STRUCTURAL BUILDING DEFECTS

The structure is by far the most important part of a building survey. In

many instances, structural problems are expensive to repair. The
structural part of the building survey involves examining all the visible
parts of the exterior, the roof, interior walls, ceilings, floors, attic spaces,
doors and window frames. Particular attention is paid to visible evidence
of past or present movement such as cracks, settlement, bowing, lifting
and heaving.
Crack in foundation
Foundations are the most important structural element of a property.
Older properties would normally have stone foundations. Common types
of foundations are now of poured concrete and are generally termed strip
foundation,

raft

foundations

and

pier

and

beam

foundations.

As

foundations are not visible during a building survey the building surveyor
will be looking for visible evidence of settlement / movement in the walls,
floors, arches, etc to determine the likelihood of foundation movement.
Older properties may have settled to some extent. The main concern here
would be recent or ongoing settlement or movement.
Structural defects occur in foundations at construction stage. There can
be many causes for these defects. The problem areas, effects in
foundation and defects in structure due to those causes are presented
here.

Problem area: Inadequate support to foundation.

Effect on foundation: Excessive settlement of
foundation which continues for a long time.
Defects in structure: Cracking in walls, can
complete collapse of buildings (in long term).

Problem area: Foundation near to drains where

drains are running below foundation and / or drains
lacking concrete cover.
Effect on foundation: Foundation is inadequately
supported.
Defects in structure: Cracking in walls occur above
ground level and walls move out of plumb due to
lateral movement of foundation.
Problem area: Trees and large shrubs close to
building (mostly in case of soft shrinkable clayey
soil)
Effect on foundation: Water-content of soil changes
with season, i.e. desiccation occurs in absence of
moisture and heave occurs with excess moisture.
Defects in structure: Cracking in walls in line of
weakness in structure.
Identify Foundation Problem
There are several steps how to identify the foundation problem in general.
1. Check the Outside
Go outside and check to see if the foundation is straight by
sighting down the length of foundation wall from each corner. The
walls should be basically straight, both up and down and from side
to side. Check for leaning walls with a level. A bulge or curve in
either a block foundation or a poured concrete wall could signal that
the foundation has shifted, or that the soil around your foundation
may be expanding and contracting, putting pressure on walls.
2. Probe Concrete for Weakness
If the house has a poured perimeter foundation and the
concrete appears to be chipping and flaking, poke it in a few places
with a sturdy screwdriver. The concrete should be so hard that we
cant damage it. If we manage to chip it or break a piece off, the
concrete could be deteriorating because the mix contained dirty or
salty sand, or too much water. This problem, common in homes built

in the early 1900s in some parts of the country, has no remedy

short of a new foundation.
3. Checking Structural Components
Foundation systems have other members besides the
perimeter foundation wall. In the basement or crawl space, look for
posts and concrete supports, or piers. Posts should stand straight
and be firmly planted underneath the beams they support. Bottoms
of posts should rest firmly on concrete piers.
We shouldnt find puddles or see framing thats wet. Check for
rot by probing wood posts with a screwdriver or awl. Puddles and
other signs of moisture in a crawl space may indicate poor drainage
around the perimeter foundation. Be sure that gutters arent
plugged, and that soil slopes away from the foundation at the rate
of 6 inches for every 10 horizontal feet.
4. Reading Foundation Cracks
As concrete cures, it shrinks slightly. Where the concrete cant
shrink evenly, it tends to crack. Concrete and block foundations
usually have at least a few cracks. The trick is recognizing which are
insignificant and which are serious. Heres a list from least to most
serious:
a. Hairline cracks in the mortar between concrete blocks are
rarely worth worrying about.
b. Cracks at an L-shape section, such as where a foundation
steps down to follow a hillside, are probably shrinkage cracks,
especially if they meander and taper down to a hairline. These
arent a structural issue, though we might need to plug them
to keep the basement or crawl space dry.
c. Stair-step cracks in masonry joints are a bigger concern,
especially if the wall is bulging or the crack is wider than
inch. A plugged gutter or other moisture problem outside is
probably exerting pressure on that part of the wall.
d. Horizontal cracks are most serious. It may be that watersaturated soil froze and expanded, pushing in and breaking
the foundation. Or, may have soil that expands when damp
and shrinks when dry. The bad news: probably need a whole
new foundation.
5. The 4 Basic Indoor Warning Signs
Houses settle over time, and a little unevenness isnt cause
for panic. At the same time, well want to be alert to these warning
signs that more dramatic changes are taking place:
a. A door begins to jam or fails to latch.
b. Cracks appear in walls, especially over doorways, windows, or
where walls meet ceilings.
c. Cracks open in vinyl or ceramic tile over a concrete floor.

d. Windows that used to open and close easily suddenly begin to

stick or wont close completely.
Reference
Property Health (2013, August 10) What are some of the common types of
structural defects in older houses that are expensive to repair? | Property
Health
Check.
Retrieved
November
23,
2016,
from
http://www.propertyhealthcheck.ie/what-are-some-of-the-common-typesof-structural-defects-in-older-houses-that-are-expensive-to-repair/
Huber, J. (2016). Identifying House Foundation Problems. Retrieved
November
22,
2016,
fromhttps://www.houselogic.com/organizemaintain/home-maintenance-tips/understanding-foundation-problems/
Conclusion
It should be noted that, the whole building is subjected to various forms of
defects, failure, deterioration and variation. It is important to evaluate
every defect and failure in any part of the building and find out the main
reasons for each individual defects and failures. Then, fix them properly.
Factors that contribute to this defects and failures must be investigated
closely. After founding out the possible causes of the defects and failures,
it is important to distinguish how to keep away from it in the future and
reduce the impact of the minimum.