Working as a structural inspector is challenging and dangerous. In this line of work, you constantly come into contact with chaotically built structures and foundations that are (to put it mildly) completely and utterly unsafe.
California-based firm Alpha Structural, Inc. shares photos of the most bizarre and outrageously dangerous things seen during structural inspections and we’ve collected some of the very best for you to enjoy, dear Pandas. As you gasp and shudder while scrolling down, remember to upvote the pics you enjoyed, and leave us a comment or two about what you think.
"The most nightmarish inspection we’ve done this year has to be the property in Portuguese Bend down on the Palos Verdes Peninsula," Derek Marier from Alpha Structural, Inc. told Bored Panda. "First off, because of soil conditions and high landslide risks, not much structural work can be performed there."
"The home had a very interesting foundation system made up of screw jacks, steel beams, and cribbing (commonly used for temporarily lifting a structure while work is being done underneath). The front portion of the deck and home were sinking and unfortunately, the homeowner can’t really do much about it. It could have toppled over at any given moment and that’s why the 'nightmarish' description fits well," he said. Scroll down for the rest of the interview and, when you’re done with this list, have a look through our previous posts about structural nightmares right here and here.
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#1
It's hard to believe somebody actually thought this would be a good idea.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#2
Another weird bird deterrent. "Run my brothers."
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#3
Wrapping this cracked concrete column with duct tape seemed to be a good solution to this homeowner!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
Marier told us that safety is a huge deal for employees at Alpha Structural, Inc. "Crawl suits, masks, gloves, steel toed boots, and many other forms of safety precautions are taken. The chance that a building is actually going to fall over when we do our work is slim to none. Any actual danger is sniffed out pretty quick and avoided. If our guys think it’s unsafe to inspect or work on a location, they’ll make a call based on their best judgment and sometimes they choose to not do it. That’s just our safety policy!"
We were also interested to know if the spread of the coronavirus had affected the company's work in any way recently. Here's what Marier said: "I wouldn’t say the virus has impacted our work as far as getting business in or anything like that. We just double check hygiene and make sure that sick employees stay at home."
Alpha Structural, Inc. has grown in popularity and now boasts over 11.5k followers on Instagram. The company specializes in engineering, construction of foundation, and hillside repairs. It also has a simple mission: to repair properties well while conforming to building codes and keeping their clients’ budgets in mind.
In a previous interview with Marier, he told Bored Panda that employees at the company come across various strange finds while on the job, such as skulls or creepy dolls. “You’re expecting to locate a structural defect but end up finding something you can almost label as satanic or ancient.”
According to Marier, one structural inspection that really scared him involved going into a tunnel that someone dug under the foundation. “I’ve heard horror stories of people getting trapped under houses by attempting to squirm through those gaps. That’s a nightmare in itself. Thank the lord there was no scary doll or human skull staring me in the face while I was attempting to crawl through!”
#4
This may be one of the funniest and most lazy things we've come across. A plumber drilled a hole right through a post to make way for his poop pipes. I guess he knows little about structural integrity. You can't help but have a good laugh when you come across something as ridiculous as this.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#5
This is supposed to be a pigeon deterrent. Multiple fake crows (with purchase tags still on them) and a row of spikes should do the trick!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#6
This is a failed retaining wall. The owner just wanted some posts to put in place for reinforcement of the wall, but that is a very minor and temporary solution. Unfortunately, the wall needs to be demolished and redone.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
In another interview with Bored Panda, company representative Ben Reinhart said that one of the worst homes they ever inspected was in 1992. “We went to a 3-story hillside home located in Playa del Rey. The condition of the soil supporting the home was so bad that, during our assessment, we found that the home was cracking and actually moving.”
“We are not alarmists in any sense but this was the first time we had to evacuate. Temporary shoring was put in the next morning to prevent the home from collapsing. The complexity of the repair required, getting a large rig on a steep hillside to excavate a 55’ deepened foundation, made this one of the worst and most challenging in our long history. Let’s just say if we were on a reality TV show, this episode would’ve been a season finale,” Reinhart said.
#7
We inspected this "dangerous" retaining wall in Los Angeles that is leaning and broken apart. You can see how bad it's actually leaning from this angle. It has been there for quite some time but nobody has done anything to repair or replace it.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#8
If you're the owner of this property, give us a call... we want to help you!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#9
Compressed post above a centered foundation wall. It gave in to the "pier" pressure.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#10
This is one of the most interesting things we've inspected in almost 3 decades. This property is located in an area called the Portuguese Bend on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. This home requires some serious work. This is called cribbing. It's a form of shoring that is used mainly for lifting a structure for a short time to perform work underneath. It is NOT meant to be a long term solution for a foundation.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#11
This is a retaining wall that didn't do its job very well. All the hydrostatic pressure built up over time and caused the saturated soil to overpower the old retaining wall. Luckily it has since been cleaned up and we will probably be replacing this section and the other sections of the existing wall.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#12
This is what happens when your house shifts 6 inches after years of seismic activity and settlement.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#13
This is a 1910 home we inspected in Los Angeles. The owner provided original photos taken of the home and the original owners. The foundation of this home was all brick and mortar walls. The brick was surprisingly in decent shape. Additionally, it falls under Historic Preservation Law and the brick cannot be removed. The city actually helps with the preservation of the foundation and other historical elements by allowing homeowners to conduct an engineering report and give it to the city. This falls under what is called the Mills Act. You gotta love when a whole chunk of the foundation is just missing. I'm sure it's rodent heaven under there in the summer.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#14
This column is partially holding up a story above and most of it was completely rotted inside. A knife could be driven into the wood and it would crumble with little effort.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#15
Another failed retaining wall. Driving around LA you see so many failed or failing walls and it's quite scary.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#16
This is a garage that's sinking pretty badly... It had a massive crack in the middle, creating a wedge in the concrete. It created a slope from the middle to the edge. On the edge, you can clearly see the leaning footings and where it connects to the framing. It's bowing like crazy!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#17
This was a massive sinkhole that opened up in the back of somebody's property. The pictures don't show it well, but the hole is 12' deep and about 6' wide. At the bottom you can clearly see an old clay pipe from the city. It hasn't been used in many, many years. It was thought to be an issue involving a septic cap. It's possible the cap caved in to the tank and caused this massive hole to open.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#18
One good look at this photo and you'll see multiple things going on. The floors are sloping (and have been for quite some time) so bad that it is effecting the levelness of the lamp, desk, drawers, AC vents and door frames. This home has some of the craziest sloping floors that we've seen.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#19
This is a line of 6 "bridge homes" that extended over a ravine. We only inspected one of them but they are so unique that I felt I had to share. They were all held up by stilts and concrete caissons.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#20
Here we have a cracked and deteriorated foundation wall. Something like this is too damaged to be strapped or filled with epoxy. Here's part of that same wall. Moisture from the exterior has slowly decayed the concrete and caused a breach in the actual wall through to the interior. You can see the dirt and root systems behind the concrete wall.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#21
We went out to this property a few years back and informed the owner that the hillside was at risk of having a landslide. Well, it happened.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#22
I was at a jobsite and saw an army of Amazon trucks up on a hill above the highway. I didn't notice any building next to it so it seemed very random for them to be located there.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#23
We inspected a large concrete building in L.A. which was once used as a movie studio. Pretty cool
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#24
Nothing like some cracking concrete blocks holding up this Jerry-rigged post/pier
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#25
This cracked, brittle retaining wall up in the hills of East L.A needs a good replacement.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#26
This is a hillside that is slipping away from the home at a rapid rate, bringing the deck posts with it. (We have since replaced the wood and put in new concrete piers below the deck.)
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#27
Wild fire? No. Lightning strike? No. Contractors leaving machinery plugged in over night causing a short-circuit and starting a fire? Yes. It's very unfortunate. The homeowner woke up to the fire department putting out the fire. Scary stuff and luckily nobody was hurt. This is why you hire competent contractors.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#28
Some more classic LA posts and piers. Loose bricks and cut 2x6 members. Beautiful!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#29
This pier began to erode and the post went with it. Looks ready to take a dive off the end.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#30
This is a property in Palos Verdes, CA located on a cut & fill lot. Compaction of the soil wasn't properly done and this caused the side of the property to settle. The wall and pathway are now cracking and separating from the rest of the home.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#31
These are two unnecessary post & piers accompanied by an old AC unit. Open wire and glass didn't help the situation either...
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#32
Here's a concrete foundation that cracked and pulled away from the rest of the stem wall. Luckily, the crack started at the end of the wall, not in the middle.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#33
Crawls like this are just the worst. Tons of debris, broken objects and fiberglass insulation at every turn. Most of the post and piers need work though
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#34
Have you ever heard of the La Brea Tar Pits? They are pits located in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles that are famous for preserving prehistoric bones and animal parts. Well, we inspected a property not too far from those pits. With that being said, what you are seeing is natural oil and tar seeping up through the ground into this person's basement. Water was coming into the area and over time it brought the tar and oil with it. Nasty stuff.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#35
You just gotta love some LA plumbers. They've been undermining foundations since the very beginning! Now, any foundation work needed in this area will likely call for removal of this plumbing and relocating it to another area.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#36
The floors were sagging right above this area in the crawlspace. I wonder why?
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#37
Some nice dry rot under a home in the Hollywood Hills.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#38
This is a retaining wall failure that we inspected this past week. This masonry wall supported the back half of the home, as well as a deck in the back.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#39
Another large crack in a concrete foundation. This could have resulted from recent seismic activity. One thing is for sure, it needs to be addressed before it gets worse.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#40
Here we have a hillside deck beginning to cave in. This is the result of rotting wood, insufficient supports and years of neglect.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#41
Here we have a masonry retaining wall that's broken apart and leaning. To make matters worse, it's attached to a set of stairs.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#42
These are stalactites that have formed after years of water dripping from the ceiling. Mineral deposits build up over time and this is the result you have. Not an extreme job but the steel inside the concrete could be rusting and could result in bad spall damage in the near future.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#43
Stalagmites also formed on the ground below the leak. You'd think we were in a Colorado cave or something.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#44
These wooden tension bars don't seem to be doing much for this sinking stilt home.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#45
If you're able to see light coming through a gap between the framing and the foundation, that's not a good thing. The foundation under this home has settled and there was no bolting or bracing holding the mudsill to the foundation. This is the same property but this time you can see light coming through a large crack in the foundation wall.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#46
Over time this girder became weak and fragile due to dry rot and old age. It eventually shattered from the pressure from both the post below and the house above. A beautiful masonry pier with some 2x6 shims to help support the house!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#47
Stacked bricks with mortar in between. This is a whole new level of DIY.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#48
Bad foundation forming results in air pockets in the concrete, compromising structural integrity and shoving aesthetics out the window. Whoever did this didn't seem to care.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#49
This should do fine in an earthquake!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#50
I've seen people do this at the end of their post so here you go. This little guy wanted to join in on the fun. Not too much fun to crawl an entire house with open wiring everywhere though.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#51
This may very well be the jankiest mickey mouse attempt at reinforcing a foundation & subfloor that we've seen. They used 2x8 and 2x4 members for cross bracing, the 2x8 is notched and nailed into the mudsill, they saw-cut the post (which supports the subfloor above) and the 2x4 runs directly through it, compromising the entire supporting post and pier system. Absolutely incredible.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#52
This is a short stud which is part of a cripple wall that had some serious dry rot and termite damage.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#53
This is a property we inspected in Long Beach. Notice the top of the ceiling and how it slants at an extreme rate down to the right. This is NOT an architectural detail. The entire right side of this 4-story building had compressed framing, causing each unit to have sloping floors starting from the top and ending at the point in the photo. Scary stuff, but not a bad view
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#54
That ought to do it!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#55
This is a 2x4 post attempting a diving board trick. It's not even connected to the pier or wood shim.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#56
This was a crack we inspected in the concrete ceiling of a large parking area of a structure. It's an indication that there could be spall damage and severe structural repairs needed
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#57
We've passed this retaining wall so many times and each time the wall is leaning further and further toward the street. We've done work for about 5 other houses next to this one and we are just waiting for the day we get a call to inspect this property.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#58
Imagine being the one living above this column! Not only is it fragile from termite damage, but it's not even braced or connected in any way. We received plans for a retrofit project on this building and the other engineers didn't even call for a replacement of this beam. Incredible.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#59
Similar to the ball, this slab foundation's structural integrity has deflated.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#60
Every tier is leaning and has loose railroad ties and piping.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#61
We were excavating a trench next to a concrete foundation to pour a new sister foundation and came across a massive root system.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#62
Nothing too crazy here but the I-beam was bending from the load-bearing weight.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#63
This property was leaning a few inches over from its original place. This caused the framing to buckle where it connected with the foundation. You can see the separation from the screen to the actual leaning wall.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#64
Here we have some invasive roots undermining a foundation wall. Tree roots (especially Ficus roots) can cause quite a bit of damage to concrete foundations. Arborists are often contacted to assist with these types of situations. A shot from the exterior where the concrete pathway on the side of the house has been completely destroyed by the root system.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#65
To the right you have perfectly level flooring. To the left, the floors slope 4 inches in a matter of a couple feet.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#66
Here we have some extreme water damage which resulted in tons of rotted framing. Fire damage and water intrusion has caused the framing in this wall to bend, break and crumble to bits
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#67
Here we have an old landslide that happened almost a decade ago. The issue with this particular landslide is the number of people effected by it and the proper solution is yet to be established. We inspected it this past week for a potential solution but we're not sure what the outcome will be. Definitely going to be a cool job if we end up taking it on.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#68
Rubble wall failure. It's basically a garden wall, but still a problem.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#69
A portion of this concrete foundation was missing from this property. Somebody put plywood in place of the concrete. So there's technically a giant hole missing from the perimeter foundation. Dangerous.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#70
This is a an apartment building in Los Angeles that we'll be retrofitting in the next few months. What you're seeing here is an existing column which is holding up a unit above. Not only was it buckling but the bottom was extremely rusted and corroded.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#71
This is a very large foundation crack that is offset and displaced. These are the cracks that cause severe damage to the structure.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#72
This was a little back house on a property we inspected. There was no perimeter foundation and most of the property was being held up by masonry blocks and car jacks. Some of the jacks, like the one you see in the photo, aren't even making contact with the structure. Fail.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#73
Here we have a deck that's failing and separating from it's connections
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#74
if you look at the top right of this door frame, you can see that it is beginning to bow and sink to the right. The foundation was concrete but it had many stress cracks.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#75
This speaks for itself. I can't help but laugh.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#76
The girder is also not even connected to the other side.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#77
This is what a sinking foundation that isn't bolted looks like. A solid inch and a half from the concrete to the mudil. Very nice!
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#78
Here we have a large hillside retaining wall that's leaning toward the house and endangering the property and homeowner. If a wall is leaning, it is considered to be "failing" but once it reaches about 10% of the height of the wall it is considered to be a "failed" retaining wall and will more than likely be unsalvagable. A replacement would be necessary
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#79
Here we have a leaning masonry wall that needs to be replaced.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#80
This is a super old and deteriorated concrete foundation. Tons of water was discovered under this home and, if you look closely, you can see it pooling in the background. A dry foundation is a happy foundation
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#81
A mickey mouse repair under a driveway. They thought adding additional concrete pads and posts would be the right call to help support the driveway and car weight.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#82
Navigating this crawlspace was an interesting time. Mounds of dirt were found to be holding up concrete piers and posts. Most of which were just solo islands of soil with nothing around them. Some of them were completely undermined and seemed to be one minor earthquake away from falling apart. The posts weren't even connected to the piers, so if they failed it would all just fall down.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#83
And before you freak out, it was already completely cracked through and in need of replacement since the concrete was so weak and brittle! If it can be easily wedged out of place, the damage has already been done. In addition to this, there were other cracks and chunks of concrete missing from the foundation. This crack was more than likely caused by years of local seismic activity around LA.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#84
Some crispy subfloor framing. No need to replace the charred parts, right?
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#85
This is one of the more unique piers that we've seen under a house. It's just a solid piece of concrete that extends from the ground all the way up to an interesting steel girder. Not your usual "post and pier" support.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#86
This is a concrete pile and a wooden post supporting a stilt home above. The concrete is breaking apart mainly due to seismic activity and racking of the posts during earthquakes. Part of the process of repairing this is trying to figure out how the wooden post is attached to the concrete. No exterior method was used. Some sort of steel tie-in had to have been done.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#87
Earth-to-wood contact is never a good idea but this takes it to the next level. I guess they really want a hump in their flooring. There's a reason post & piers are supposed to be under a girder.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#88
Here we have an old masonry foundation that has eroded away and now the concrete pier above is slightly undermined. The soil will begin to erode as well and the pier will eventually slip away leaving nothing to support the subfloor in that area.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#89
This is a home built on a hillside that has a few major issues going on. The obvious one in this photo is the large crack in the concrete and displacement of the connecting stem walls. Additionally, the hillside is pushing against the foundation, causing the whole house to shift and lean.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#90
This retaining wall was built with no rebar and is now cracked, displaced and is leaning forward. It looks like it's ready to collapse.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#91
You know it's going to be a fun crawl when you poke your head inside and see this! A foundation crack that you could practically stick your hand through. No strapping or epoxy filling for this one.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#92
This one is super interesting! In the foreground you can see a concrete foundation with a mudsill bolted to it. This is normal. In the background you see the original framing of the house which is floating about 4 inches over the original 1909 brick foundation. This is NOT normal. Both of these should be level with each other... One side of the home is lifted while the other side is sinking. Incredible.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#93
We inspected this driveway project due to some structural inquiries. We quickly realized that the shoring was insufficient and that the area between the garage and front door was sagging.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#94
A contractor bolted this foundation, except the only thing it's holding on to is the single concrete block that is resting on the old crumbling foundation below. Also, it happens to be right above an old crack filled with epoxy and with a strap across it.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#95
Snow in LA? I never thought I would see the day. This home had a serious plumbing leak and the white stuff you see is efflorescence resulting from the constant presence of water. Efflorescence angels anyone?
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#96
This is what happens when one side of your foundation settles and the other doesn't. You can clearly see at the bottom of the photo that the concrete is split and leaning to the left. This caused the framing to pull away from the subfloor and the other side of the structure.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#97
Classic LA plumbing job. Excavates and undermines structural elements to the home and doesn't bother fixing anything or telling anybody about it.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#98
These post & piers that hold up a main load-bearing wall are right next to the excavated trench and are now undermined and at risk of falling over.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#99
We inspected this beachfront home in Malibu and discovered some pretty significant structural damage. The concrete piles and supporting steel beams were cracked, decayed and rusted. The constant presence of salt water is rough on materials such as steel and concrete if not properly treated or coated in protective epoxy or waterproofing membranes. You can clearly see the rusted and corroded metal on these steel beams and the bolts holding them into concrete. Over time, water seeps into the sand and into the concrete, causing the steel inside to rust and expand, breaking apart the concrete around it and compromising the integrity of the structure.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#100
Here's a retaining wall located at the back of a garage that has some pretty major cracking. It's beginning to displace and lean toward the inside of the garage, creating a very dangerous situation that could result in a collapse.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#101
Here's a failed retaining wall that we inspected after the collapsed material was cleaned up.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#102
We discovered some fire damage on the subfloor of this home in LA. Not major damage but it should be handled as soon as possible.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#103
Sometimes you just look at the entrance of a crawlspace and know it's going to be a rough crawl.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#104
Tons of moisture and hillside erosion caused the wall to lose its grip on the hillside and rest of the structure. This type of failure tends to happen in the rainy season in Los Angeles.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#105
Here's a large crack in a concrete stem wall right next to an old UFP (Universal Foundation Plate). A good portion of this foundation will have to be replaced.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#106
Some other contractor was replacing a retaining wall here. They completely undermined the neighbor’s fence/wall and now it’s starting to lean and collapse towards them. It’s been like this for quite some time.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#107
The whole front porch of this property is cracking and separating from the rest of the home. You can see where the stucco has cracked and where it's beginning to lean toward the driveway. Scary stuff.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#108
Here we have a garage on top of an extended slab footing. The slab under the stucco is breaking apart and beginning to slowly slide away from the structure.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#109
These river rock foundations were done as a cheap solution back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many homes with river rock foundations are under HPOZ law (Historical Preservation Overylay Zone) and are not allowed to be completely removed for historical reasons. To get around this you create what is called a sister foundation, which involves installing a new steel reinforced concrete foundation right next to the existing wall.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#110
The life of a wooden wall is drastically shorter than a masonry or concrete wall. It may be more expensive, but a few bad rainy seasons and you'll end up with this in 5-10 years. That may be a good life for the wall, but with a concrete wall you'd get by with 30-40+ years before anything moves, if it's done right.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#111
This is a rock wall built into an existing bedrock wall. Looks pretty neat
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#112
We inspected this property for a real estate transaction and we were informed that some repairs had recently been done to the foundation. A skim coat of cement was put over a very large crack and a couple retrofit plates were installed as well. We tested the bolts and 3/4 of them could be loosened by hand.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#113
I guess you could call this a foundation but it's really just a bunch of dusty concrete, masonry blocks and wooden framing members installed together. Beautiful.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#114
A plumber demoed this section of the slab foundation to access a leaking pipe. He then proceeded to dig and undermine a good portion of the foundation without shoring. He did have a good reason though, because this was one of the pipes that had broken and had been leaking for quite some time.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#115
This was a retaining wall made entirely of clay tile blocks. These are usually used for partition walls or fireproofing. They aren't generally used in the US too much but most countries in Europe and the Middle East still use them
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#116
This was an open pipe that seemed to be covered up or filled entirely with dirt. Kind of looks like the house is going to the bathroom. Additionally, the framing all around this area was rotting like crazy. I wonder why...
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#117
A shoddy foundation with holes in the framing, earth-to-wood contact, and eroded concrete foundation walls. I would say the spider webs are the biggest threat.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#118
I posted another photo of this house on my Tuesday post but this foundation was riddled with cracks, wonky framing and had no rebar or bolts/bracing.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#119
Somebody dug out a large area under their house to install this water heater. Not only did they undermine the foundation wall, but they just shoved two small bricks underneath to help support the undermined area. They also strapped the water heater to the non-bolted mudsill.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#120
This is a basement retaining wall from 1910 that we inspected in LA. No rebar was used in this wall and because of that, the wall is breaking apart and displacing in the corner.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#121
When the post batten splits in half and you realize the nails are the only thing supporting the post from the concrete.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
#122
This is a series of railroad tie retaining walls. Most of them were rotted and leaning.
Image credits: AlphaStructural
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