Thread: I really need your help!

Hello,

My home was photographed in K pictures on previous posts. My home was his inspiration for his career project. I wanted to submit some pictures to get some suggestions/opinions of what's going on with my home. I didn't hire an inspector to inspect my home before purchasing and now I realize it was a big mistake so please don't think I'm going after an inspector but I'm wondering if repairing my home would be the best thing. I hired a structural engineer and he stated my home needs 22 piers for a post tension slab and the home was built in 2004. He also stated differential movement, evidenced by: Multiple stress cracks and separations in the perimeter brick veneer and interior sheetrock walls, misaligned doorframes, and slope in the floor slab; typically toward the perimeter beam. Floor elevations were taken with a Prolevel, which showed a differential up to 2 1/2" and the nailed connections between ridge beam and roof joists have pulled-away. I'm a female relative of K and I have no idea what any of this means so any help would be appreciated.

Picture 2, the walkway could be a trip hazard.

One picture shows that a door appears to be out of square somewhat.

As far as the others, nothing unusual but what I call a lack of pride in craftsmanship.

If the Structural Engineer is recommending piers, then I take his advise and start looking for a foundation repair company.

That soil out in Wylie moves like a roller coaster.

Ants are part of living in Texas. You see them, you kill them. I see dead ants in your picture. Mission accomplished.

I live in Rockwall, and am in Wylie several times a week if I can help you out let me know.

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the quick response. The structural engineer stated he didn't think the soil was compacted properly. The reason for my concern with the ants is as soon as I clean the dead ants up the next day I have the same problem. I have wall separations, a separating arch in the front of the home, mold, and the structural engineer stating it appears the kitchen is sinking in. I have some of the shingles replaced earlier this year when we had the wind storm and I was told the framing around the garage appeared to be built incorrectly. The structural engineer didn't really go in depth as to the problems with my home and I was wondering what information you could provide on a home inspection. What's your fee? Are you familiar with G*h*n Homes? They built a subdivision in Rockwall a couple of years ago.

Originally Posted by K Lucas

. . . I have no idea what any of this means so any help would be appreciated.

It means you have serious structural problems. Your foundation/slab has moved (differential movement & sloping floors). This movement has affected your brick veneer & interior walls. Your SE is recommending several piers to stabalize the structure and relevel the foundation/slab. This work will be very expensive.

Thanks for your response Bruce, since my home was built in 2004 I tried contacting the 10 year warranty company and they stated I didn't have major structural damage so they refused to pay for it. One of my major concerns is this was my first home; supposedly a starter home that was a inventory home when I bought it and I complained of foundation issues within days of moving in but I was told by the builder this was normal settlement. My home would depreciate in value with repairing the foundation and since the structural engineer stated this is abnormal for a new home to move this much, I think contacting the builder would be the best but I was wondering if a home inspection would help me at this point.

I think you have already gotten your answer on the foundation from the engineer and I doubt you have a warranty on the rest of the issues.
A home inspection may help document other issues that need to be repaired.
As you may have already guessed, the builders warranty program is pretty much a joke, but it is possible to get some relief there.

Thanks Jim, I understand and I appreciate the responses. K was right about how helpful everyone is here.

HomeOwners for Better Building - TRCC - Latest News


Consumer Services

These might be helpful links if dealing with the 10 year builders warranty.

Originally Posted by K Lucas

My home would depreciate in value with repairing the foundation . . .

I disagree. I think your home will be worth more after the structural repairs (assuming the repairs are done correctly and the home has been stabilized) than it is in its current condition. And I would think it would be worth more than comparable homes in the development that either have the same foundation issues or the potential for those issues.

K,

Bruce is correct I believe. Of all the HI's done, I've never had a client walk a deal just because they found out the foundation had been repaired.

Most then think if it has been repaired, they'll never have to worry about it.

Thats a different story though.

I personally don't think you need to pay for a HI at the moment if you've already talked to a SE. My report would probably just reflect what he's already told you that needs to be done.

rick

Originally Posted by K Lucas

...The reason for my concern with the ants is as soon as I clean the dead ants up the next day I have the same problem. ...

If that's the case, then we are probably looking at an ant colony garbage dump/cemetery. I can't tell from the pictures, but it looks more like ant "parts" than whole ants. If that's the case, it may even be carpenter ants. For this part of your problem, I suggest calling an exterminator.

Definately not carpenter ants, they are too small.

I would say they are fire ants or possibly acrobat ants. Could be pharoah ants, but I don't think so.

Fire ants still my best guess.

Usually when you find a site like this with ants, you can go to the exterior of the foundation and most likely find a large fire ant bed against the house.

The term "Exterminator" is not used much anymore, even though my PC business was named so.

Now the PC industry use more the term "Pest Contol" or "Pest Management".

The logic today is to maintain or to control the pests. You don't ever want to fully get rid of them because there is no ongoing monthly or quarterly checks to pick up from the customer.

Plus the chemicals now we use are designed to breakdown much faster than the so called "good ones" in the past we used.

Richard,

That's why it is called Pest "Control" instead of Pest "Extermination" or Pest "Elimination".

At best (and it is the goal) the purpose is to "control" 'where the pest are not'. Don't care where they are, as long as they 'are not' where you don't want them.

Push them 'outside' if that is the goal. Push them 'off the property' if that is the goal, they will go (will be) somewhere else.

"Control" is all that is being advertised and practiced.

I remember one termite monitoring / baiting system advertised their system as "Eliminates the colony" and they were sued, and they lost, because they did not "eliminate" "the colony" which was infesting and eating some structures. They "eliminated" 'some' colonies, but more than one was infesting the structure, and 'the' colony was not eliminated, with 'the' colony meaning each and every last colony causing the infestation.

In Florida, at least it used to be, and I think it still is, the state takes "fully guaranteed", "unlimited warranty" ... any wording other than "limited warranty" as meaning "there are no limits". Fair enough, if there are limits, it is "limited", right? Yep.

And you could not use the word "elimination" unless you proved that "elimination" was accomplished. Not 'partial elimination', but total elimination and annihilation of the pest being treated.

Yes. You really need help from a licensed professional inspector. Dont try to do this stuff on the cheap and get an inspection by posting photos on the internet. We dont know what photos werent taken that could also be potential problems.

I see plumbing/electrical work all the time by people who read something on the internet that have no clue what they are doing. In the long run, its cheaper to hire a professional.

Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

Yes. You really need help from a licensed professional inspector.

Yes, for everything *other than* the structural issues. Ignore the HI for the structural issues as the *structural engineer* has already addressed them. The only thing the HI can add to the structural issues is 'contact a structural engineer' - and that's already been done.

The above said recognizing that the HI may well find *additional* structural issues which may well need the structural engineer to check, this is because the HI will be looking all over, under, and around the house looking at everything else, and when the HI sees a structural issue, they will also note it.