Thread: Wrecking Ball Special

The realtor told me a few days before this inspection that the detached garage had some displaced cracks which the buyer was concerned about.

I told my client I wouldn't even store a bicycle in this garage.

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Looks like the roof is holding that wall up. For now.

If it isn't falling bricks, it's falling blocks. Makes me feel lucky to live in the land of stick-built.

Nick,

I run across neglected outbuildings and detached garages like this on occasion. (Boy, how I hate them.)

I am curious how you plan to report this detached garage. I find outbuildings and detached garages like this one to be like a tar baby - once you touch it you can't get away from it. The more you look at the more defects you find. Where do you stop reporting defects on something like this?

Bruce, when I see stuff this bad, I actually end up putting fewer details in the report as it's just too extensive to document every little detail. For this mess, I'll say some thing like ...... "extensive structural damage noted to exterior and interior concrete block walls on detached garage structure - displaced cracks, bowing, and bulging noted on interior walls - structure appears to be in danger of imminent failure and is in need of immediate repairs/ replacement - for safety, garage should not be used in it's current state - have evaluated by a structural engineer and all repairs/replacements made as needed".

I'll get into the roof with some other comments but in cases like this, a few choice and strong words can get the point across clearly, like the part about imminent failure.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

Looks like the roof is holding that wall up...

Nah. The ivy is holding the whole thing up!

Why would you park you car in there? You would think that anyone could see how dangerous that is.
Maybe they were behind on car payments.

Looks like another garage to the right, what are the chances of it being in the same shape.

Originally Posted by chris mcintyre

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Why would you park you car in there?

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Philadelphia Parking Authority - PPA

Legendary for Tow, Boot and Endless Paperwork to Get Your Vehicle Back $$$$$$$$
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Looks like another garage to the right, what are the chances of it being in the same shape.

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Belongs to The Neighbors.
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The buyer said he only saw the interior of the garage briefly when he first looked at the house and didn't see the structure was as bad as it was. He called his realtor to relay the ugly details and as he was talking, we looked at each other and I gave him a thumbs-down sign with my hand. He was pretty well disgusted as the house wasn't bad but he really wanted a garage to work on his car. He said the sellers had come down so much on their price that they said the house was now being sold as-is. I told him they either have to work with you or some other buyer if you bail. I think I'll be hearing from him in the near future for another house.

Despite appearances, this detached garage was one of the easiest ones to inspect. No electric, no plumbing, no heat. It was any easy and quick inspection when I saw the bulging walls and cracks. I wish they were all that easy.

Originally Posted by John Arnold

Nah. The ivy is holding the whole thing up!

You're probably right! probably the only thing tying whats left of the walls, foundation and roof together too.

He needs a Toyota instead of that Nissan just in case he has to get out the garage in a hurry.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

He needs a Toyota instead of that Nissan just in case he has to get out the garage in a hurry.

That Toyota better have a full roll cage, too.

Actually, give me a pair of screw jacks and a month of weekends, and I'd get that wall back in shape. The roof needs shingles, big deal.

Out my way, you can declare that a heritage building and get paid to fix it!

Kind of appears that no re-bar is installed in the wall/brick siding, water pressure has caused it to bulge

Could a poor roof structure have caused some of that? Maybe live loads pushing the rafters out and forcing those upper courses of block to shift? Maybe a lack of sufficient collar ties?

I understand the hydrostatic pressure failures too but they usually happen below grade. Some of those failures are at or way above grade.

Just wondering....

John, the garage structure was about 50% below grade level. You can see thisin pics #1 and 2.