Small Cracks In Basement

[p2mcdon1]

We've got an appraisal coming up for an RD loan and we just found a few small cracks in a basement wall where water was seeping through due to some heavy, heavy rain.

No damage done to anything since the basement is empty and all concrete and there wasn't much water.

Any idea how big of an issue this would be? Should we just count on patching it before the inspection?

 

[Ted Martin]

If they are horizontal it's a big deal, possible meaning the wall is failing.


Possible big deal if they are diagonal from ceiling to floor at the corners and there is a vertical crack at approximately the mid point of the wall. possible meaning the wall is rolling in at the top. Fairly easy to correct if caught early.

 

[p2mcdon1]

Thanks for the reply and the info!

They're 2 separate vertical cracks, very minor at this point. One goes about halfway down, the other is about 2' long. I'm more concerned about the water seeping through being flagged than the structure, really.

 

[Mr Rex]

The water seeping through is an early sign indicative of larger problems that will likely eventually lead to the larger issues mentioned above. Water takes the path of least resistance, which means you do not have proper water proofing or sub surface drainage on the exterior of the foundation walls to relieve the hydrostatic pressure created by the ground water. If the proper drainage is not provided, eventually you end up with the large horizontal cracks when the weight of the water and soil over come the walls capacity to resist this lateral force. Once this happens, the wall is in failure, and it is not a cheap fix by any means.

 

[Ariba]

We've got an appraisal coming up for an RD loan and we just found a few small cracks in a basement wall where water was seeping through due to some heavy, heavy rain.

No damage done to anything since the basement is empty and all concrete and there wasn't much water.

Any idea how big of an issue this would be? Should we just count on patching it before the inspection?

Are you the homeowners or the real estate agent? If you are a real estate agent and do not disclose this issue to buyers you have an ethnics violation.

You should get an opinion of a knowledgeable structural/foundation engineer, not an appraiser. Appraiser have no expertise in this field.

How old is the house? Does it have positive drainage away from the house? You might need to install a French drain around the house. Do you know what water and freezing does to concrete and foundations? It is not pretty.

 

[p2mcdon1]

Actually, I'm buying the house from my future in-laws. I appreciate the warnings to address the issue appropriately before the damage gets any worse. It's definitely something we'll be addressing this coming summer.

However, at this point, I was just wondering how this kind of thing would be judged during an appraisal as part of approval for a Rural Development loan.

Obviously it's hard to give an opinion without seeing the cracks, but, in general, would small cracks like these be a red flag that would have to be addressed before the RD loan would be approved?

 

[Ariba]

The appraiser's certification in this report is subject to the following assumptions and limiting conditions:

The appraiser has noted in this appraisal report any adverse conditions (such as needed repairs, deterioration, the presence of hazardous wastes, toxic substances, etc.) observed during the inspection of the subject property or that he or she became aware of during the research involved in performing the appraisal. Unless otherwise stated in this appraisal report, the appraiser has no knowledge of any hidden or unapparent physical deficiencies or adverse conditions of the property (such as, but not limited to, needed repairs, deterioration, the presence of hazardous wastes, toxic substances, adverse environmental conditions, etc.) that would make the property less valuable, and has assumed that there are no such conditions and makes no guarantees or warranties, express or implied. The appraiser will not be responsible for any such conditions that do exist or for any engineering or testing that might be required to discover whether such conditions exist. Because the appraiser is not an expert in the field of environmental hazards, this appraisal report must not be considered as an environmental assessment of the property.

I performed a complete visual inspection of the interior and exterior areas of the subject property. I reported the condition of the improvements in factual, specific terms. I identified and reported the physical deficiencies that could affect the livability, soundness, or structural integrity of the property.

It will all depend on how professional the appraiser is and the underwriter.