Foundation Repair Report

HOME INSPECTION REPORT

Dates and Times of Site Inspections: 10/18 @ 9:00 AM and 10/22 @ 3:30 PM

Weather Conditions: Sunny, 65°, both days

Name of Owner(s): Jack and Lisa Wright

People Present During the Field Inspection

OVERVIEW

The report that follows has been prepared from the perspective of what an owner of this property would benefit from knowing. Thus, it discusses many things beyond those which are of immediate concern. Therefore, the report needs to be read in its entirety to understand fully all the information that has been obtained.

For your convenience, we have prepared the following overview of the condition of the major systems of the house. Please refer to the appropriate section of this report for a more detailed discussion of these systems.

ITEM	CONDITION¹						REPAIRS		TYPICAL?³
	0	1	2	3	4	5		NEEDED?²
STRUCTURAL
Foundation							SR		+
Framing							SR		ü
Porches/Decks							SR		ü
Outbuildings							SR		ü
EXTERIOR
Roofing
Chimney
Cladding							SR		-
ELECTRICAL
Capacity									+
Wiring							SR		+
PLUMBING
Piping/Fixtures							SR		ü
Sewer							SR		ü
HEATING/AC
Unit(s)							SR		+
Distribution							SR		ü

INTERIOR							SR		ü

SAFETY							SR		ü

ENVIRONMENTAL							SR		ü
1 On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best. 2 ü indicates repairs are needed within the next year, SR means SEE REPORT for more details. 3 ü indicates the component and/or condition is typical for a building of similar age and construction type, a positive sign (+) indicates that it is above average, and a negative sign (-) indicates that it is below average.

Corrective Work

Because of their present condition and because of the cost of their repair or replacement, the following are high priority items that will need your immediate attention:

PROBLEM	COST ESTIMATE
1. Repair and replace clapboard siding, cornice trim, fascia, soffits, cornerboards, window frames	$4000 - $6000
2. Caulk and paint siding and trim	$4000
3. Align and repair front porch	$4000 - $8000
4. Brace and straighten bowed exterior wall	$1000 - $3000
5. Insulate first floor area	$1000 - $2000
6. Insulate heating/AC ducts	$500 - $1000
7. Install GFCIs, repair ungrounded circuits, replace knob and tube wiring, add outlets, check wiring	$2000 - $3000

Further investigation

During our inspection we were not able to fully evaluate the condition and/or operation of the following items:

1. Moisture levels in exterior wall cavities.

2. The sufficiency of the heating system.

We recommend that these items be investigated further, before assuming ownership of the property.

General Condition

Although this is an older home, it has been constructed with quality materials and workmanship. It is generally in good condition. With attention to the items mentioned in this report, this home should offer many years of relatively trouble‑free occupancy.

INTRODUCTION

At your request, a structural and mechanical inspection of the above property was performed on September 19, 1996. The report that follows has been prepared based on that inspection. The inspection was performed by and report written by William A. Stanton, P.E.

Criterium - Stanton Engineers offers two types of residential inspections; the Standard Inspection and the Comprehensive Inspection. Essentially, the Standard Inspection relies on visual evidence available at the time of the inspection, while the Comprehensive Inspection relies on visual evidence plus analysis, invasive testing, and extended, on-site evaluation to reach its conclusions. Further detail regarding these two types of inspections can be found in Appendix D of this report.

Based on discussions prior to our inspection, you have chosen the Standard Inspection. Our inspection and the report that follows were conducted in accordance with the Standard Inspection.

For your reference while reading the report, the following definitions may be helpful:

Excellent -	Component or system is in “as new” condition requiring no rehabilitation and should perform in accordance with expected performance.
Good -	Component or system is sound and performing its function, although it may show signs of normal wear and tear. Some minor rehabilitation work may be required.
Fair -	Component or system falls into one or more of the following categories: a) Evidence of previous repairs not in compliance with commonly accepted practice, b) Workmanship not in compliance with commonly accepted standards, c) Component or system is obsolete, d) Component or system approaching end of expected performance. Repair or replacement is required to prevent further deterioration or to prolong expected life.
Poor -	Component or system has either failed or cannot be relied upon to continue performing its original function as a result of having exceeded its expected performance, excessive deferred maintenance, or state of disrepair. Present condition could contribute to or cause the deterioration of other adjoining elements or systems. Repair or replacement is required.

All ratings are determined by comparison to other buildings of similar age and construction. Further, some details of workmanship and materials will be examined more closely in higher quality home where such details of workmanship and materials become more relevant.

Appendix C contains the actual inspection field notes which contain additional information. These should be considered part of the overall evaluation and report.

In addition to our discussions about the condition of the various systems and components, this report covers repairs and maintenance. To help provide a perspective for the work we have suggested for this home, a Maintenance Plan has been included in Appendix A to this report.

This report is based on an examination of the major systems in this building; specifically the heating, plumbing, electrical, and structural systems. This report is an opinion about the condition of this building. It is based on visual evidence available during a diligent inspection of all reasonably accessible areas. No surface materials were removed, no destructive testing undertaken, nor furnishings moved. This report is not an exhaustive technical evaluation. Such an evaluation would cost many times more.

Owning any building involves some risk. Even the most comprehensive inspection cannot be expected to reveal every condition you may consider relevant to your ownership. Further, without disassembling the building, not everything can be known. You, as a responsible buyer, should examine the portions of this building for which you are most able to judge acceptability. This includes such things as floor coverings, interior wall finishes, appliances, etc.

As Professional Engineers, it is our responsibility to evaluate available evidence relevant to the major systems in this building. We are not, however, responsible for conditions that could not be seen or were not within the scope of our service at the time of the inspection.

This inspection and report have been conducted in compliance with the standards of practice of the National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers.

With the present owner's belongings blocking areas of some of the rooms, a complete inspection of those areas was not possible.

DESCRIPTION

This house is a medium-sized residence with wood siding on the exterior walls and an asphalt roof surfacing. There is a basement under rear part of this building. There is a crawl space under the front part of this building, which was accessible for inspection. In addition, there was a detached garage. The garage is included in this evaluation. For purposes of this report, the front of the home is assumed to face south.

SITE, SOILS, SETTLEMENT

Drainage of the property and surrounding area was relatively good. We mention this because poor drainage is a frequent contributor to differential movement in the in the foundations of homes. It also can be the cause of excessive moisture in crawl spaces and basements.

The house appears to be built on structurally stable soil. There is no evidence of significant settlement or movement of foundation walls or piers.

STRUCTURAL

Foundation Type .................................. Perimeter walls and interior piers Foundation Walls/Piers .................................................................... Brick Basement ...................................................................................... Partial Crawl space ................................................................................... Partial Basement Floor ......................................................................... Concrete Crawl Space Floor ............................................................................. Soil First Floor Framing ............................................. Wood joists and girders Roof Framing ....................................................................... Wood rafters

The lower attic area on the west side of the house was inaccessible at the time of the inspection, and this limited the extent of our structural inspection.

The basic construction of this building consists of brick foundation walls and a pier-girder system for the support of the first floor level joist members. This is a standard method of construction in this area. Where visible, the foundation walls and piers are generally in good condition. A section of the foundation wall under the front porch is bulging inward. The structural integrity of this section of the foundation wall is seriously impaired and rehabilitation work is needed.