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Old 08-07-2014, 08:48 PM
 
4 posts, read 8,064 times
Reputation: 10

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I just had a home inspection done on a new property built in 2010 and there was a very significant presence of cracking around the exterior structure of the property. Our home inspector sent us the following:

"In the vicinity of door and window openings and some others at random locations throughout the brick walls. At this time the inspector cannot determine the likely cause, which could be the result of foundation problems, poor masonry workmanship or materials, or other causes unknown. The client should consult with the HOA, to determine if any masonry repairs or evaluation has been performed on the building. The client is also advised to consult with an independent, competent masonry contractor, to better determine the causes of the cracking and estimate costs that the HOA may incur for repairs."

HOA has already seemingly attempted to make repairs previously and also noted they are planning on using money from the reserves for a structural engineer to come out! $1500 for the inspection alone.

Is this place a money pit or what?
Attached Thumbnails
Structure Issues-Step Cracking-cracking1.png   Structure Issues-Step Cracking-cracking2.png   Structure Issues-Step Cracking-cracking3.png   Structure Issues-Step Cracking-cracking4.png   Structure Issues-Step Cracking-cracking5.png  

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Old 08-07-2014, 09:10 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,128,588 times
Reputation: 6423
As someone who spent several years buying and selling houses, I wouldn't touch it. This is a FOUR year old foundation. Maybe tuck pointing will fix it. And maybe it is a foundation that needs to be partially or completely rebuilt/replaced. If the house has to be jacked up it will not be cheap.

With that many cracks it may be a indication of something more serious than poor masonry.
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Old 08-07-2014, 10:55 PM
 
28,455 posts, read 84,998,543 times
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This is one the scariest looking of the newer cheap concrete block condo buildings I've seen. It has "run run run away" written all over it. Chicago does not have soils that crush foundations like Texas or earthquakes like California but what we do have is wet & cold. Odds are there was some kind of very damaging ice intrusrion in that buiiding -- ice melts and that means water damage & mold. This could absolutely be VWRY costly to properly repair!
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Old 08-08-2014, 12:24 AM
 
4 posts, read 8,064 times
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Is there any possibility that it could be settlement being that the building is so new? We have had some bad winters recently, but there's no damage in the interior that was noted.

Our instincts are telling us to leave this one alone, but just want to throw that out there.

Thanks for the responses!
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Old 08-08-2014, 12:37 AM
 
28,455 posts, read 84,998,543 times
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In a general sense "settling" means when a foundation shifts due to improper techniques of construction. It is not something you just shrug at and "live with", it needs to be repaired. Repairing a faulty foundation for for a multi-story building is going to be costly especially when that building has cantilevered balconies and such. Call it "settling"'if you care to, still spells "money pit" in my book.

Btw I would not expect there to be visible interior signs of damage yet, the crack looks like it still "spreading" and very likely the damage is happening to the "core"'of the concrete blocks. Eventually the mold and other problems from those rotten concrete blocks will be visible on the drywall on the interior side but that will take several freeze / thaw cycles. Meanwhile the air quality issues of mold spores will likely make inhabitants sick ... I would not live there if you paid me!
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:41 AM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
255 posts, read 579,864 times
Reputation: 244
I'm not sure if this is the problem with the building that has been posted, but this older thread is a very interesting read:

//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...idespread.html
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:43 AM
 
11,289 posts, read 26,078,026 times
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Yeah, I'm looking for a house and am very aware of split block construction - it's really scary how many people out there have never heard of it.
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Old 08-10-2014, 07:20 PM
 
4 posts, read 8,064 times
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Is it possible that the developer would be liable for this? Or would the building tenants have to sue?
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Old 08-11-2014, 02:12 AM
 
28,455 posts, read 84,998,543 times
Reputation: 18725
Even if the developer is still around (most such buildings were probably constructed under a single-purpose LLC to specifically avoid any entangling responsibility) the odds of these problems being resolved without expensive lawyers and the courts are very very slim. It is not like there is an administrative process for the City to force the developer to repair problems like this after occupancy permits have been granted...

Too often under funded and unsophisticated HOAs have no means to actually file suit against a builder / developer / LLC and these things become bottomless pits of never ending incomplete fixes.

Avoid at all costs!
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Old 08-11-2014, 09:13 AM
 
4 posts, read 8,064 times
Reputation: 10
Thanks all!
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