"Some Serious Substandard Foundation Work Spotted On A Hillside Home."
"An Unstable Slope Will Show Indications Of Movement By The Presence Of Geotropism, Which Refers To The Growth Of Plants Against Gravity. The Way The Trees Bend Towards The Bottom Of The Slope Lets Us Know The Hillside Is Unstable And Is Constantly Moving"
"Those Two Brackets “Supporting” This Balcony Are Working Double Time. Deferred Maintenance Or Irregular Repairs Are Almost Always The Reason Of Why A Balcony Fails. Balconies Can Be Prone To Failure Since They Are Exposed To The Elements. This Is Why There Are Many State Laws Requiring Balcony Inspections On Various Building Types"
"An Attempt Was Made Here. This Internal Stem Wall Was “Repaired” Using A Framing Strap. It Should Be Noted That This Method Is Incorrect For Reinforcing These Types Of Structures And Is Typically Used For Timber Instead. So, Using The Strap In This Case Is Ineffective"
"The Rainwater Was So Heavy That It LED To The Failure Of This Swale And Gate. A Swale Is Typically Used To Control The Flow Of Excess Water And Direct It Away From The Retaining Wall. This Failure Has Resulted In The Undermining Of The Wall And Now Poses A Greater Risk Of Collapsing. This Other Massive Mudslide Is A Clear Reminder Of The Impact That Heavy Rainfall Can Have On Our Hillsides"
"This Retaining Wall Is Just Taking A Break, But It May Never Get Back Up"
"California Has More Rain In The Forecast But We’re Still Dealing With The Aftermath Of The Last Storm. When The Hillside Beside This Home Slid Down, It Brought Down The Home’s Pergola. It Came Crashing Down, Causing Some Structural Damage To The Home. Luckily No One Was Injured"
"The Ocean Just Revoked Your Visiting Privileges"
"It’s Been A While Since We Audibly Gasped During An Assessment"
"We Were Called To Do This Assessment For Something Completely Unrelated But When We Pointed Out This Wall To The Homeowners They Said, “Yeah, No, It’s Been Like That For Years. It’s Fine.”"
"Rainwater Seeped Into The Balcony Framing And Got Caught Between The Joists And The Stucco Causing A Big Portion Of The Stucco To Fall Off. You Can See The Framing For The Balcony Has Significant Water Damage. Luckily, No One Below Was Hurt From The Falling Debris"
"Down Came The Rain And Washed The Hillside Out"
"Less Is More … Unless You’re Talking About Posts"
"Here You Can See A Mudslide That Took Place Which Caused A Portion Of The Slope To Give Way And Spill Into The Backyard Of The Homeowner Below. Unfortunately, We Noticed A Lot Of That Happening These Past Few Weeks. This Really Adds A New Dimension To The Classic Saying, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.”"
"This Photo Serves As A Reminder Of The Dangers Of Neglecting Issues In Your Home Or Building. The Substantial Hole In This Balcony Floor Is A Result Of Deferred Maintenance, Putting Both The Home And Homeowner At Risk. By Investing In Regular Upkeep And Repairs, The Life And Safety Of A Structure Can Be Greatly Improved"
"Hillsides All Over Socal Failed And Our Assessors Were Quickly Dispatched Out On Emergency Calls. We Saw Some Of The Worst Landslides In Years. Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Water. It Holds Until It Just Can’t Anymore. It Can Seem Like It’s Out Of Nowhere, But The Hillside Can, And Will, Show Signs Of Failure"
"A Support Beam Is Meant To Transfer The Load Of The Building To The Other Supporting Structures Of The Home. This Beam Here, Though, Has A Gaping Hole In It. A Compromised Load-Bearing Beam Can Lead To Serious Structural Issues And Potential Collapse"
"This Beam Was Left Hollowed Out By Termites. Termites Will Eat Away At The Wood From The Inside Out, Leaving Behind Only A Thin Outer Shell. Obviously, This Will Weaken The Beam’s Structural Integrity, Making It More Susceptible To Collapse. How Nice Of The Termites To Leave The Bolts. These Bolts Are No Longer Effective And Are Not Providing A Durable Connection As They Are Simply Drilled Into Empty Space"
"Here We Have An Unconventional Approach To A Post-And-Pier System, With A Cinderblock For The Pier. This Choice Raises Concerns, Especially Considering That The Cinderblock Is Not Only Fragmented Into Multiple Pieces But Also Not Suitable For Providing Adequate Support"
"More Cracking Along The Home, With The Countertop Visibly Disconnected From The Wall. The Uneven Settling Has Caused Significant Structural Movement, Resulting In Misalignment And Separation"
"These Extensive And Concerning Cracks Running Along The Exterior Walls Of The House Reveal Significant Structural Issues. These Cracks Can Be Caused By Many Issues Including Failing Post And Piers Or An Undermined Foundation That Is Now Sinking Significantly"
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