Help! I have noticed that the house has started sinking on one side during the three years it has been completed now! What can be done about this regarding a house that weighs tons (2 stories, roughly 160 sqm) and is built on a so-called modern crawl space (constructed of concrete "suggor" around it)?? Can you lift the house and insert wedges between the house frame and the concrete foundation or what do you do? Is there anyone who can recommend a skilled contractor around the 08 area?
Regards from worried!
Regards from worried!
Thanks for the response!
A construction company! but I saw on the internet that they have gone bankrupt!! so what to do now?
A construction company! but I saw on the internet that they have gone bankrupt!! so what to do now?
I am not a crawl space specialist, but if it has started to move, it will surely move more. So wedges will probably only be a temporary solution. How much has it sunk and where? Is it in a corner? Are you diverting rainwater in any way? What type of ground is it? The risk if it settles a lot is that you might ruin the construction in the house as everything will move with different consequences...
It sounds really bad that they went bankrupt because otherwise it would have been their headache. Do you have any pictures?
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M
It sounds really bad that they went bankrupt because otherwise it would have been their headache. Do you have any pictures?
/
M
has the ground under the crawl space settled?
if it has, what is under the crawl space?
is all topsoil excavated underneath?
if it has, what is under the crawl space?
is all topsoil excavated underneath?
Tough questions! Don't know how much it has sunk but maybe a centimeter at least I think (awkward thought!) - it's probably the "whole" or most of the short side that's sinking ...
it could be the ground (which is filled with a thick layer of blasted rock on top of whatever is underneath...) that is settling slowly but surely - sounds likely (to me, who is still a layman). rainwater is drained away through a regular drainage pipe around (connected to the downspouts).
I would need an expert's advice on this, but I probably need to hire an inspector anyway to get it in black and white that it's sloping... will check with the insurance company tomorrow to see where they stand if they help or not (my stomach already hurts!)
it could be the ground (which is filled with a thick layer of blasted rock on top of whatever is underneath...) that is settling slowly but surely - sounds likely (to me, who is still a layman). rainwater is drained away through a regular drainage pipe around (connected to the downspouts).
I would need an expert's advice on this, but I probably need to hire an inspector anyway to get it in black and white that it's sloping... will check with the insurance company tomorrow to see where they stand if they help or not (my stomach already hurts!)
If the downspouts are connected to the drainage, that's already a major error! There should be two separate systems; the downspouts should go down to "solid" ground sewer pipes that lead to a stormwater connection or a large soakaway, while the drainage is a perforated hose that should handle groundwater. If you have rainwater from the downspouts that leads into perforated drainage pipes, all the water will flow out into the ground around the house.
I actually believe that there are two separate systems; one with a stormwater connection to the municipality's well and one with a perforated hose. So the error is most likely not there. Thanks anyway for the response about this.
Hi Sjunkandehus,sjunkandehus said:
a centimeter on a house that is maybe 12 meters long doesn't sound so bad.
Question: How have you discovered/determined the settling?
You probably can't see it with the eye? Laser?
Sorry, I meant more like 2-3 cm, and since it's on the short side, it creates a noticeable slope, and when you place a marble on the floor (where I begin to feel a slight slope with my feet), it rolls slowly but surely... I spoke with an expert today about this, and he said that it's lucky I have a modular house as site-built houses take more damage since they are not as flexible in swings/slopes as modular houses - always something! But what I apparently need is a company skilled at lifting the short side of the house with a jack (almost the same type used for a car worked) and inserting a steel beam wedge to straighten everything again - anyone have such a reliable and knowledgeable company up their sleeve in the 08-area to conjure up?
Have you investigated why the settlement has occurred, whether it is ongoing or has stopped? If not, it might be time to investigate that before you try to fix the side with the settlement. No point in bringing in a company if that side will continue to sink.
Thank you for the suggestion, but I don't know how, as a layperson, I would be able to check this (why settling has occurred) or if it is ongoing... but I have been advised that the only thing to do is to contact a building consultant/inspector, so I will start looking for one.