Vern Heiler
04-04-2008, 03:54 PM
I've been watching threads for a couple of days and have been very impressed with all of your opinions and professional manors. Please have patients with me as I am new at the forum thing.
I inspected a house today, built in 1990, 6125 sf. Not the first time it has been sold. Single story extension to the main house, has walk-out basement beneath, with double doors leading to the patio at ground level. Basement is CMU with veneer face brick. Block extends from the ground to first floor sill. Brick veneer is from the ground to the roof, with a window in the same load line as the door. The brick veneer has a steel lintel above the double doors in the basement, but the block is supported by 2X4’s, not built as a header. A small horizontal crack has developed in the mortar joint of the first course of block above the door. The 2X4’s have noticeable sag. My guess is that the brick ties are helping hold the block up?
Questions are: if this is wrong how did it get past inspections? Should I recommend PE and stand back, or recommend general contractor install steel lintel?
Safe track would be to turn it over to PE but feel it is only CYA tactic.
I inspected a house today, built in 1990, 6125 sf. Not the first time it has been sold. Single story extension to the main house, has walk-out basement beneath, with double doors leading to the patio at ground level. Basement is CMU with veneer face brick. Block extends from the ground to first floor sill. Brick veneer is from the ground to the roof, with a window in the same load line as the door. The brick veneer has a steel lintel above the double doors in the basement, but the block is supported by 2X4’s, not built as a header. A small horizontal crack has developed in the mortar joint of the first course of block above the door. The 2X4’s have noticeable sag. My guess is that the brick ties are helping hold the block up?
Questions are: if this is wrong how did it get past inspections? Should I recommend PE and stand back, or recommend general contractor install steel lintel?
Safe track would be to turn it over to PE but feel it is only CYA tactic.