Any structural engineers in the house?

[Capm_Spaulding]

Looking at buying a house in Edmond, built in 1994 that had 3 piers installed in September. They did not have an engineer inspect before or after so I’m nervous about A) what caused the issue and B) if there are other issues.

We are wanting to hire an engineer to inspect prior to our offer if anyone here is one or knows one!

 

[panayoti]

Inspections are worthless. The people that provide them are not held liable. I learned that the hard/expensive way.

 

[GC7]

Inspections are worthless. The people that provide them are not held liable. I learned that the hard/expensive way.

It's always buyer beware. Every inspection company will have you sign a document that releases them from any liability.

But the inspection is still valuable.

 

[swampratt]

Buddy had some installed because the bricks were cracked and settled down on one side of his house.
Brick is not a structural part of the house.
But piers were installed under the base of the bricks.
No sheetrock cracks in the house either and this was purchased new in the 80's by his parents.

Sometimes it is nothing to be concerned about.


Find out where the piers were set and for what and go from there.

Some houses were built on a swamp or old pond or river bed.

Sometimes a plumbing leak under the slab will wash a lot of sand or dirt away and cause settling.
As will rats under a house or poor drainage when it rains.

Look at the slope of the land and guess where all the water goes when it rains hard.

I have looked at for sale homes with red dirt line up 2 foot in the front or back of the house where flood water left a stain.

Oh look new sheetrock in the garage.. Wonder why they had to replace that.
Think about things like that.

 

[John6185]

Was it a previous landfill? River bed? Panoyoti above is correct, they'll come out and inspect and give you an opinion and then you are on your own.

Some year ago, I had a home inspection doen before I purchased a house. There was small stain under the back porch and I told the inspector about that and he said not to worry about that it was nothing.
After I moved in it rained...a lot and the stain became larger. I notified the BBB and he responded that he performed an inspection only, not a guarantee. I found it was the valley underlayment on the roof and it was my problem. I had to have the house reroofed.