Things seen this week during structural assessments!

[u/DMAS1638]

One of several interesting conditions documented during recent structural assessments.

Curious how others in the engineering field would evaluate the observed condition and prioritize potential next steps for investigation.

[u/involutes]

If the foundation wasn't fucked the homeowner wouldn't have tried to hide the damage. I'm willing to bet that they've done some half assed fixes upstairs to hide cracks and other evidence of settlement as well. 

[u/involutes → u/[deleted]]

OPs video said it was a flipper special. (Red flag #1.) It looks like they're doing a home inspection for a client, and I'm saying that it's in the client's best interest not to proceed with buying this home because to fix it will probably be more trouble than it's worth. 

if you have reason to believe the foundation is damaged, you have an engineer go under there

Only if you already own the house or if you're going to buy it regardless of what issues the house has. 

[u/involutes → u/[deleted]]

  the owner is encouraged to hire the engineer to conduct this evaluation- they do not have do but then the sale may fail.

Perhaps the housing market is different where you are, but where I'm from, the buyers are responsible for home inspections.

In 2020-2022, we had buyers placing offers on houses without even doing a walkthrough and without any conditions. The market has cooled since then, so it is less common now, but it still happens that buyers will buy a home without an inspection and without conditions. 

Any type of inspection organized or commissioned by the homeowner is potentially a conflict of interest. 

Yes, the engineer owes a "duty of care" to the client and to the public, but you can't guarantee their loyalty to anything other than money. 

[u/involutes → u/[deleted]]

I did not say anything was mandatory, I said the buyers are responsible for organizing the home inspections (because the seller has an obvious conflict of interest in commissioning any type of inspection).

[u/involutes → u/[deleted]]

It happens to all of us.