Air Conditionig

There is no sealant between the fibre glass ducting and the vent frame to the dining-room, producing a loss of treated air into the suspended ceiling to the corridor.

Condensation

Condensation beneath the waffle slab is due to a lack of ventilation. It has also produced dampness to the upper floors due to capillary action by rising damp.

CORROSION PROCESS

The process of corrosion is showing rust to the ground floor beams that have been in contact with water, corresponding to the foundations of the house.
The process of corrosion is taking place to the steel reinforcement to the beams and floor slabs, it is affecting the working beams capacity.

DRAINAGE SYSTEM

The state of the enclosing and dividing walls between plots is due to the bad installation of the PVC overflow drainpipes, they were completed blocked by cement.

At 3,00 meters deep this check point was done. I wished to confirm my concern that the drainpipe to the outside of the house used for the collection of rain and garden water had not been protected with clean gravel and geo-textile fabric, it means a proper filter. The pipe could not function since the ground material was blocking the outlet, keeping the water there and filtrating inside the basement through the slab /wall concrete joint.

EROSION PROCESS

The erosion that has taken place through the retaining stone wall garden has exposed the support to the balusters, leaving the foundations uncovered and damaging the pedestrian path due to the settlement.

RISING DAMP

Paint, plaster, skirting boards and walls affected by dampness. The external wall didn´t had any water proofing protection and provision for drainage either. The second photo shows part of the repairing works done.

The dampness to bedroom is rising from other levels. The dampness is verified by damp metre as shown. The storage rooms underneath that bedroom are in contact with the ground which has not been waterproofed.

POOLS

An obstruction as the black/white photo shows and wrong joint of PVC (PolyVinyl Chloride) to parts to swimming-pool drainage causing water leakage into the ground.

Several cracks on a swimming-pool structure caused by ground movements. It had to be demolished and rebuilt because the remaining structure wasn´t useful anymore.

RETAINING WALLS

First photo shows a retaining wall just a few hours before it collapsed consequence of rains and the second one was took after collapsing. Compare both photos and you will notice that the part of the garden between that wall and the house has now lifted.

During inspection it was observed that there was no any water drainage pipe, clean gravel filling and geotextile filter fitted behind the wall in order to drain rain water and prevent the wall working as a dam.

Almost 200 meters in length retaining wall without any drain pipe fitted behind it. The water pressure opened breaking the joint between both reinforced concrete walls, destroying the bottom part of one of them in its way to escape.

SOIL MOVEMENTS

The stamped concrete slab and its concrete curb suffered settlements and lateral movements as consequence of rain water runs underneath.

A serious ground movements on one side of this artificial hill; the building was built to close to the edge of that and without proper foundations. It took several weeks to collapse.

SEWER SYSTEM

An internal inspection with a camera was carried out due to obstructions arising in a new house. Following the information obtained photographically, pipes were replaced. What was supposed to be a 45º connection was made at 90º decreasing 50% the section of the pipe where it entered (see black/white photo). The following photos show what was found and a proper work done after excavation.

SETTLEMENTS

Settlement near a septic tank and filtering well. The constant humidity generated and worsened by other factors, have influenced in the ground conditions, finally affecting the foundations of the nearby walls.

Damages to buildings due to the settlement of the foundations which were build incorrectly on non-compacted sub-base material and without any connection with the main building´s foundations.

WRONG SLOPE

Excessive slope to the ramp for a private garage access. The underside of the owner´s car touches the concrete ramp when entering or leaving the garage. It has a very expensive solution to modify the mentioned slope.

A test to check the water drainage inside the garage was done. The water over pass the first drainage going into the garage, then moves to theleft side, because the ceramic floor’s slopes are incorrect.

WATER FILTRATION & INSTALLATIONS

Water filtration to the garage due to incorrect installation of pipes in general.

Underground water filtration into the wells of lift has been due to an incorrect technical solution to the sealing of the joints between the well and the concrete foundations. Rust can be seen in metallic parts.

Water filtration due to incorrect concrete joint, water proofing membrane and pipe´s drainage of the enclosing walls to this area of the structure.

WRONG ENDINGS

It is not possible to open the left PVC blind unit using the door handle showed in the photo, since there is not enough room to move it around its axis because it touches the wall.

Staircase to bedroom on first floor. The first step leaving the bedroom was done in a dangerous angle (Ph. 1), there is a balustrade´s section without baluster (Ph. 2) and finally another section with its handrail fitted under the floor structure (Ph. 3), then, there isn´t any room for hands.

Iron handrail fitted on exterior stair. There was some “slope problems”, then the original builder´s solution was: cut the ceramic steps edges. A really poor solution.

The planted bed recess requested by the owner to be “circular in form”, has been constructed into the same concrete paving as the photos show.

Both bathtubs have been installed incorrectly, with the tap and shower to one end and the waste pipe to the other.

This check point was opened to verify the shortness of electrical pipe.

Serious humidity problems were found inside the house. By having a few check points opened, it was possible to discover a wrong finish of the external walls, the photo shows ceramic bricks in direct contact with the garden land.

The structural joints weren´t sealed between building units to the same complex. This wrong solution causes ingress of rain water affecting the flats located below.

The filling of structural joints has been made with the same mortar used on the façade, instead of using polyurethane, isolation and a mastic sealant. Obviously the mortar fitted didn´t work properly.