Crawl Space Photo

[Doug Wegener]

What does that look like to you?

 

[Fernando]

Not good.

 

[sputnam]

Looks just like a hole. Since there are what appear to be wires or cables passing throught the hole, I would assume that the hole was installed on purpose by an unskilled person. I would want to know what was at the ends of those wires.

 

[KHS445]

I would have more concerns with the beams that are multiple lengths and do not appear to be adequately connected, that one post near the hole in the wall that is not fully supported by the concrete base, the post in the back right that is not vertical, that none of the beams are secured to the support posts, it appears the ledger board is not properly secured to the foundation, the support posts are not secured to the concrete supports, the wood spacers are not secured to the concrete posts, the wood posts or the beam, and the wood spacers are laying flat which could split along the grain lines if under sufficient pressure, dampness and/or insects.

Based on the steps and what appears to be a foundation wall it would be my guess that this was a later addition added by a homeowner and a couple of buddies and was never inspected. The hole in the wall does not appear to impact the structural integrity as there is no apparent cracking around it. It looks like the hole was cut to run electrical to this addition, with my only concern being these wires are just laying on the ground and are not properly secured or protected. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a moisture barrier installed on the ground.

 

[Leland Hill]

Call for a structural engineer to inspect the foundation.

 

[Zoe]

VA don't let appraisers certify to foundation issues like that. You just call it out and make the lender get the certification on the foundation issues from a qualified contractor. They don't have to be an engineer, but they need to be licensed and bonded and provide a copy of their report to the lender and let lender give it to you to include in your appraisal report. There is more than one issue going on there. Glad you saw it.

Your report is made subject to the qualified inspector's report and subject to repairs. Once the repairs are completed, the qualified contractor provides a certification on the foundation repairs being completed to the lender. The lender sends the reports to you.

If that is only issue involved, you don't have to go back for a 1004D. Because all of that falls on the contractor that certifies to the lender the repairs are completed. You can do a 1004D on that issue and reference contractor's report the repairs have been completed based on qualified professional's report attached.

 

[Tom D]

Did you ask them if they get a lot of mice or rats going thru the hole for a better life. You didn't think of asking what that hole was for or why, so you are now guessing, and want us to guess along with you.
Their answer might be an easy fix, or no fix. When they add an addition with a crawl space in our row homes, they make a foundation wall hole to connect any heating, electric or plumbing to it. Sometimes its the only access to that under space.

There's a cross beam on the concrete wall, so no structural issue. And we need a foundation expert to guess the proper use of that small hole, or to throw some concrete in to fill it. How long has that addition been there without falling down, noting some catastrophic opinions here.

I'm glad i don't have some of yous doing appraisals on my own, fix and flips. However, if this is a sale and you are that nervous, you can ask for whatever calms you down. FHA and VA you might need to be sure. If you do ask for it, i would love to know the final results. However, we rarely get the final answers here.

 

[Zoe]

VA employees have told me they have had more issues on foundation issues than any other issue. Most licensed home inspectors would not be able to answer the problems you ask with the picture.

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

My little voice says, "It's SOMETHING, but I don't know what it means, so I'll point it out, condition the appraisal for the expert who knows what it means to inspect and disclose what it is and it's implications. Then we'll know whether I have to require repair."

 

[Zoe]

My little voice says, "It's SOMETHING, but I don't know what it means, so I'll point it out, condition the appraisal for the expert who knows what it means to inspect and disclose what it is and it's implications. Then we'll know whether I have to require repair."

Varmits live in some areas. Some very bad varmits. I was at my brother in law and sister's house yesterday. A ground hog from outside had done so much damage to an exterior barn that the foundation had cracked and fell. He had to hire professionals to cure it. The groundhog had dug underneath the foundation and caused it to crack and sink about 6 inches. That happened on a big barn with concrete foundation.

Now imagine what could fit through that hole in that wall in the picture?