Sink Hole Inspections

[Alan Trauger]

Is anyone doing sinkhole inspections? If so, what type of inspection format and procedures are you using?

[Markus Keller]

Sinkhole inspections? What the kind that swallow cars? Please explain what this is.

[Alan Trauger]

That's the kind - when subsurface conditions cause the ground to collapse. Here in Florida a company is currently offering a course and the opportunity to inspections. It seems insurance companies are paying out large claims for this type of damage.

[Markus Keller]

I don't have any idea how things work in Florida. Maybe Jerry will chime in.
So, you would be inspecting the sink hole to determine washout cause and then act as an expert witness against the Municipality, State or Fed depending on who's roadway it is?
Sounds pretty iffy. I would be suspect of an outfit offering that kind of course.

[Alan Trauger]

No. Will basically be looking for signs of settlement to the yard area, as well as settlement and damage to the structure. It seems insurance companies are getting hit with a rash of claims for sinkholes. The lawyers have found a way to get homeowners insurance to pay replacement cost in many instances for minor cracks, even in driveway areas only. Most geo-technical / soil engineers can easily say that 40 ft below the surface there is soil activity that is susceptible to sinkhole activity. Coupled with minor damage - BINGO - Big Claim Time!!

[Jerry Peck]

Here in Florida a company is currently offering a course and the opportunity to inspections. It seems insurance companies are paying out large claims for this type of damage.

That is the same company who does wind mitigation training.

If there is a chance that he will make money off inspectors for doing some training, you will see him offer a course in it. He will 'train' you for only $350.

If you like doing wind mitigation inspections for $75-85 or so, possibly a little more in some cases, then you probably won't mind signing up with him so he can take the bulk of any money and farm the work out to the inspectors for not much money.

Not my cup of tea, but if it your ... well, go for it, but I would check into how much you will make per inspection, what each inspection 'should' require (from an insurance company), and how long it all 'should' take to do it correctly ... use that information to make up your mind if you want to go in that direction.

[Jack Feldmann]

Sounds like something that one should have a lot more training and experience than one might get from a crash course. We have had several very large sink hole issues in Knoxville and they brought in heavy hitters (engineers and phd types).

[Jerry Peck]

Sounds like something that one should have a lot more training and experience than one might get from a crash course. We have had several very large sink hole issues in Knoxville and they brought in heavy hitters (engineers and phd types).

Those are they types who know what they are doing, but, hey, if you can get certified for $350, why not ... right?

[Alan Trauger]

Yeah - it is the same company. I never bit on the wind mitigation and probably won't on the sink hole either. The fee supposedly is $90 -250 depending upon size and may take an hour or longer per. This is probably a precursory report to set the ground work for an engineers visit, if it is deemed appropriate. It seems there are a lot of claims going on for sink hole losses. Just watch tv ads for lawyers and foundation contractors.

[Rick Cantrell]

Check with Lisa at iNACHI before you give someone your money.
I would almost bet they have a free online training course that is certified and accepted in Florida. ;)

[Thomas McKay]

Before you get in to deep I would talk to an insurance company. :p