Keith,
Foundation movement is typically very slow. I would start every three months for the first year, then 6 months for the next year. If any movement is detected I would recommend stay with 3 month intervals. It’s the rate of movement over time I would need to know.
3 Likes
Thanks Randy! I have literally used this same scenario with clients.
1 Like
So for me it sounds like any movement detected would be referred to an engineer. What guidelines do you follow when you recommend monitoring versus a repair initially at the inspection?
The foundation serves two purposes, hold up the house and hold back the soil. If either one is not fully performing repair is recommended.
Unless you are in a seismically active area. (Yes, I saw you said ‘typically’). 
When you are in construction, everyone knows that everything is “Typical, Similar, but not the same”.
1 Like