Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Aug 12, 2011 9:34 pm Does any one know what happens when your house footings have been designed for a Class P site and a few years later you discover the site should have been classed as E ? Is it the builders fault or the engineers and who should be held accountable? What should the out come be? Obviously this dwelling has issues! Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 3Aug 12, 2011 9:54 pm lots of cracking, ceiling is lifting away from cornice. The site was classed as P due to fill. However, the ground movement values given within the recommendations of the first report indicated the reactivity was similar to a H site. We have now discovered the natural site Is Class E. Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 7Aug 12, 2011 10:37 pm Before this latest discovery today. The builder has been blaming us. Our landscaping has been causing the problem, all our fault apparently. So I will be onto , Monday can't come quick enough for us. Its going to be a loooooong weekend! Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 9Aug 12, 2011 11:14 pm Well Lex, its all to do with water getting in under the slab.I've had alot of tradies over scratching there heads. We are surrounded by concrete. My engineer has said no matter what site drainage is present the damage to our dwelling was always going to occur as the slab isn't strong enough. Fun times ahead. Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 10Aug 12, 2011 11:22 pm Lex Why your landscaping?? What did you do (or didn't do)? How can they be so sure? Dont they blame any problems the house may have on the things that we've done eg paths, landscaping. Isn't that how it works? It wouldn't be the builders fault thats for sure. Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 11Aug 13, 2011 12:32 pm You should make a claim to the BSA asap. If they builder is still around, insurance may cover it. They usually sit on their hands for ages, but you need to get action before warranties etc run out (7yrs I think). Soil type could have changed, do you have a copy of the soil report or can you get it? If the soil testers made the mistake, it would be on them. If the engineers designed the slab incorrectly, it would be on them. Ultimately, I think the builder would be to blame as the contract was between you and them. They contracted the works to be done. Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 12Aug 13, 2011 4:43 pm I have the soil reports for before the house was built and some new ones taken 2 weeks ago. What I am unsure of is If the site was classed as P why have they designed our footing system to a H site????????????? What sort of design would they have done if the site was classed as E in the first place? Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 13Aug 14, 2011 8:36 pm Ruby52550 Well Lex, its all to do with water getting in under the slab. I've had alot of tradies over scratching there heads. We are surrounded by concrete. Secondly, from personal experience, I wouldn't rely too much on tradies' advice (I've been given one too many wrong advice from "experts"). I'd rather pay an independent structural & stormwater/drainage engineer to give you a fresh opinion on the problem rather than spending time with tradies. Thirdly, being surrounded by concrete is no sure defence against water unless the drainage of the site is sorted. Again, the contours & the existing drainage ??? Ruby52550 My engineer has said no matter what site drainage is present the damage to our dwelling was always going to occur as the slab isn't strong enough. Fun times ahead. Also, is your slab fully covered with some fixed floor coverings, or can you have a peak at it somehow? Or at least, how does it look in the garage (assuming the garage slab is part of house and it's not covered)? My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 14Aug 14, 2011 8:53 pm Have you changed the contours of the land around the house after it was built? Is there at least 50 mm of fall in the first metre away from the house (if soft landscaping) or any fall if hard surfaces. If it really gets nasty, an engineer should be able to produce a report that indicates who is to blame and it would be hard to argue against it. Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 15Aug 15, 2011 4:59 pm Thanks for the questions. The builders engineer is suggesting water is getting in under the slab from: the overflow from the hot water system, the overflow from the air conditioner, under the deck in the alfresco,and down any gaps where the concrete has moved away from the brick wall. I have now addressed those issues and sealed right around the edge of the house with mastic. Cracks are still appearing, doors not closing and if anything the gaps in the cracks are widening. I've been told this could take up to 12 months to stabilize.I'm unsure about the contours, the paths do run to a surface drain but the builders engineer has commented that water does pool in spots. Regards to the slab, the soil test we have done suggests the slab should have been designed to cater for ground movement as high as 100mm in the cut zone, not 70mm as what we have. So the slab design is not stiff enough to cater for the expected ground movement. Does that make sense? Just covering all possibilities. If I have to redo the landscaping, I will but I wont be a happy camper if I do and it does not fix the problem. Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 16Aug 15, 2011 5:36 pm I do feel for you - its not a nice feeling to have doubts about the structural integrity of your home. Wish you all the best with your insurance application. I think there is very good advice in getting a qualified structural engineers report on your existing construction. It would be very hard to argue that. Tradies are not qualified to give you a structural report. Remember that you need to stick only to the facts - do not get emotional if this goes to the building commission or the tribunal. the law does not recognise emotions. I'm sorry to tell you this, but it is a fact. Keep a clear head and stick to the facts - most of all , get that report - it is a major weapon in your arsenal. Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them. Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 17Aug 15, 2011 5:45 pm Ruby52550 What I am unsure of is If the site was classed as P why have they designed our footing system to a H site????????????? My soil test is P due to nearby trees, but my waffle slab is M. I donth know why either. Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 18Aug 15, 2011 6:28 pm Hmmm, there are a few things that are sus here. - You complained to the builder and then he got an engineer paid by him to give you a report. --> You should at least get your own building inspector, but a structural eng. is better. - I would not think that tiny gaps between the slab and the concrete paths/driveway (typically 10mm, filled with expansion join tape, if that's what you meant), the overflow from the hot water system, the overflow from the air conditioner, rain falling thru the decking boards and some puddles would be sufficient to be fully responsible for the movement that you describe. - The "contours" mean the height of the various land points (lows and highs) - from those immediately adjoining the slab and then spreading all the way into the neighbouring properties (you can't ignore them as rain sees no boundaries). Eg. if your house sits at a low point in your block, and at least one side of the block slopes down towards the house (or the neighbour's land slopes towards your house), you could easily get all that water run-off spreading under the slab. Is this the case, or is your land totally flat, or maybe even the house sits on a "peak"?? My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: wrong soil test wrong footings 20Aug 15, 2011 6:50 pm Hey Lex I'm a simple person, I live on a hill with a steep drive way. Does that help in anyway? Its hard for water to run off next door neighbors land when there's been a drought { this problem has been recurring over the last 5 years} Time for action!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for your reply. I will just wait and see I guess. Trying to get some more information from our builder. 9 30235 We were lucky in that our old house was so small (86 square metres) compared to the new house, they were able to take enough readings around the old backyard house before… 8 37085 Three options 1 Ask the liquidator 2 Find another PD customer and ask the source of their report 3 Pay for new report 3 12320 |