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Home My WebLink AboutSite ObservationtrIL ENGINEEFIINtr, INC. 9100 W Jewell Ave Lakewood, CO 80232 720-440-9450 www.dlengineer.com s/20/2o2L Job#2O2I-957O 156 Cliffrose Way Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 As requested, a site visit and observation were performed at the property located at the address above on 5/4/2O2I at approximately 11:00 a.m. by Daniel Lemier, PE. The purpose forthe site visit and observation was to review the structure for movement of the foundation. The subject property is a single-family prefabricated home with a crawlspace, located in an established neighborhood. The building is assumed to have been built in 2010 (based on an online search of the Garfield County Assessors records), The foundation is constructed of ICF concrete and is assumed to be on spread footings. The house appears to be constructed of wood with lap siding. The observation was visual and lim¡ted to the exterior and the interior house. No observation was performed on the roof structure. For purposes of this report, we assume that the house faces north. Observations . Diagonal crack on the corner of door . Crack in the joint between wall and ceiling in multiple locations . Crack running across the ceiling in multiple locations . Signs of moisture intrusion in the crawl space . Vertical crack on the joint of two walls . Exterior stone veneer columns were poorly installed and deteriorating. These may need to re reinstalled. . Void under exterior stone veneer due to being poorly installed without foundations under the fake columns. . Lower layer of stone veneer has fallen off . Crack ln the concrete slab Commentary At the time of the observation, there were multiple areas of concern. The below recommendations will help prioritize items by severity. æ RE I trIL ENGINEERINtr, INC-. 9100 W Jewell Ave Lakewood, CO 80232 720-440-9450 www.dlengineer.com Recommendat¡ons The cracks observed in the walls were likely caused by vertical movement of the foundation. These movements are most likely caused by contraction and expansion of the soil due to changing moisture content. The following is a prioritized list of recommended repairs that should be made to stabilize the foundation: lnstall (2) new push piers along the north interior foundation wall to help mitigate vertical movement. lnstall (8) new push piers along the west interior foundation wall to help mitigate vertical movement Monitor the home for further signs of vertical movement. These signs may include new or worsening cracks in the interior finishes, new or worsening cracks in the foundation, floors that become more out of level, and/or doors and windows that become difficult to operate. lf further signs of vertical movement are observed, the homeowner should contact DL Engineering for further assessment. Ensure proper grading and drainage around the perimeter of the house to help prevent excess moisture accumulation in the soil surrounding the foundation. Doing so help will reduce soil volume fluctuations and pressure on the foundation. See best practices for foundation maintenance for additional information. Due to the moisture intrusion, an exterior perimeter drain may be helpful in controlling excess moisture around the foundation. Patch and monitor cracks in concrete, and drywall. This will give a baseline for any new movement. lf new movement is observed, contact DL Engineering lnc. for further assessment. Differential verticol movement of the foundation is caused by several variobles which ore beyond our obility to control or forecast. This observotion only addresses the areøs that oppeor to be actively moving and includes recommendotions to stobilize these oreas. With any vertical foundation movemen| the only wdy to ensure complete stob¡lity is to fully underpin the entire Joundation. The extent and aggressiveness of the foundotion repoirs should be corefully considered by the Owner ond will depend on their tolerance for risþ the possibility of future damage, and cost. Best Pract¡ces for Foundation Maintenance The following best practices are actions to maintain the service life of the foundation that can be applied to all structures, Proper site drainage and placement of vegetation alone may not prevent movement of a structure; however, they are prudent steps to avoid the contraction and expansion of the soil due to changing moisture content. We share the following information, which is not property specific, with all our clients. Site Drainage The moisture around foundation elements must be controlled for the useful life of the building. Lack of proper drainage is often a contributing factor to foundation damage observed. The site drainage around the structure must be maintained such that e a a a a a a 2 clL ENGINEEFIINT, INL. 9100 W Jewell Ave Lakewood, CO 80232 720-440-9450 www.dlengineer.com precipitations will quickly drain away. The use of proper slope slabs-on-grade, moisture barriers, swales, and surface/subsurface drainage systems are strongly recommended. Extensions should be attached to properly functioning downspouts and roof drains such that they discharge a minimum of 10 feet away from the structure. æ Site Vegetation a a The vegetation around the perimeter of the structure can eventually lead to foundation movements. Vegetation can hold moisture in soil and create excessive pressure on the foundation system. ln order to reduce the risk, bushes, shrubs, and trees should be carefully removed by an experienced professional. Care should be taken to not further disturb or damage the existing foundation system. Planters and other surface features which could retain water should be eliminated and properly graded to reduce the possibility of moisture infiltrating around the foundation. 3 t]t.:t04t7t?t It{li: Figure 7: Crack running ocross the ceiling æ 9100 w Jewell Ave Lakewood, CO 80232 720-440-9450 www.dlengineer.com trlL ENEINEEFIING, INL. Figure 2 : Exter¡or stone veneer columns were poorly installed ønd deterioroting. These may need to re reinstalled. t 4 Figure j : Diogonal crock on the corner oJ door ÐL ENtrINEEFIING, INL. 9100 W Jewell Ave Lakewood, CO 80232 720-440-9450 www,dlengineer.com ln as much as the site review of an existing structure forthe purpose of observing the structure conditions requires that certain assumptions be made regarding existing conditions and because some of these assumptions may not be verifiable without expending add¡t¡onal sums of money or destroying otherwise adequate or serviceable portions of the building, the Client agrees that, except for negligence on the part of the Engineer, the Client will hold harmless, indemnify and defend Engineer from and against any and all claims arising out of the professional services we have provided. lf you should have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at (720) 440-9450 or lzorrilla@dlensineer.com. Sincerely, lvan Zorrilla, E.l.T æ Daniel LeMier fl J 3539 Under the direct supervision of, DanielLeMier, PE Digitally signed p4 l. by Daniel LeMier Date: 2021.05.20 12:12:25 -06'00' L 5