Alpha Structural - Los Angeles Structural Engineers & General Contractors. Design-to-build structural repairs for residential and commercial properties in SoCal for over 30 years. We post our weekly assessments every Tuesday at 2pm!
Alpha Structural - Los Angeles Structural Engineers & General Contractors. Design-to-build structural repairs for residential and commercial properties in SoCal for over 30 years. We post our weekly assessments every Tuesday at 2pm!
You understand our system perfectly. 😂
For scale, but also showing how deteriorated the material around that scupper is. Ideally, the pen stays outside the wall. 😅
Yes, drainage is important! The drain we pointed out was clogged, but keeping that one clear is only part of managing the water behind the wall.
Drainage behind the wall is key! Weep holes can be part of that, but the layout depends on the wall’s design. You also need a clear path for the collected water to get out.
OMG!! Seeing that sinkhole in Malibu has been wild. And at Nicolas Cage’s house too?!
Wait stop… we’re too emotional for this!
Perfect! 🤩
We should have thought of this sooner!!!
Just another totally relaxing day in structural assessments. 😅
Those conditions do appear to have developed over time. Photos only show part of the story, though, so a full assessment is needed to understand the cause and maintenance history.
The foundation and balcony decided to become an open-concept design. 😅
Allergies aside, curiosity is a great place to start. Glad you enjoy seeing what our assessors find!
Definitely not a relaxing crawlspace visit. 😅
Very true. The heat and dry conditions bring their own set of challenges.
Agreed. One natural hazard at a time please. 😅
We appreciate you following along. 😂
That is… one way to put it. 😭
A necessity!
😂😂
Moisture conditions are definitely another thing to consider, but treated or untreated, this still isn’t a properly designed structural support system. 😅
“DIY” is doing some heavy lifting here. 😅 The bigger structural concern is the lack of proper bearing, bracing, connections, and a reliable load path.
😭😭
😅 When that feeling hits underneath a house, we trust it and get out.
A seam between two concrete pours isn’t automatically a problem. Construction joints can be completely acceptable when the surfaces, reinforcement, and connection between pours are properly handled. We definitely couldn’t judge your specific slab from a description alone, though!
There really isn’t one universal timeline for every building. A structural assessment is worth considering whenever new cracking, sloping floors, sticking doors/windows, visible movement, or other warning signs develop, and after major events like earthquakes, flooding, fire, or slope movement. Older and hillside properties can also have different needs depending on their conditions.
Exactly. Even temporary support still needs to be appropriate for the loads it’s carrying, with proper bearing, bracing, and connections. “Temporary” doesn’t mean anything goes.
“Bluetooth supports” 😭😂 Temporary shoring can absolutely have a purpose, but it still needs adequate bearing, capacity, bracing, and connections. Temporary shouldn’t mean improvised.
Thank you!! 🙌 And yes, if we get into an area and conditions feel unsafe, we absolutely call it and get out. No assessment is worth risking the person doing it. Some crawlspaces definitely earn an immediate “NOPE.” 😅
The commentary was everything haha.