Originally Posted By: Lew Lewis This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Gerry,
Is the brick section actually supporting the framing or was the brick added at a later time?. It looks like there may be piers as the original support. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Do you really need a P.E.?. Just tell them to remove and replace the entire brick wall; it's obviously failed.
Originally Posted By: roconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Lew Lewis wrote:
Just tell them to remove and replace the entire brick wall; it's obviously failed.
Be very careful there Lew ... not only should an HI not get into specific repair methods, but if that really is a bearing wall or masonry infill intended to shore up an undersized/deteriorated perimeter beam, the whole house may come down ... 
-- Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee
I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong
Originally Posted By: Lew Lewis This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
[Are you going to design it, Lew?[
No, I am not going to design it; that's not my job, Ryan.
Robert, if a contractor with half a brain does the repair, it won't fall down.
I guess my point is that this "get a P.E" gets carried too far, IMO. I see H.I. reports that comment on one cracked floor joist in a basement that recommend an engineer.
Originally Posted By: Ryan Jackson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Lew: If you say “have a contractor with half a brain re-build your wall”, you may as well have designed it. If you say “have engineer address wall failure”, you have transferred the liability off of your shoulders.
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Neal,
As I see it, it is our duty as HI's to (I'll say it again) "recommend or defer to the highest authority." In this case that would certainly be a PE.
Any contractor that would take on this project would undoubtedly be required to have plans that are approved by a PE before they could even start the work or get permits.
Our recommendation for the "higher authority" of a PE is prudent as we would expect that appropriate permits be obtained prior to the commencement of any work.
If our recommendation was simply for a contractor that subsequently failed to obtain plans and permits, we could find ourselves partially liable (IMHO).
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
