In a deal that fell through last year, my buyers were interested in a home with major cracking in the garage slab. There may have been cracking throughout the rest of the house, but it was impossible to tell through the carpet. The home was built in front of a rail road, now discontinued, which probably was the cause. I was really at a loss about how to handle the inspection, and now I find myself in the situation again!

In the previous deal, the inspector recommended that we contact a qualified structural engineer to examine the cracks. Nothing unusual there, but have you ever tried to actually get that done? I have, and it's almost impossible. I spoke to agents and brokers in my office looking for a referral - they had none. I called the general inspector and asked for a referral. He said that even if he knew a structural engineer, it would be a conflict of interest to refer. Great. So I went through the phone book and literally called 15 structural engineers and various contractors. It turned out contractors weren't really qualified for that kind of assessment, and the structural engineers only worked on large commercial projects.

FINALLY I found an engineer who agreed to stop by the property on his way to a larger commerical job. When he got there he told me that he could only do a superficial visual inspection, but that it wouldn't be conclusive. The cost of doing a true evaluation would involve significant equipment, removal of flooring, and a lot of money. I took his word for it, but I also knew that this wasnt his usual type of inspection. Even if that were the norm, I can't imagine a seller agreeing to have his house torn up for a buyer inspection.

Where does that leave the buyer? If there are serious cracks in a property that I need investigated, who can we go to? I need to know if the building is sound, and a repair estimate would also be excellent.

Please advise. I'm very frustrated with this aspect of inspections!

Cracks are simply an "indicator" of a different problem. If the cause of the cracks is not mitigated, the cracks will return even after they are repaired.

I would suggest you contact a geological engineer. They will give you a much clearer understanding of the problems that may include things such as poor site drainage, expansive soils, nearby fault lines, etc.

Once you've identified the source of the cracking, you can determine appropriate remedies.

Thanks for the response Jeff. I went to YellowPages.com and did a search on Geological engineers in the city where the property is located. Not too many showed up, but there was one under "Engineers-Professional-Foundation" and a couple under "Engineers-Professional-Geotechnical-Soils". Hopefully one of those folks is the right person to talk to.

Just had the same concern after wasting money and time with home inspectors not qualified to really look at the sturcture of my house. Luckly enough I was referred to contact an engineer since I only wanted the foundation inspected, and like yourself had concerns about cracks and wanted to make sure I was buying a sound property. The gentleman came out and spent almost 2 hours with me and went over every concern that I had, and helped me to understand why I was seeing such cracks. It was worth the 125.00 check I wrote to him as I had a much better understanding of things, and he was able to confirm that this property was certainly sound for 96 years old....I would continue to look for inspectors that also have certified engineers available for such inspections.

"Just had the same concern after wasting money and time with home inspectors not qualified to really look at the sturcture of my house."

It's important to know the difference! Home inspectors inspect a home, heating contractors inspect the heating system, structural engineers inspect the structure, roofers inspect the roof etc.
But, instead of spending $1000's for each trade, using a home inspector is the most efficient and cost effective in determining which additional experts to consult.

Look at home inspectors like a general practitioner doctor.

If you need a heart transplant - are you going to use him? No, you'd go to a specialist.


Same analogy applies.