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February 12, 2008
need a structural engineer (I think)
We suspect that we may be having some structural problems and want to have someone come check things out (or more accurately, get a second opinion on what our contractor is telling us). I guess we need a structural engineer, although I'm not sure about that.
Anyone have anyone to personally recommend?
Comments
what is your suspected structural problem?
I ask because i posted a question yesterday regarding an inspection i had done on my foundation slope.
I'm feeling like maybe my structural engineering inspection didn't solve anything, only led to more questions.
Posted by: guest at February 12, 2008 1:00 PM
We're having what we think are an unusual amount of cracks, and it's nearly impossible to close our rear windows far enough to lock them. We feel like the back of the house is sinking a bit. Our outside back wall and roof are in bad shape and we're planning on taking care of both in the spring. Our contractor is telling us that the cracks are completely normal (he may be right, we've never lived in a house this old), and that the back of the house is absorbing a lot of water. We want to find out from an engineer 1)if the cracks are indeed normal to this extent, and 2)if anything else is contributing to the back of the house sinking and if there's anything we can do before the outside work is done in the spring.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 12, 2008 1:29 PM
You may have just answered your own question. If water was coming in from your roof and back wall, it could have rotted the beams and joists on all floors. This is what happened in our house. Luckily we were doing a full renovation anyway so we noticed when we took the flooring/plaster away. You can start to fix the interior first. Replace rotted wood and look at your foundation. You may need some repointing or lally columns. HOWEVER! If you do the work on the inside, make sure you fix the areas where the water is coming in as soon as it warms up or it will only happen again.
Posted by: rh at February 12, 2008 2:47 PM
I know exactly how you feel. When we first moved into our house, we had cracks on the back wall, a roof and windows that needed to be replaced, water leaking into our basement, and all of it was just overwhelming to think about and I was sure that the whole thing would come falling down any second. You just have to remember that your house has been standing for 100 years and that a few more months before you fix things is not going to be the difference between whether it continues or ceases to exist.
Posted by: guest at February 12, 2008 3:16 PM
You don't have to have rotten beams for the water to affect the foundation and the house. Much of Brooklyn is clay and clay sinks and expands and contracts and all sorts of stuff. I had a house sitting on clay in CA too, and my house and all my neighbors, we got catty-wompus doorways and windows and cracks in the plaster we had to repair. Not because of rotten beams or any such panic-inducing things. The house was just moving around which is normal on clay going from wet seasons to dry and back again.
Is the grade at the back of your house aiming the water away from the foundation and into a drain or drywell? Are your roof gutters attached to the sewer? Make sure the roof gutters are not draining into the yard. Start with those things.
Posted by: guest at February 12, 2008 3:53 PM
I was the first post to your question today, this is a followup...
I feel like based on what our structural engineer told us, my advice is: if you have the money to spend on an inspection ($600-1000) and you have money to spend on reno AND you'd like to spend it for your piece of mind...then the structural engineer will be very helpful in by telling you things you 'must have done'.
I put that in quotes because it seems every other house in bklyn is still standing without major structural repairs being done to them.
At least pay the money for the inspection...you'll feel better (or worse like i do)
Posted by: guest at February 12, 2008 6:20 PM
You could contact a man by the name of Bob Helenius to look at it for you. He owned a General contracting business in Brooklyn for 30 Yrs. He now does some consulting work for a reputable architect in Brooklyn Heights area.
You could also call an engineering firm that I have used out of Bethlehem PA. They are in brooklyn every week as they are experts on brownstones & are not your typical over the top engineering firm. Very much common sense
D'Huy Engineering (610) 865-3000
Posted by: guest at February 13, 2008 2:16 PM
Call Derk Garlick my Architect he will give you some one we use in NY his number is 201 3308182 tell him Carl from CEKInt. told you to call. He will be very helpful. Good luck.
Posted by: cekint at February 13, 2008 5:48 PM
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