Horizontal crack in foundation - found on home inspection

Posted by Barbara on October 25, 2006, 1:22 pm

My daughter and her husband were purchasing a 10 year old home and had
it inspected. Here is what the inspector found regarding the
foundation:
HORIZONTAL AND STEP CRACKING WAS OBSERVED ON FRONT FOUNDATION WALL IN
PORCH AREA OF BASEMENT AND WALL IS ALSO PUSHED INWARD ABOUT 1-2". THERE
WERE NO SIGNS OF ACTIVE MOVEMENT AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. NO LESS
THAN OBSERVATION FOR CHANGE IF NOT REPAIRED, TO INSURE STRUCTURAL
INTEGRITY OF FOUNDATION. EVALUATION BY QUALIFIED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

Would it be worthwhile to hire an engineer to examine the property or
just get of the deal right now based on this finding. There were some
other problems, but nothing of this magnitude.

Thanks so much for your help.
Barbara

Posted by kickstart on October 25, 2006, 2:00 pm

> HORIZONTAL AND STEP CRACKING WAS OBSERVED ON FRONT FOUNDATION WALL IN
> PORCH AREA OF BASEMENT AND WALL IS ALSO PUSHED INWARD ABOUT 1-2". THERE
> WERE NO SIGNS OF ACTIVE MOVEMENT AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. NO LESS
> THAN OBSERVATION FOR CHANGE IF NOT REPAIRED, TO INSURE STRUCTURAL
> INTEGRITY OF FOUNDATION. EVALUATION BY QUALIFIED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
> SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
> Would it be worthwhile to hire an engineer to examine the property or
> just get of the deal right now based on this finding. There were some
> other problems, but nothing of this magnitude.
> Thanks so much for your help.
> Barbara

Well yeaahh
That's what the inspector told you to do isn't it ? and you paid for his
opinion , yet you seek a free opinion, duh.
Hope they didn't buy it yet

kickstart

Posted by Barbara on October 25, 2006, 2:10 pm

> > BarbaraWell yeaahh

> That's what the inspector told you to do isn't it ? and you paid for his
> opinion , yet you seek a free opinion, duh.
> Hope they didn't buy it yet
> kickstart

The reason for the "free opinion" was to try to save them from throwing
good money after bad. They spent $800 for the inspection. If they spend
another several hundred and the guy says a horizontal crack is as bad
as it sounds, then they just wasted more money. If on the other hand a
horizontal crack is not as bad as it sounds then it would be worth
spending the money and getting another opinion. Sorry if I wasn't clear
to begin with.

Barbara

Posted by Bobk207 on October 25, 2006, 7:56 pm

Barbara wrote:

> .

> > > BarbaraWell yeaahh

> > That's what the inspector told you to do isn't it ? and you paid for his
> > opinion , yet you seek a free opinion, duh.
> > Hope they didn't buy it yet
> > kickstart

> The reason for the "free opinion" was to try to save them from throwing
> good money after bad. They spent $800 for the inspection. If they spend
> another several hundred and the guy says a horizontal crack is as bad
> as it sounds, then they just wasted more money. If on the other hand a
> horizontal crack is not as bad as it sounds then it would be worth
> spending the money and getting another opinion. Sorry if I wasn't clear
> to begin with.
> Barbara

Interesting, your thought process......

>>>>The reason for the "free opinion" was to try to save them from throwing

good money after bad. They spent $800 for the inspection. If they spend
another several hundred and the guy says a horizontal crack is as bad
as it sounds, then they just wasted more money. If on the other hand a
horizontal crack is not as bad as it sounds then it would be worth
spending the money and getting another opinion. Sorry if I wasn't clear
to begin with. <<<<<<<

I would consider none of the money they have spent (or would spend) as
good money after bad......

They are spending money to obtain "information" to help them make an
"informed" decison, so extra opion from the SE will give more / better
info.....better info, better decision

The inspector noted a "non-confroming" condition so he noted it; that's
his job. Unfortunately his observation is merely a snapshot of the
house at the time he did the inspection.....he cannot know w/ ultimate
certainty that the crack is stable.

So he says

"at a minimum....keep your eye on it If not repaired"

"consider" an eval by an SE

Ken's advice was sound

It's probably nothing but's hard to tell from the keyboard

If they really like the house ask for a few $1,000 to repair, that will
cover the engineering & the repair

but aren't home prices going down? Maybe they should wait?

cheers
Bob

Posted by on October 25, 2006, 3:46 pm

wrote:

>My daughter and her husband were purchasing a 10 year old home and had
>it inspected. Here is what the inspector found regarding the
>foundation:
>HORIZONTAL AND STEP CRACKING WAS OBSERVED ON FRONT FOUNDATION WALL IN
>PORCH AREA OF BASEMENT AND WALL IS ALSO PUSHED INWARD ABOUT 1-2". THERE
>WERE NO SIGNS OF ACTIVE MOVEMENT AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. NO LESS
>THAN OBSERVATION FOR CHANGE IF NOT REPAIRED, TO INSURE STRUCTURAL
>INTEGRITY OF FOUNDATION. EVALUATION BY QUALIFIED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
>SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
>Would it be worthwhile to hire an engineer to examine the property or
>just get of the deal right now based on this finding. There were some
>other problems, but nothing of this magnitude.
>Thanks so much for your help.
>Barbara

I'm afraid only you and the kids can answer that one. How hard is it
to find a comparable home in a comparable neighbourhood at a

comparable price>. But I can offer you some perspective.

The inspector has said two things: there has been movement in the
past which has resulted in cracking and buckling of about half an
inch. More important, it does not appear to be recent.. and there
is no suggestion that the house is still moving.

I have the same thing in my house (I'm a contractor); I bought it
that way; it's been that way for twenty years.

Is the foundation wall poured concrete or block? Block would
explain the stepping.

He says keep an eye on it and then, (to cover his butt), maybe have
it looked at. There is no sense of urgency in what he is saying ...
In areas of clay soil, houses will settle and foundation walls will
crack and even shift for a few years after they're built..

If he doesn't comment on doorways being out of square, etc., then
it's likely minor.

The easy answer is to "move on to the next house" ... but that may not
be possible or to their advantage.

I can tell you that in all likelihood a future buyer will want some
discount off fair market value because of the crack ...and perhaps
the kids ought to be getting that.

In terms of foundation work, you can do a lot for a few thousand
dollars.

Ken

Page 1 of 2 1 2 > last >>

Similar Threads	Posted
qu: vertical foundation crack	August 3, 2008, 11:48 pm
Repair of Crack in Concrete Foundation Wall	October 14, 2007, 3:39 pm
Home inspection Courses in California?	August 16, 2006, 4:01 pm
crack in floor of new home help!!!	June 13, 2007, 12:43 am
Re: Foundation Too Low on a New Home	June 30, 2006, 12:13 am
Re: Foundation Too Low on a New Home	June 30, 2006, 10:14 am
Solution to Foundation Being Started Too Low on New Home	June 30, 2006, 1:31 pm
Foundation question for a modular home	August 30, 2006, 1:28 pm
Moisture on Foundation walls in basement...New Home	May 13, 2007, 3:58 pm
New Home - Newly poured foundation appears decaying	March 11, 2007, 11:00 pm