Need Help, Need Qualified Builder Or Engineer

[elektrified]

About 7 years ago the g/f built a house on one of her properties in the Sarapi area. She completed the structure and put on the roof but that was it. Project was halted. I went over to look at it about 5 years ago and the first thing I noticed was how large the roof was for the size of the house. The 2nd thing I noticed was some cracks in the columns inside, most likely because the weight of the roof is so heavy and the columns (IMO) were not large enough.

The other day the g/f's mother went over to look at the house and have the lot cleared and a tree cut down. She immediately reported that the cracks are now huge and both the g/f and the mother are worried that the roof will come "crashing down".

Does anyone know anybody that is qualified and could check out the problem and give an estimate of how much and how to properly deal with the situation? I don't know what has to be done but I would guess new, stronger columns need to be made or the existing ones reinforced. The g/f asked me to help find someone. Her mother asked around the other day when she was there. There is a lot of construction going on in the area but she couldn't find anyone who seemed to know what they were talking about.

Thanks.

[Diablo Bob]

There could be a few different reasons for the cracking. Theoretically, the columns should be in compression due to the weight of the roof, so the cracks increasing in size would most likely be a different cause. I would think the differential settlement to be more likely, inasmuch as the local builders don't compact anything, they believe in doing things naturally, which doesn't work. If there are any interior walls constructed with masonry block see if there is any masonry units cracked, forget cracking in the mortar bedding, ohh wait forget that, the Thai building method with masonry is to use mortar on the horizontal they normally don't mortar the vertical joints. If they have mortared the vertical joint and you see significant cracking then this could be a sign of settlement.

Have you checked to see if the columns are plumb? If not plumb, then cracks will appear on the side of the column that would then be in tension, the direction that the column is leaning will be in tension (cracking).

There are a lot of potential fixes depending on the problem, settlement being your worst possible case. If it is truely an overload situation then additional columns could be added to reduce the unit load on a column or over sizing the columns in-situ or transfering loads structurally by adding steel bracing to the under lying sub structure. If it's settlement their are options, all of which would be expensive and time consuming. Would probably be cheaper to salvage the materials and start over and do the job right the second time.

If you want, I will be returing home this week for vacation and depending on location be glad to look at the structure for you. Just PM me.

Edited January 16, 2013 by Diablo Bob