New concrete porch has settled.


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Old 06-30-03, 01:11 PM
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Question New concrete porch has settled.

Our new home is 18 months old. We have a concrete front porch that has settled towards the house. The slab does not tip back towards the house (yet), but it is about level now (definitely does not slope away from house any more), and we do get standing water after a rain. Should we leave it alone, or ask the builder to tear it out and fix it?

The porch roof is a continuation of a shed roof (I hope I used the right roofing term) from over a first floor room that juts out beyond the second story. The porch roof is supported by two posts on the concrete.

Thanks for your input!
 
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Old 06-30-03, 03:17 PM
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If this porch is elevated above the ground, the sill beam may have failed. I would vote for having it inspected by someone who can evaluate exactly what is going on. If you cannot get it replaced by the bulder, you may be in for a substantial expense on your own. Plus accumulating water next to the house is automatically a bad thing.
 
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Old 06-30-03, 03:40 PM
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Hi Chris. Thanks for you input. This porch is not elevated. It is a concrete slab poured on the ground. We did have settling issues on another side of the house, which has been repaired.

The slab is supported to the front by a foundation wall. There is a picture I uploaded (hope that works) that shows the area just before the slab was poured. I can upload another picture of the finished area if that would be useful.

If the builder thinks it doesn't need to be replaced, I would want to get another opinion from someone. Who would be the appropriate professional? Should we have someone from the city come to look at it, or hire an independent home inspector. How does one go about finding a reputable home inspector?

Thanks,
Sue
 
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Old 06-30-03, 04:09 PM
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Sue B.,

Since this is a hip roof tied into and coming off the front of your home, the need to get it properly supported is a must. Between water getting into a basement (if applicable) and the damage caused by roof leaks caused by shingles seperating or creating fractures in the felts this all could be very bad and costly repairs would then be necessary.

As chifte mentioned, you need this inspected by someone...best choice right off is the Local Building Inspector, it's free! Insight from them will determine what action you should take.

As you said, you had another issue resolved and this should be repaired by the Contractor as well. Not sure if the Builder has a home warranty insurance program but if not, seek other legal action if you feel it necessary.

Hiring a Qualified Home Inspector is easy but may cost some bucks but if this is just the area in question they can give you a good break in price. Contact your local Real Estate companies for references.

Good Luck!
 
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Old 06-30-03, 04:19 PM
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Thank you very much! I will give a call to our local building inspector. I appreciate your input!
 
 

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