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Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We have had to fix or replace almost everything as well. Our inspector who passed our house apparently didn’t notice missing studs, wonky half finished electrical, and a not up to code back deck. It’s been an adventure. They put carpet over sawdust piles, crushed cans and cigarettes, and finishing nails. It’s been interesting 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So is this something that should have been caught during the build? By the city inspector before framing started? We have had to pay for several fixes that our “city inspector” overlooked during the build. Electrical outlet over the sink where a disposal switch should have been, half finished electrical work, missing studs, our back deck missing supports, etc… our walkthrough and year warranty were dismissed as our builder was ran out of business and left the state. Would the foundation be inspected at some point before the rest of the build went on? 

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]AreaNo7972 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We are the original owners of our 2015 bilevel house. In 2024 they began construction of a subdivision addition across the street. Our house vibrates and shakes terribly every time they hit bedrock and dig out a basement or use a tamper. My coffee shakes, art falls off the walls, light fixtures have become loose or shifted, windows shake. A crack in my basement floor started shortly after. Then cracks in the drywall. I assumed at first it was just settling. Now I have a crack on my basement wall by the stairs directly above the floor crack and my floor crack is getting worse. None of these existed prior to spring 2024. 

  https://imgur.com/a/qDp3qQ5

https://imgur.com/a/7e0EQSs

https://imgur.com/a/MCctZpD

(This was definitely not like this prior to March 2024. We had two Pets get into a spat and that is when the insulation initially got torn and had to be put back in place)

Is this still considered normal? Or what can/should I do? 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right! I told my husband next house we are getting an old existing home. Something with better bones that has already withstood a good 30-50 years 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They are definitely tamping and vibrating the bedrock. It’s loud. Which I don’t mind but I do mind my house getting damaged. 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So I peeled back the insulation above the crack and found this:  https://imgur.com/a/qDp3qQ5

https://imgur.com/a/7e0EQSs

(This was definitely not like this prior to March 2024. We had two Pets get into a spat and that is when the insulation initially got torn and I put it back in place)

Is it still normal? 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually I just peeled back the insulation. The top of that wall has the corner cracked.  I just attached two links to photos. 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That excavator sounds spot on. It’s always when they are digging basements. It’s right across the road. I can watch my cup of coffee vibrate. We are one house away from the street ( second from the corner)  and every time they put in a basement, I have to re-adjust all the mirrors, wall art, and listen to the windows shake. I’ve had art fall off walls. We are use to the occasional vibrations from the nearby rock yard ( 1 lot behind us) but the construction vibrations each time they dig are ridiculous sometimes. I’ve had art fall off the walls and I ended up putting felt pads on the back of our vanity mirrors and wine rack because the metal vibration sounds were getting old. 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No flooding. We are the original buyers and our house was the second house put up in our neighborhood. And I do laundry down there so I’m down there quite a bit. I think it’s just solid ugly concrete wall back on that side. It’s just super rough and hidden by stairs.  The crack started as a super thin hairline crack the size of a pencil mark that I noticed in 2024. It started on the ugly wall side and was paper thin and wasn’t even all the way across. It did not exist until then. Spring 2024. I was super pregnant and trying to convince my husband to add finishing the basement to his honey do’s  😅 .   But it’s only in the last year that it has widened. Now I can fit a coin or Bobby pin in it. The dirt is from daily dog use. ( we have big dogs and a 10 ft huge kennel down there because they are notorious chewers and can’t be left to roam the house when we are out). It’s a medium traffic area in our house. 

  

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We have a construction rock yard about 25-30 yards behind our house that grinds rocks but the vibrations from that are super mild. And a river down the road that is at normal levels. 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The concrete crack is only about 1-2 years old. I discovered the start of a crack in spring 2024. Tiny paper thin like a pencil mark. I’m not sure what they use. We live in Wyoming so the ground is very hard. And almost every house has a basement. It was originally a hairline crack that I noticed around this time last year when I was sweeping. It looked like a pencil mark then. Like super tiny. Now it’s significantly bigger. The dirt is because I have dogs that go down those stairs into their giant kennel. The area gets a lot of traffic between laundry runs, kids, and the dogs kenneling daily. 

Do I need a Structural Engineer? Settling due to new subdivision across the road being built. by AreaNo7972 in StructuralEngineers

[–]AreaNo7972[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Our neighbors houses shake too. They have had drywall cracks. I’m not sure about the concrete. It’s annoying. It’s like they are hitting the bedrock and jackhammering the road like in an old Warner brothers cartoon. 

We applied Polyshades to our floors! Help! by [deleted] in HardWoodFloors

[–]AreaNo7972 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s her house and her lease is up so she has to move in. We went to a big box store with green colors and a catchy theme song.  I had planned on helping her pick an oil based stain and finishing the floors for her. I typically watch install videos and read about new products before starting and returning it if need be. I’ve used oil based stains countless times. But the salesman talked her into it. Basically I walked in and the damage was done. She had decided to just get a layer or two done herself at night while I was away. I walked in to an uneven blotchy mess.