Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, WA Home Inspector (King of the House)

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Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Posts and Piers

It seems like it is a no-brainer that a house needs to have adequate support underneath it. This photo is an example of the sort of thing a home inspector sees more often than you would expect. Many times what would traditionally be posts on poured footings are home-concocted piers or supports of convenience -- not quality. In the photo below somebody said to another dingbat -- "oh gee that old broken block and another one, put on top of each other will fit under the beam."

We see lots of this, almost the norm, in mobile or manufactured homes. This photo, however, is from a stick-built home. There are a few problems here, not trying to list them all, but to begin with, there is no footing under the bottom block, it is just resting on the dirt. Other than that, these blocks are not strong when the hollow channel is horizontal, they are designed to go vertically. They crush easily. There are no positive connections, the two blocks themselves are like a couple dominoes. If it starts a shakin' don't stand over the blocks. Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.

 

Thanks for coming by.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham home inspections

        

        

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