Forum Archive: Posts by: Nura

A while ago I asked people on this site to recommend a structural engineer. I got several recommendations, and I ended up using Danny Isla www.IslaEngineering.net, 516-220-6200 because he was also recommended on the Park Slope Parents website. I needed Danny to tell me what was causing the sagging in the floor of my house, and also to determine which walls were load-bearing. In order to find that out, he performed a kind of acrobatic climb into what seemed like a perfectly inaccessible and filthy attic (the woman who sold us the house said that no one has gone up there for at least 30 years). After climbing out of there, Danny told me about the walls and the joists. None of the walls we were intending to remove turned out to be structural, and I assumed that since our reno won’t involve structural changes, I’d just pay Danny for this one-time visit (he spent at least 45 mins. in my house – telling me about the floors, the crack in the masonry outside and the walls). But he didn’t let me pay him – he just said that if I ever needed him down the road, during construction, to call him up. He seemed very knowledgeable – both my architect and I were very impressed with him. I was also impressed that he was undeterred by that attic (our original house inspector declared it unreachable). I encourage you to call Danny Isla – whether it’s for a house inspection or for structural work.

And no, I’m not him – post your e-mail address and I’ll e-mail you my phone# for a reference.

We just bought a semi-detached 2-story house, and there is a sag in the same spot of both floors, with what I think is a corresponding crack in the outside wall. We need someone to figure out what the issue is an if this has to be fixed before the more superficial parts of the renovation begin. Our architect recommended that we get an engineer. We had the house inspected, but the inspector could only make an educated guess as to what’s causing the sagging. Could someone recommend an engineer who could tell us definitively what’s causing this? (Someone to actually open up the floors or the ceiling to figure this thing out? The house needs complete reno anyway.)

In addition, we need advise about which walls are load-bearing.

We appreciate any recommendations!