When we get reports of a raised patio deck pitching down, sliding glass doors in the patio walls binding, and doors not latching anymore, we begin by measuring the pitch of the floor and walls to help determine what is… Read More
Category Archives: Soil Issues
Breaking Like a KitKat Bar
Remember the 1990’s KitKat commercial where the chocolate bar was snapped in two? If you don’t, you can watch it here on YouTube. That’s what this barn in the featured photo appears to be doing in one of the sidewalls.… Read More
What is Undercutting of a Footing?
In the feature photograph we see where an excavation was performed near a wall. The excavation is nearly alongside the wall and extends well below the bottom of the wall footing, which was about three feet below grade. This type… Read More
What Does a Landslide Look Like?
What is a landslide? A landslide is a mass of soil sliding down a hillside. Why would a mass of soil slide down a hill? When a mass of soil on a hillside of embankment becomes unstable it slides down… Read More
Unbalanced Backfill & A Garage Foundation Wall
It is not uncommon for a garage floor slab to be raised above the original grade, especially where the grade around the garage slopes down from front to back or side to side. This hillside or sloped grade setting will… Read More
What caused my brick porch pier to lean like that?
I don’t know how many leaning porch piers we have evaluated, but I can say – “a lot!” Leaning porch piers are usually noticed by the tenant or owner of the property after a strong wind storm, a vehicle impact… Read More