Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

In article , Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...

Look in the Yellow Pages under "Home Inspectors". If you find someone with the
letters "P.E." (Professional Engineer) after his name, that's the guy you want
to hire. Otherwise, try calling a few architects, and ask them to recommend
someone.

If you happen to live in the Indianapolis area, I can recommend one for you.
No, it's not my brother-in-law or anything like that.

On Sep 28, 5:18*pm, Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? *I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? * TIA, Dan

What are you specfically looking for or concerned about?

Depending on what you are concerned about would dictate what kind of
services you would best be contracting for.

Also were are oyu located? As per Doug's comment....if you;re in
SoCal Or NorCal I can recommend someone.

cheers
Bob

on 9/28/09 7:59 PM fftt said the following:
On Sep 28, 5:18 pm, wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

What are you specfically looking for or concerned about?

Depending on what you are concerned about would dictate what kind of
services you would best be contracting for.

Also were are oyu located? As per Doug's comment....if you;re in
SoCal Or NorCal I can recommend someone.

cheers
Bob

SE Wisconsin. Water leak problems primarily.

Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

Insufficient detail to offer an answer. What type of structure, what
problems do you suspect, what will be done with the report, that sort of
thing. 'Home inspectors' like used in residential sale deals generally
are not experts, but have some basic knowledge of most household systems
and construction techniques. Mine spent 3 pages on which part of roof
was failing, with pictures, when all that was really needed was a note
that 'roof needs a tearoff and replace'. But he totally missed some
electrical system problems.

If you suspect foundation or framing failures, hire a structural
engineer. If you question the design specs, hire an engineer or an
architect. If you don't own the place yet, but don't have a warm fuzzy
about it, keep looking. Still a buyers market. If you know nothing about
construction (no shame in that, not everyone grew up in the business
like I did, or spent a career in it like many of the regulars on here),
a GOOD home inspector may be a good place to start. He will know and be
honest about the stuff he ISN'T an expert on, and tell you where you
need to seek additional expertise.

--
aem sends...

"Yadda" wrote in message
...
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as such
as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

There's this book. It's called the Yellow Pages. You probably have one
near you.

A good inspector will know what's wrong, and that's what you want to know.
A structural engineer will know how wrong it is, and will cost you about 5x
more.

Steve

--
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of
patriots and tyrants. - Thomas Jefferson -

So, how's that change and hope working for you?

On Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:18:33 -0500, Yadda wrote:

Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

I am sure you can find an engineer to contract from the Yellow Pages.
If I were inspecting a house to buy, and it had possible structural
issues, I'd walk away form the house and keep looking. Same thing if
I saw water damage.

In article , Yadda wrote:

SE Wisconsin. Water leak problems primarily.

Sounds like you need a Home Inspector. They're pretty good at
this kind of stuff and they'll tell you if something specific
needs further inspection by a specialist.

If you had been concerned about a specific structural issue,
then a structural engineer would have made more sense.

FYI, around here, the termite inspectors are also very
good at checking for damage resulting from water/leaks;
dry rot, wet rot, mold etc.

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Sep 29, 5:08*pm, (Malcolm Hoar) wrote:
In article , Yadda wrote:
SE Wisconsin. *Water leak problems primarily.

Sounds like you need a Home Inspector. They're pretty good at
this kind of stuff and they'll tell you if something specific
needs further inspection by a specialist.

Actually, telling you something needs further inspection like a water
leak problem is pretty much all many home isnpectors do. They take a
look at the water leak and unless it's obvious that it's from
something readily identifiable like a missing downspout, they just
write "water leaking into basement where foundation wall meets
basement floor on north side. Should be further evaluated to detemine
cause.

The OP didn't give us much to go on here either. If we knew more,
there are many simple things that he could probably check himself.



If you had been concerned about a specific structural issue,
then a structural engineer would have made more sense.

FYI, around here, the termite inspectors are also very
good at checking for damage resulting from water/leaks;
dry rot, wet rot, mold etc.

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar * * * * * "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Gary Player. |
|http://www.malch.com/* * * * * * * Shpx gur PQN. * * * * * * * *|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In article , wrote:

Actually, telling you something needs further inspection like a water
leak problem is pretty much all many home isnpectors do. They take a
look at the water leak and unless it's obvious that it's from
something readily identifiable like a missing downspout, they just
write "water leaking into basement where foundation wall meets
basement floor on north side. Should be further evaluated to detemine
cause.

You're right, that does happen. Of course, it's a big game of CYA,
especially in the written report.

But if I'm going to hire an inspector, I will always make a point
of talking to him as well, off the record, if necessary ;-)

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

on 9/28/09 8:52 PM aemeijers said the following:
Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

Insufficient detail to offer an answer. What type of structure, what
problems do you suspect, what will be done with the report, that sort of
thing. 'Home inspectors' like used in residential sale deals generally
are not experts, but have some basic knowledge of most household systems
and construction techniques. Mine spent 3 pages on which part of roof
was failing, with pictures, when all that was really needed was a note
that 'roof needs a tearoff and replace'. But he totally missed some
electrical system problems.

If you suspect foundation or framing failures, hire a structural
engineer. If you question the design specs, hire an engineer or an
architect. If you don't own the place yet, but don't have a warm fuzzy
about it, keep looking. Still a buyers market. If you know nothing about
construction (no shame in that, not everyone grew up in the business
like I did, or spent a career in it like many of the regulars on here),
a GOOD home inspector may be a good place to start. He will know and be
honest about the stuff he ISN'T an expert on, and tell you where you
need to seek additional expertise.

--
aem sends...

I suspect a framing issue. There are cracks in the drywall, peeling
paint and some mold starting. So water/moisture in invading probably do
to framing issue.

on 9/29/09 2:11 PM Phisherman said the following:
On Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:18:33 -0500, wrote:

Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

I am sure you can find an engineer to contract from the Yellow Pages.
If I were inspecting a house to buy, and it had possible structural
issues, I'd walk away form the house and keep looking. Same thing if
I saw water damage.

It is an empty house but might be good buy. I am willing to pay
$700-$1000 to get reliable verdict and estimated repair cost if I still
net out in total cost.

Yadda wrote:
on 9/28/09 8:52 PM aemeijers said the following:
Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

Insufficient detail to offer an answer. What type of structure, what
problems do you suspect, what will be done with the report, that sort of
thing. 'Home inspectors' like used in residential sale deals generally
are not experts, but have some basic knowledge of most household systems
and construction techniques. Mine spent 3 pages on which part of roof
was failing, with pictures, when all that was really needed was a note
that 'roof needs a tearoff and replace'. But he totally missed some
electrical system problems.

If you suspect foundation or framing failures, hire a structural
engineer. If you question the design specs, hire an engineer or an
architect. If you don't own the place yet, but don't have a warm fuzzy
about it, keep looking. Still a buyers market. If you know nothing about
construction (no shame in that, not everyone grew up in the business
like I did, or spent a career in it like many of the regulars on here),
a GOOD home inspector may be a good place to start. He will know and be
honest about the stuff he ISN'T an expert on, and tell you where you
need to seek additional expertise.

--
aem sends...

I suspect a framing issue. There are cracks in the drywall, peeling
paint and some mold starting. So water/moisture in invading probably do
to framing issue.

Cracks in drywall plus peeling paint and mold, I'd first look at roof
and foundation, and then at siding and windows. Do windows and doors
stick (from more than swelling), indicative of house being out of
square? Are floors level? Framing is usually rather obvious- the place
is crooked. Localized leaks up high is usually roof or a window. Whole
house stinks of mold, could be roof or foundation. I'd start cheap, with
one of the $300 guys. It should be obvious in the first ten minutes
where the problem is.

--
aem sends...

On Oct 1, 12:10*am, aemeijers wrote:
Yadda wrote:
on 9/28/09 8:52 PM aemeijers said the following:
Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

Insufficient detail to offer an answer. What type of structure, what
problems do you suspect, what will be done with the report, that sort of
thing. 'Home inspectors' like used in residential sale deals generally
are not experts, but have some basic knowledge of most household systems
and construction techniques. Mine spent 3 pages on which part of roof
was failing, with pictures, when all that was really needed was a note
that 'roof needs a tearoff and replace'. But he totally missed some
electrical system problems.

If you suspect foundation or framing failures, hire a structural
engineer. If you question the design specs, hire an engineer or an
architect. If you don't own the place yet, but don't have a warm fuzzy
about it, keep looking. Still a buyers market. If you know nothing about
construction (no shame in that, not everyone grew up in the business
like I did, or spent a career in it like many of the regulars on here),
a GOOD home inspector may be a good place to start. He will know and be
honest about the stuff he ISN'T an expert on, and tell you where you
need to seek additional expertise.

--
aem sends...

I suspect a framing issue. *There are cracks in the drywall, peeling
paint and some mold starting. *So water/moisture in invading probably do
to framing issue.

Cracks in drywall plus peeling paint and mold, I'd first look at roof
and foundation, and then at siding and windows. Do windows and doors
stick (from more than swelling), indicative of house being out of
square? Are floors level? Framing is usually rather obvious- the place
is crooked. Localized leaks up high is usually roof or a window. Whole
house stinks of mold, could be roof or foundation. I'd start cheap, with
one of the $300 guys. It should be obvious in the first ten minutes
where the problem is.

--
aem sends...

Agree. A framing issue would only cause leaks due to triggering
something else and would have to be pretty substantial for that to
occur. An example would be if something shifted enough to cause a
gap to open around a window exterior letting in rain, etc. More
common causes of leaks are simple things like missing or incorrect
flashing.

Some small cracking of drywall is normal due to expansion/contraction
cycles over temperature, minor settling, etc. As AEM asked, are the
floors level? Windows/doors square? Those things are normally prime
indicators of a structural problem.

on 10/1/09 8:26 AM said the following:
On Oct 1, 12:10 am, wrote:
Yadda wrote:
on 9/28/09 8:52 PM aemeijers said the following:
Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

Insufficient detail to offer an answer. What type of structure, what
problems do you suspect, what will be done with the report, that sort of
thing. 'Home inspectors' like used in residential sale deals generally
are not experts, but have some basic knowledge of most household systems
and construction techniques. Mine spent 3 pages on which part of roof
was failing, with pictures, when all that was really needed was a note
that 'roof needs a tearoff and replace'. But he totally missed some
electrical system problems.

If you suspect foundation or framing failures, hire a structural
engineer. If you question the design specs, hire an engineer or an
architect. If you don't own the place yet, but don't have a warm fuzzy
about it, keep looking. Still a buyers market. If you know nothing about
construction (no shame in that, not everyone grew up in the business
like I did, or spent a career in it like many of the regulars on here),
a GOOD home inspector may be a good place to start. He will know and be
honest about the stuff he ISN'T an expert on, and tell you where you
need to seek additional expertise.

--
aem sends...

I suspect a framing issue. There are cracks in the drywall, peeling
paint and some mold starting. So water/moisture in invading probably do
to framing issue.

Cracks in drywall plus peeling paint and mold, I'd first look at roof
and foundation, and then at siding and windows. Do windows and doors
stick (from more than swelling), indicative of house being out of
square? Are floors level? Framing is usually rather obvious- the place
is crooked. Localized leaks up high is usually roof or a window. Whole
house stinks of mold, could be roof or foundation. I'd start cheap, with
one of the $300 guys. It should be obvious in the first ten minutes
where the problem is.

--
aem sends...

Agree. A framing issue would only cause leaks due to triggering
something else and would have to be pretty substantial for that to
occur. An example would be if something shifted enough to cause a
gap to open around a window exterior letting in rain, etc. More
common causes of leaks are simple things like missing or incorrect
flashing.

Some small cracking of drywall is normal due to expansion/contraction
cycles over temperature, minor settling, etc. As AEM asked, are the
floors level? Windows/doors square? Those things are normally prime
indicators of a structural problem.

Floors are fine. The problem area has roof over it, single floor.

Yadda wrote:
on 10/1/09 8:26 AM said the following:
On Oct 1, 12:10 am, wrote:
Yadda wrote:
on 9/28/09 8:52 PM aemeijers said the following:
Yadda wrote:
Howdy, how would I go about hiring someone to inspect possible
design/structural problems? I don't want to hire a home inspector as
such as I have heard it is better to hire a construction
engineer(?)...Advice??? TIA, Dan

Insufficient detail to offer an answer. What type of structure, what
problems do you suspect, what will be done with the report, that
sort of
thing. 'Home inspectors' like used in residential sale deals generally
are not experts, but have some basic knowledge of most household
systems
and construction techniques. Mine spent 3 pages on which part of roof
was failing, with pictures, when all that was really needed was a note
that 'roof needs a tearoff and replace'. But he totally missed some
electrical system problems.

If you suspect foundation or framing failures, hire a structural
engineer. If you question the design specs, hire an engineer or an
architect. If you don't own the place yet, but don't have a warm fuzzy
about it, keep looking. Still a buyers market. If you know nothing
about
construction (no shame in that, not everyone grew up in the business
like I did, or spent a career in it like many of the regulars on
here),
a GOOD home inspector may be a good place to start. He will know
and be
honest about the stuff he ISN'T an expert on, and tell you where you
need to seek additional expertise.

--
aem sends...

I suspect a framing issue. There are cracks in the drywall, peeling
paint and some mold starting. So water/moisture in invading
probably do
to framing issue.

Cracks in drywall plus peeling paint and mold, I'd first look at roof
and foundation, and then at siding and windows. Do windows and doors
stick (from more than swelling), indicative of house being out of
square? Are floors level? Framing is usually rather obvious- the place
is crooked. Localized leaks up high is usually roof or a window. Whole
house stinks of mold, could be roof or foundation. I'd start cheap, with
one of the $300 guys. It should be obvious in the first ten minutes
where the problem is.

--
aem sends...

Agree. A framing issue would only cause leaks due to triggering
something else and would have to be pretty substantial for that to
occur. An example would be if something shifted enough to cause a
gap to open around a window exterior letting in rain, etc. More
common causes of leaks are simple things like missing or incorrect
flashing.

Some small cracking of drywall is normal due to expansion/contraction
cycles over temperature, minor settling, etc. As AEM asked, are the
floors level? Windows/doors square? Those things are normally prime
indicators of a structural problem.

Floors are fine. The problem area has roof over it, single floor.

Probably a roof leak and/or a window leak, then. Time to go in attic
with an icepick and a strong flashlight, to look for water trails and
mushy wood. If everything looks good up there, start poking around the
window. (May have to pull the inside casing for access.) Improperly
flashed or installed window is very common, and cheap siding contractors
sometimes screw up the cap flashing over the window, such that water is
directed down into the wall. Also look at the gutter board and soffit
above the problem area, especially if it is wrapped with metal or vinyl.
I have a spot on this house where it actually trailed water back into
the wall, and rotted out a window,

--
aem sends...