30 'Nightmares' And 'Miracles' Spotted During Structural Inspections

Alpha Structural, Inc. told Bored Panda more about what the company does in an interview. “There are many factors that can affect the repair of a home such as budget constraints, timing, accessibility of workspace, etc. For the most part we would put the responsibility on the contractors that were hired to do the work. Most homeowners are not aware of the repair “methods” used, especially when the work is under the home. For example, we’ve seen brick foundations that have been “retrofitted” by bolting the framing to the brick walls. However, this doesn’t serve any purpose as the bricks can’t hold these bolts. Many times the homeowner had no idea that there was any problem performing this type of retrofit on a brick foundation. Without trying to sound cliché, we can say the old maxim, “you get what you pay for” holds true when selecting a contractor to repair, or upgrade your home’s foundation.”

The company’s representative Ben Reinhart also revealed to Bored Panda what he thinks is the very worst building encountered so far: “I would say one of the worst homes we inspected was back 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 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.”

Alpha Structural, Inc. also had some advice for home-owners about making sure the buildings they own are safe and sound to live in. “Basic maintenance will keep your home strong for a long time to come. Our advice would be to clean out gutters, ensure you have downspouts that direct water away from your foundation and see that the hardscape (walkways, patios, etc.) and landscape grade away from the home. Most foundation problems are caused by water and poor drainage. If you look under your home, check to see that there is no earth to wood contact. Not only will moisture from the ground get to the wood and cause rot, it also allows for wood destroying organisms to get to the framing of your home. Additionally, earthquake retrofitting is a cost-effective upgrade encouraged by not only engineering communities, but also local and state officials.”

“In order to be a structural assessor it is required you have years of experience in the field of construction. They must be familiar with all types of building construction and must understand current building code and hillside building codes,” Reinhart explained. “Remember, we are not dealing with new construction, we deal with existing structures which may have had many repairs over the course of its life. As far as values we require that no one is an alarmist and honesty is key. All homeowners have options when repairing their home. Our job is to explain all of those options and let them choose what they want to do, it is their home after all. We recommend that when buying a home, get all of your inspections done. This would include a general home inspection, foundation, sewer, plumbing, etc. If you own a home and think there might be foundation or structural issues, make sure that the contractor you decide to hire is reputable and knowledgeable. Due diligence would include looking at their reviews online and checking their status with the CSLB to verify that they are licensed for the work they are performing.”

The company refers to itself as “the most trusted foundation repair contractors in Los Angeles and Southern California” on its website and has over 10,200 followers on Instagram.

Alpha Structural, Inc. has told Bored Panda in a previous interview that “besides having a stellar reputation, we're called out to inspect and propose solutions to many structural issues. We mainly are called to inspect when there are issues such as sloping floors, failed retaining walls, etc."

"A very common engineering fail we see is mid-century hillside homes that are sinking. They were often built with shallow footings that are prone to sink over time. Additionally, there is a lot of expansive soil in Los Angeles which, due to its high clay content, expands and contracts. This leads to corners or sides of a home that sink."

"I would say we're more likely to be surprised by what's under the home than the structure itself! Although, while we are not alarmist in any way, every once in a while, we will come across a structure that we are surprised is still standing," the Alpha Structural, Inc.’s representative previously told Bored Panda. The company, which a few months ago celebrated its 25th birthday, has inspected tens of thousands of properties. That’s the reason why the company has lots of experience and its inspectors can quickly spot structural problems."

"We always recommend earthquake retrofitting your home," the company added when asked about improving a home’s safety. "It's no surprise seismic activity is prevalent in Los Angeles, so taking the time to retrofit your home is key. Also, most foundation problems are caused because of no drainage, or poor drainage around the home. The most cost-effective solution to preserve your foundation is to make sure your yard slopes away from the structure and that your gutters and downspouts are cleaned and route the water away.”

Living in California can seem like the best place on Earth, what with the state’s brilliant beaches, friendly folks and wonderful weather. However, it’s no paradise for buildings. Year in and year out, California is ravaged by vicious wildfires and constant earthquakes. How many earthquakes, you ask? Well, just in the last year alone there have been over 17,000 in or near the state. Mind-blowing, wouldn't you agree?

The Los Angeles Times writes that people can do more before the “next big quake hits California”, for example: bolting bookshelves firmly to walls, so they don’t move around or fall down and using putty to stick fragile things to shelves. Earthquake engineer Keith Porter told the media that he’d like the state’s lawmakers to raise California’s minimum building requirements. According to the expert, the current standards are lacking: “People think a new building is earthquake-proof. But really, all it’s supposed to do is not collapse and kill you. The damage can be so costly that you can’t afford to fix it; that it doesn’t make sense to fix it.”