Thread: Structural problems

Brand new three story town home today. It is the builders model unit. On the third floor there are two doors out of square (settlement cracks at the top of both the doors). The floors to both stall showers have sunk about an eight of an inch, large enough for me to stick a thin metal ruler under an poke back to the pan. The window sills have lost their seal in the corners. This is only on the third floor. The other two floors show no problems.

Just wondering how some of you would write this up. Something is wrong here, but obviously it cant be seen because i am looking at a finished product. FYI - there is no indication of any problem on the exterior of the unit.

Thanks guys.

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Originally Posted by william siegel

Just wondering how some of you would write this up.

On the third floor there are two doors out of square (settlement cracks at the top of both the doors). The floors to both stall showers have sunk about an eight of an inch, large enough for me to stick a thin metal ruler under an poke back to the pan. The window sills have lost their seal in the corners.

Something is wrong here, but obviously it cant be seen because i am looking at a finished product.

Bill,

Similar to the above, then follow it with a recommendation for a structural engineer to design appropriate repairs, then issue a final letter stating that all repairs were done in accordance with the engineering.

Of course, though, the engineer is going to have a problem figuring out what is wrong and what went on, but after reviewing the framing plan and cutting a few holes in the drywall here and there the structural engineer may be able to determine what trusses were not supported properly - which is what it likely is, either that or a supporting column was not all the way down into it bearing and it now is.

Either way, the engineer needs to figure it out, design the repair, then sign off on the repair, oh, and that repair will need to be permitted and inspected by the city too.

Jerry,

You have taught me well. That is pretty much how the report is written. Since it is a builder issue and has not yet been sold I am debating suggesting an independent engineer as opposed to the builders engineer, or would that even matter.

Originally Posted by william siegel

I am debating suggesting an independent engineer as opposed to the builders engineer, or would that even matter.

Bill,

I always suggested both.

The builder's engineer probably inspected the framing during construction and may know something he told the builder's supt. to do which might not have been done, but ... they might also try to hide something they did.

Which is why the independent third party engineer is good back up to keep their eyes on the builder's engineer.