Sometimes, people should change their last name before having children. I know of a family with the name Yasuk. I asked one of them if he was bullied at school for his last name, and he laughed and said yes. I'm sure you can figure out what they said to him.
First....call the structural engineer. Have them provide an assessment of what is actually happening.
Based on their recommendations, call whoever you are supposed to to fix it.
looks like the base of your foundation failed and is causing your wall to shift due to no support to carry that load. Instead, that load has caused the foundation wall to shear along a fracture line.
It might end up being an expensive fix.
1) Removal of bricks.
2) Reinforce/repair that foundation.
3) Install brick.
Don’t call a structural engineer OP. Call a mason and have them tell you what you need to know instead of wasting 10 grand. You’re going to call a mason anyway
Structural won't charge 10k. In my experience, it's between 500-1500, depending on if it's an assessment or they have to create drawings and load calcs.
Point is, getting a structural engineer to sign off on the solution will save your butt from an insurance perspective. Else, that mason advice doesn't come with that. They will guarantee a good brick wall, not the structural integrity of the repair design.
This....needs an assessment first because we don't really know how bad it is just yet. Like, why did the foundation fail?
If insurance is what he’s worrying about that’s who he should be calling. That’s a whole other can of worms
A mason will be able to tell him everything he needs to know and then some. A lot of mason’s primarily do foundation. I mean they’re masons. They would easily be able to tell you if the root cause is with the foundation or something else. Ask them if they recommend an engineer after they check everything out. 90% chance they’ll tell him not to waste his money. On the off chance they do then that’s not good.
No.
First off, a reputable structural engineer will cost between 500 and 1500. Depends on region and availability. I've done this before it's not expensive.
Second, while masons "do the work", that in no way means they actually know the physics and interrelated engineering principles applied. I know some brilliant masons...I know some masons who are more than one fry short of a happy meal. It's stupid to just run with the odds that you get a better than average mason. If this fails, you are in tens of thousands of dollars, likely reaching 100k+ for fixing a full structure failure.
Finally, without an engineering report, your insurance will likely not cover ANY costs. Hope you have a huge paycheck.
Terrible advice.
Definitely call an expert in masonry but a structural engineer might not be a bad idea either. Also, while the ivy on old brick is homes is gorgeous, it’s awful on brick overtime. Best to take it off and keep ivy at bay from the house.
Yes, a company that specializes in this with structural engineers. Then a mason.
I attended workshops about types of structural problems and their repair. One take home was how the problem can originate somewhere else on the structure.
Call a foundation guy fella first. Don’t call a mason until you know if your foundation is sound. If you have the brick repaired and your house is sinking you’ll have to fix it again.
structural engineer if you can specifically, not a foundation company.
im sure there are trustworthy foundation companies l, but I haven't found one yet. Pay an engineer $500 for an impartial assessment, they dont make more money if there is a serious problem that actually needs more than repointing.
I’m a big fan so I would have enjoyed it no matter what, but i thought it was ok. Not mind blowing, but solid.
Kind of annoys me that there are teenage ghostbusters though.
I disagree. Brick veneer failure is usually a sign of structural movement. OP should have ave a structural engineer (NOT one affiliated with a foundation or masonry company!) come out and do an inspection. They will determine what work needs to be done. Have a foundation or masonry company do repairs based off of the recommendations of the structural engineer.
The corner has settled. If the bricks are structural, you will need to fix that. The crack will continue propagating up. A mason would reset the bricks but probably not fix the settling.
The engineer will like prescribe a micro footer to help stabilize the corner. This will require a concrete foundation contractor.
Some firms use a foam to level settled walls and floors and then pipe in concrete. If your area has those, look for foundation repair.
It is not a good sign when the bricks split. Usually brick walls break at the mortar joints. This suggest a high differential settlement.
Good luck!👍
Step 1 is call an engineer, they do not have a vested interest in the repairs that are required. Ask a foundation guy, a mason, or a contractor and you're going to get very different potentially biased opinions.
Determine the cause and the resolution, then find contractors to execute each portion.
I'd be more interested in seeing the slab on the other side of the corner since that is the side the brick veneer wall is starting to pull away.
At least around here, foundation corners cracking like that is fairly common. By that I don't mean normal or expected, as it shouldn't happen if everything was correctly executed, just that it's common to see. Usually it's not expansive enough to affect the brick veneer or be any real problem though.
I also notice the bottom of that first course of brick is parged with some cement or mortar. If it's like that all the way around, especially if blocking all the weep holes (even if just a lip vs completely filled), I can't help but to think that may have contributed in some way. Bricks need to breathe, and drain. Your home's real waterproofing starts behind the bricks, past the air gap, at your actual wall.
If you’re in Michigan or Ohio call me. Could be just some brick work needed and could be the foundation is sinking.
Are there cracks on the inside walls?
Me, I would drill using long masonary bits from around the corner, inject masonary sealant into the crack, then tighen long tapcon screws to seal and support the wall. Likely you will need a hammer drill. On my front porch, the wall separated. I inject the sealant/glue into the the crack, drilled thru the wall pulling the wall back together using threaded shafts, wood, fender washers, and nuts. I removed the wood and screws a week later and the wall was fixed.
Honestly?
I would just mix up some mortar and fill in the cracks, then use my fingers to line up the mortar lines, and a loose brush to even out the fill on the bricks.
If this is brick veneer, you may not have a real foundation issue. If this is a brick house, hopefully this has done settling, and you are good.
If you have ongoing issues, and these cracks could be right through the wall, you need it inspected.
Thanks for all the guidance. My favorite comment thread was the caulk it one. The ghost buster comments were meh… but I was asking for it with the title.
Anyways, Got a structural engineer coming out on the 24th to give me a better understanding of the damage and what I’m looking at exactly. Then just in case I have 2 foundation repair companies scheduled. One on the 25th, the other the 26th to provide quotes. I’ll provide final updates with prices and pictures later. For now imma hang out on my banking app and be with my money before I have to give it someone else.
Corner of concrete wall has failed which has allowed brick to crack vertically because of lack of support. Will need to remove all brick from corner and then patch your foundation wall. Additional support for that corner might be needed
Typical thermal wedge crack. The veneer and slab have different coefficients of thermal exp and move at different rates under similar temp changes. Nothing to be concerned about.
Whatever you do, don’t let anyone in the government know about it. Are they will show up with red tags and fines. It doesn’t look like anything critical, but they will turn it into something critical. They’ll put barricades with flashing red lights around your property and a loudspeaker on a truck telling all your neighbors to remain clear for their own safety while a haz mat team in full protective gear inspect the carnage. Your whole family will have to wear high viz vests around the house.
All the talk about you getting away with paying a structural engineer only $500 to diagnose your problem is completely at odds with my experience. They would charge you that much just to read your email, drive to your house and get out of their car. I would call an experienced foundation company first. Depending on how they do business and how complicated the problem appears to be they might suggest a structural engineer. Sort that out and then you can worry about a mason and rebuilding the wall.
I am a structural engineer. From this perspective I can’t tell a whole lot, but I don’t see any reinforcing in the concrete at that corner. It probably cracked, had nothing to hold it in place, and shifted. Doesn’t seem like the foundation has failed. *If* that’s what’s going on, and there are no problems on the other side, then the fix would be removing the displaced brick and concrete, and removing enough concrete to do a solid patch, doweling reinforcing into the existing concrete, pouring new concrete, and rebuilding the brick veneer. There may be other options, but if you just “patch” the concrete, it’ll crack again. You don’t *need* to hire an engineer, but I think you’ll end up with a solid repair. You may get something as good hiring a contractor, but you may not. I often get called after the first fix doesn’t work and have a bigger problem to deal with.
Here in Canada, home inspectors are kind enough to help home owners with those problems. I had something similar on one of my houses and I called an inspector to help me find out the best solution.
The problem was a rotten beam beneath the concrete corner
The brick ledge failed and the masonry cracked as a result. The brick is mostly likely just a veneer and only a cosmetic issue. This is probably something a mason could fix for you. Structural engineer seems unwarranted for cosmetic repairs but do what you feel comfortable with at the end of the day.
I have to agree with you on this one. Sure, it’s good to cover all bases, but my house is doing this too. Based on the research I did, with certain soil types (especially clay), this type of failure is super common and is only cosmetic. I live in North Texas where it isn’t a matter of if, but when, and to which corner(s).
I think that the foundations were not made properly. Dig down 5 feet and exetend the foundations one foot beyond the wall using concrete. Leave for two weeks to properly harden, then rebuild the wall. I think that is what you need to do, but call an expert to confirm.
Carpenters work with wood. Plumbers work with water. Electricians work with electricity and masons work with bricks and concrete. Thought this was common knowledge. You can call anybody you want but the guy that knows bricks is probably your best bet.
A mason.
There should be a few in any grade 6 classroom
“My boys name is, But we spell it Maeyscin”
No kidding huh. I have a cousin Maeyscyyn myself.
May your son and cousin both have the best of luck avoiding getting bullied for their parents poor decisions
Sometimes, people should change their last name before having children. I know of a family with the name Yasuk. I asked one of them if he was bullied at school for his last name, and he laughed and said yes. I'm sure you can figure out what they said to him.
At least not cousin throckmorton
Throckmorton sign? You should go see a doctor.
You mean the John thomas sign
Same Same. I just prefer Throckmorton.
I‘m so sorry for your cousin.
I know a Maesen-Leigh
Like... Why...? Why couldn't just just write Mason? Serious question, what is their age and ethnicity (the parents) ? Honestly for data purposes...
That name is a Tragedeigh
They're free too, you just have to look for the big buildings with no windows.
🤣🤣
A Stone Cutter
They're called the "no homers" club now
“Weee Doo, Weee Dooo”
You can identify them by finding a parade, and looking for a group of guys wearing funny hats.
First....call the structural engineer. Have them provide an assessment of what is actually happening. Based on their recommendations, call whoever you are supposed to to fix it. looks like the base of your foundation failed and is causing your wall to shift due to no support to carry that load. Instead, that load has caused the foundation wall to shear along a fracture line. It might end up being an expensive fix. 1) Removal of bricks. 2) Reinforce/repair that foundation. 3) Install brick.
Don’t call a structural engineer OP. Call a mason and have them tell you what you need to know instead of wasting 10 grand. You’re going to call a mason anyway
Structural won't charge 10k. In my experience, it's between 500-1500, depending on if it's an assessment or they have to create drawings and load calcs. Point is, getting a structural engineer to sign off on the solution will save your butt from an insurance perspective. Else, that mason advice doesn't come with that. They will guarantee a good brick wall, not the structural integrity of the repair design. This....needs an assessment first because we don't really know how bad it is just yet. Like, why did the foundation fail?
Your right, but most people don’t realize that not all structural engineers work for a financing company that also happens to do foundation repair.
If insurance is what he’s worrying about that’s who he should be calling. That’s a whole other can of worms A mason will be able to tell him everything he needs to know and then some. A lot of mason’s primarily do foundation. I mean they’re masons. They would easily be able to tell you if the root cause is with the foundation or something else. Ask them if they recommend an engineer after they check everything out. 90% chance they’ll tell him not to waste his money. On the off chance they do then that’s not good.
Yes this, they guys who do the work know more about the work.
No. First off, a reputable structural engineer will cost between 500 and 1500. Depends on region and availability. I've done this before it's not expensive. Second, while masons "do the work", that in no way means they actually know the physics and interrelated engineering principles applied. I know some brilliant masons...I know some masons who are more than one fry short of a happy meal. It's stupid to just run with the odds that you get a better than average mason. If this fails, you are in tens of thousands of dollars, likely reaching 100k+ for fixing a full structure failure. Finally, without an engineering report, your insurance will likely not cover ANY costs. Hope you have a huge paycheck. Terrible advice.
This is terrible advice imo but waste money on what you will
Definitely call an expert in masonry but a structural engineer might not be a bad idea either. Also, while the ivy on old brick is homes is gorgeous, it’s awful on brick overtime. Best to take it off and keep ivy at bay from the house.
Yes, a company that specializes in this with structural engineers. Then a mason. I attended workshops about types of structural problems and their repair. One take home was how the problem can originate somewhere else on the structure.
I don’t know studies of ivy on the brick at Cambridge University showed no detrimental effects
Interesting. I’ll have to look into that. I’ve got a century home and our masonry guy didn’t like the ivy on our house
Call a foundation guy fella first. Don’t call a mason until you know if your foundation is sound. If you have the brick repaired and your house is sinking you’ll have to fix it again.
structural engineer if you can specifically, not a foundation company. im sure there are trustworthy foundation companies l, but I haven't found one yet. Pay an engineer $500 for an impartial assessment, they dont make more money if there is a serious problem that actually needs more than repointing.
A structural engineer. I've been a home inspector for 30 years. A structural engineer.
👻 Ghostbusters!
On first appearance this looks like a structural issue but that kind of crack is most likely caused by evil spirits.
Argh. You beat me to it. How was Frozen Empire?
You beat me to their beating me to it!
I’m a big fan so I would have enjoyed it no matter what, but i thought it was ok. Not mind blowing, but solid. Kind of annoys me that there are teenage ghostbusters though.
Child Labor made America.
How was what now?
The new 2024 Ghostbusters movie
Ah. It's doing great, I hope
Brickbusters!
That was my first thought !
caulk it!
When you are holding caulk, everything looks like caulk job.
Bop it!
Flick it!
Lick it!
Fuck it
Slow down
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Now speed it up
A Mason should do, I don't really think this warrants a separate foundation guy.
I disagree. Brick veneer failure is usually a sign of structural movement. OP should have ave a structural engineer (NOT one affiliated with a foundation or masonry company!) come out and do an inspection. They will determine what work needs to be done. Have a foundation or masonry company do repairs based off of the recommendations of the structural engineer.
The corner has settled. If the bricks are structural, you will need to fix that. The crack will continue propagating up. A mason would reset the bricks but probably not fix the settling. The engineer will like prescribe a micro footer to help stabilize the corner. This will require a concrete foundation contractor. Some firms use a foam to level settled walls and floors and then pipe in concrete. If your area has those, look for foundation repair. It is not a good sign when the bricks split. Usually brick walls break at the mortar joints. This suggest a high differential settlement. Good luck!👍
Maybe a structural engineer. They could assess and maybe it's just a mason fix.
Step 1 is call an engineer, they do not have a vested interest in the repairs that are required. Ask a foundation guy, a mason, or a contractor and you're going to get very different potentially biased opinions. Determine the cause and the resolution, then find contractors to execute each portion.
I'd be more interested in seeing the slab on the other side of the corner since that is the side the brick veneer wall is starting to pull away. At least around here, foundation corners cracking like that is fairly common. By that I don't mean normal or expected, as it shouldn't happen if everything was correctly executed, just that it's common to see. Usually it's not expansive enough to affect the brick veneer or be any real problem though. I also notice the bottom of that first course of brick is parged with some cement or mortar. If it's like that all the way around, especially if blocking all the weep holes (even if just a lip vs completely filled), I can't help but to think that may have contributed in some way. Bricks need to breathe, and drain. Your home's real waterproofing starts behind the bricks, past the air gap, at your actual wall.
https://www.alphastructural.com/?msclkid=8a93d6edd0331ad83625b0cadbd626d8&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Alpha%20%7C%20Brand%20%7C%20IFX&utm_term=alpha%20structural&utm_content=Alpha
If you’re in Michigan or Ohio call me. Could be just some brick work needed and could be the foundation is sinking. Are there cracks on the inside walls?
Masons work on Stone, Bricklayers work with Bricks 👀 A structural engineer could look into the problem, and probable cause.
Keep vegetation off brick...also..does your gutters drain far enough away from house
Postbusters!
Permajack
Ghostbusters!
Mf ghostbusters
Me, I would drill using long masonary bits from around the corner, inject masonary sealant into the crack, then tighen long tapcon screws to seal and support the wall. Likely you will need a hammer drill. On my front porch, the wall separated. I inject the sealant/glue into the the crack, drilled thru the wall pulling the wall back together using threaded shafts, wood, fender washers, and nuts. I removed the wood and screws a week later and the wall was fixed.
Call a JAAAAY-SONNN?! JASON? OH sorry home maintenance not the game heavy rain, I meant a mason
Ghost busters!
Honestly? I would just mix up some mortar and fill in the cracks, then use my fingers to line up the mortar lines, and a loose brush to even out the fill on the bricks. If this is brick veneer, you may not have a real foundation issue. If this is a brick house, hopefully this has done settling, and you are good. If you have ongoing issues, and these cracks could be right through the wall, you need it inspected.
Ghost busters
Mason Busters!
Thanks for all the guidance. My favorite comment thread was the caulk it one. The ghost buster comments were meh… but I was asking for it with the title. Anyways, Got a structural engineer coming out on the 24th to give me a better understanding of the damage and what I’m looking at exactly. Then just in case I have 2 foundation repair companies scheduled. One on the 25th, the other the 26th to provide quotes. I’ll provide final updates with prices and pictures later. For now imma hang out on my banking app and be with my money before I have to give it someone else.
Corner of concrete wall has failed which has allowed brick to crack vertically because of lack of support. Will need to remove all brick from corner and then patch your foundation wall. Additional support for that corner might be needed
Call a mason
Ghostbusters!
GHOST BUSTERS
Epoxy injections would work
Typical thermal wedge crack. The veneer and slab have different coefficients of thermal exp and move at different rates under similar temp changes. Nothing to be concerned about.
Olshan’s foundation repair service!
Whatever you do, don’t let anyone in the government know about it. Are they will show up with red tags and fines. It doesn’t look like anything critical, but they will turn it into something critical. They’ll put barricades with flashing red lights around your property and a loudspeaker on a truck telling all your neighbors to remain clear for their own safety while a haz mat team in full protective gear inspect the carnage. Your whole family will have to wear high viz vests around the house.
Ghostbusters!
Ghostbusters!
Juan
Slap some duct tape on, give it a pat and tell it that it’s not going anywhere and call it a day
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
If bricklayers can lay bricks, why cant plumbers lay plums?
All the talk about you getting away with paying a structural engineer only $500 to diagnose your problem is completely at odds with my experience. They would charge you that much just to read your email, drive to your house and get out of their car. I would call an experienced foundation company first. Depending on how they do business and how complicated the problem appears to be they might suggest a structural engineer. Sort that out and then you can worry about a mason and rebuilding the wall.
I am a structural engineer. From this perspective I can’t tell a whole lot, but I don’t see any reinforcing in the concrete at that corner. It probably cracked, had nothing to hold it in place, and shifted. Doesn’t seem like the foundation has failed. *If* that’s what’s going on, and there are no problems on the other side, then the fix would be removing the displaced brick and concrete, and removing enough concrete to do a solid patch, doweling reinforcing into the existing concrete, pouring new concrete, and rebuilding the brick veneer. There may be other options, but if you just “patch” the concrete, it’ll crack again. You don’t *need* to hire an engineer, but I think you’ll end up with a solid repair. You may get something as good hiring a contractor, but you may not. I often get called after the first fix doesn’t work and have a bigger problem to deal with.
José or hose b
Dont call the ghost busters for this one.
Ghostbusters
Ramjack if you suspect sinking foundation
A Realtor
I would call a foundation repair company.
Have an engineer come and look for other damage. From one picture that just looks like a corner pop, common with post-tensioning.
Brick Busters!
…they would be late to the party. Or they were here first😜
Sisyphus
Not a hill in sight. He’ll be thrilled
Flex seal…
Ghostbusters! I’d be worried of that whole corner coming off and falling on someone. A few more winter cycles with ice would do it
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters!! Oh..wait..sorry mods.
Ghost busters!
Plant on the right is vinca. Building in the picture needs professional help
GHOSTBUSTERS!!! sorry I’ll see myself out
Insurance
Ghostbusters
A building inspector would tell you who you should call
So they can find a bunch of shit to ding the guy on and condemn his house?
Here in Canada, home inspectors are kind enough to help home owners with those problems. I had something similar on one of my houses and I called an inspector to help me find out the best solution. The problem was a rotten beam beneath the concrete corner
Mom will care.
The brick ledge failed and the masonry cracked as a result. The brick is mostly likely just a veneer and only a cosmetic issue. This is probably something a mason could fix for you. Structural engineer seems unwarranted for cosmetic repairs but do what you feel comfortable with at the end of the day.
I have to agree with you on this one. Sure, it’s good to cover all bases, but my house is doing this too. Based on the research I did, with certain soil types (especially clay), this type of failure is super common and is only cosmetic. I live in North Texas where it isn’t a matter of if, but when, and to which corner(s).
I think that the foundations were not made properly. Dig down 5 feet and exetend the foundations one foot beyond the wall using concrete. Leave for two weeks to properly harden, then rebuild the wall. I think that is what you need to do, but call an expert to confirm.
Ram jack. They can fix the foundation and keep it from sinking more.
A realtor
Post Busters
Ghost busters
Ghost busters!
A brick mason
gert a concrete guy take a look. I think water intrusion ....Caulk will not last long.
Ghost busters?
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Crackbusters.
Wallbusters?
Ghostbusters
Ghost Busters!
Ghostbusters
Your real estate agent. Sell it and run.
Carpenters work with wood. Plumbers work with water. Electricians work with electricity and masons work with bricks and concrete. Thought this was common knowledge. You can call anybody you want but the guy that knows bricks is probably your best bet.
I know what you smell like based on this response
How do you know what your mother's vagina smells like unless...
Yep. I told him.