Please advise!:surprise:We are building a house as a post frame building. We hired someone to both do site preparation and to build the structure and then we are planning on finishing it ourselves. Anyways, one of the posts settled significantly (like 4 inches). It has not settled any further in the last 6 weeks, in which we have been trying to get engineer advice for how to make sure the building is secure. We found out that the person who is building the building did not run a compactor over the dirt, and 15% of the building is on a few feet of fill dirt. We got a soil compaction test, and moisture values are all perfect, but compaction percentages range from only 90-93 % on the side in which one of the posts settled significantly. Does anyone have any solutions for fixing the problem? The building is currently completely open with no siding or roofing, but has trusses and posts and purlins etc. I am wondering if there can be a compactor brought out there now, and then a concrete slab poured, and then the questionable posts affixed to the concrete. PLEASE let me know if anyone has any thoughts; it is urgent!
Whom should we believe? Settling issues!
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You need to hire an on site, local soils engineer to come out to your location, prepare a report on the cause and origin of the problem, present alternatives, and recommend a solution. The recommended solution needs to be incorporated into the design documents. Anticipate the potential for a change order to be issued to the contractor.
Due to the potential liability, you should consider hiring a registered professional engineer, assuming you live somewhere engineers are registered. There is simply NO WAY anyone on an internet chat forum can give you useful, actionable advice on a potentially complex problem at an unknown location, with unknown soil conditions, with no idea about the design of the building. Depending on the results of the study, you may need to hire an attorney to assist you with any claims you may wish to make against the designer of record, and/or the contractor.
Due to the potential liability, you should consider hiring a registered professional engineer, assuming you live somewhere engineers are registered. There is simply NO WAY anyone on an internet chat forum can give you useful, actionable advice on a potentially complex problem at an unknown location, with unknown soil conditions, with no idea about the design of the building. Depending on the results of the study, you may need to hire an attorney to assist you with any claims you may wish to make against the designer of record, and/or the contractor.
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Daniel gave you good advice.
It sounds to me like you are jumping ahead and attempting to blame the contractor.
It's ONLY 90-93 percent and he didn't use a compactor.
What compaction percentage are you expecting as a minimum result ? By what method was it obtained ? The difference between a Standard Proctor and a Modified Proctor can yield up to a 5% difference in compaction ratios with some soils.
What is a compactor to you or the person that made the no compactor statement ? Would either of you consider a recognize a sheepsfoot roller to be a compactor?
I think you need to take a deep breath and slow down. Try assuming that your contractor and others involved are innocent and this maybe an unfortunate but unforeseen occurrence. If you are working together to solve the issue, it goes a lot better than if you are at war with each other.
Let the soils engineer (and possibly others) tell you what the exact problem was and who (if anyone) is responsible for the problem.
Then your attorney can advise you whether you have recourse under your contract or not.
It sounds to me like you are jumping ahead and attempting to blame the contractor.
It's ONLY 90-93 percent and he didn't use a compactor.
What compaction percentage are you expecting as a minimum result ? By what method was it obtained ? The difference between a Standard Proctor and a Modified Proctor can yield up to a 5% difference in compaction ratios with some soils.
What is a compactor to you or the person that made the no compactor statement ? Would either of you consider a recognize a sheepsfoot roller to be a compactor?
I think you need to take a deep breath and slow down. Try assuming that your contractor and others involved are innocent and this maybe an unfortunate but unforeseen occurrence. If you are working together to solve the issue, it goes a lot better than if you are at war with each other.
Let the soils engineer (and possibly others) tell you what the exact problem was and who (if anyone) is responsible for the problem.
Then your attorney can advise you whether you have recourse under your contract or not.
I am fine on working WITH the contractor and engineer and building inspector.....and I don't really care who was at fault as long as the issue(s) are properly remediated....but I can say with absolute certainty that I am not buying that is is my fault (homeowner). And by the way, if a section of my foundation dropped four inches, SOMEONE screwed up. Ron
THat was my thought as well, 95% is considered "perfect" here. I think there's more going on than what the soil compaction tests show. Either way, 4" of settling is NOT acceptable............
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