Good evening my fellow inspectors. I am looking for some thoughts as to why this may be happening to this front porch. House is built into a slope. Has a 99% finished basement. Front foundation wall just behind this porch has a horizontal crack just about 3 blocks down that runs the length of the wall. Structural engineer i know but any theories on what may have caused this.
Don’t over complicate it. Note that you observed settling of the front porch and recommend having a qualified contractor make corrections.
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That was helpful.
Fair enough.
My theories from the limited photos are, expansive soil, improper backfilling and/or compaction, improper footing, the tile is clogged causing water to wash out under the footing, the tile is clogged causing ice to form and heave the foundation, or tree roots.
What is your theory?
No footer (ledge) under the brickwork. Mortar failure at brick /slab bond. Ideally the roof posts would bear on the concrete not the bricks.
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as a fairly new inspector I have been reading this forum and noticed that a lot of you guys are looking to explain why something has occurred. I make the observation in the report and make recommendations for contractors etc. making the repairs. I don’t report what I think is the cause necessarily. Is that common practice or am I leaving out something I should be including?
The OP specifically asked why this might have happened. He did not ask how he should report it. In this particular case a final cause can only be determined after disassembly (you won’t know until you remove the failing brick work and look).
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Thank you. Always remain teachable.
I see that is what he was asking as far as causes. My question is should I be adding what I believe is the cause of an issue in my report or just recommend the need for repair?
Just recommend the repair. If you suggest a cause in writing the client is going to expect that to be the case and you could be liable if it were not (would at the least cause a negative impression of your abilities and could exclude your from a potential future referral).
a home inspector is going to recommend a repair? lol What type of hands on experience do we have on this subject to help validate a supposed repair? how many similar jobs has a home inspector completed AND guaranteed in writing? sheesh
You have to read all the posts Mark. The question was to recommend the need for repair! You need to confine yourself to waterproofing.
The question was not even that. Like I said .remain teachable. We all know the guy who you cant teach anything to. A better understanding of things does make for a better inspector. Remain teachable.
The question Tim asked, not your original post.
ok Bob, i will do my Bubba’s best to stick to waterproofing, tyvm bye now lol
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another WAFI !
There could be several things causing the movement outside THAT are not the direct cause of the horizontal crack inside. You most likely won’t know the full cause(s) until after disassembly (remove the failing brick work and look). SO … Report what you see, and Recommend a competent licensed foundation contractor determine the cause(s) and Repair or Replace as Needed.
You are paid to observe and report. The why is sometimes self evident and sometimes not. If you choose to speculate, be sure your correct . If your wrong then the client can and will become very upset that you as their Inspector gave the wrong advice. Its sinking, the why is unknown.
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Thanks - that’s what I figured. Do you think it is a good idea to discuss possible causes without putting them into the report as long as you refer final determinations by the professional? Sometimes I am asked for possible solutions but I am hesitant to do so as I am not the professional in that particular area.
Personally, I would say no. Would you perjure yourself if called into court, even though you referred them to a qualified professional?..maybe they would decide to take your advice to save money. And most insurance companies want to settle rather than go to court. And there goes your deductible and possibly ability to get future insurance.
Report what you see, make a referral and move along.
I’ll admit, from my past, that it depended on who was at the inspection…many testimonies are, usually, given more credit than one lonely inspector and what he said.
JMHO…YMMV