Concrete Pad

[John Evans]

How should this concrete pad poured against the vinyl siding be called out in the report?

[Peter C. Russell]

I Would recommend the last course of siding be removed, install ice and water shield on sheathing, then install roll flashing so it returns out under the vinyl onto the concrete.

[John Evans]

Peter,
I appreciate the input, the concrete is covering the bottom siding course, impossible to remove. The installation was certainly incorrect, would it be beneficial to seal along the seam?

[Chuck Evans]

I usually comment that this installation obscures the foundation preventing visual inspection of the area for foundation distress and wdi activity as insects can migrate unseen through the joint and behind the siding. Lack of expansion joint increases potential for cracking of the patio due to thermal expansion. High patio relative to walls increases potential for wood rot and water penetration. Use gutters to help manage splash back and if the patio doesn't slope away from the house, I would comment on that too. The siding embedded in concrete is just silly.

On the plus side, it appears that there is a good step down from the doors, so I suspect that the interior floor is substantially higher than the patio. Sometimes its the reverse and you're left wondering what they were thinking when they came up with the idea of installing an exposed patio at or above internal floor level.

Is this a slab foundation?

[John Evans]

Basement, found one small area of water intrusion along the rim joist that abuts the patio. You do have to wonder what the he-- they were thinking.

[David P. Valley]

I would definitely make my clients aware of the worst case scenarios with this type of patio pour.

Chuck makes some very good comments.

[Marcel Gratton]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words; me say this is way too close...

[Nick Gromicko]

What Marcel said, only in color:
http://www.nachi.org/gallery/indoor_...from-grade.jpg

[John Evans]

Nick,
Is there a way to save the illustration library?

[Peter C. Russell]

Because it's not practical to rip out the concrete I would do as I suggested above. If the siding is behind the concrete then I would cut the siding off, seal the joint between the slab and the wall, flash it with a small return onto the slab, apply ice and water shield to the wall and flashing, install J channel and new siding, seal the J channel to the slab.

This is the most economical way of doing it but will obviouslly has to be monitored over time.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by jevans

Nick,
Is there a way to save the illustration library?

These images can be saved just like any other image. Right click the image, "Save As" and place it wherever you'd like.

[Nick Gromicko]

Underneath each pic in the text is a link to download in hi-res if you like.

www.nachi.org/gallery/

Thousands more coming!

[Jeffery L. Haynes]

A close friend of mine has the same situation.........except I advised her to contact the inspection department along with the licensing board (builder is a crook...and incompetent).......needless to say both came out and said it was fine. Considering the crap that is going on with the NCGC board, I am not surprised that they didn't do anything.......yet alone say that it was acceptable.

Most of the problems we face are because builders do not know what they are doing and GovCo is not doing a thing about it other than collecting GC fees and writing BS policy for HI's...................your typical moronic politician........just make new laws.....that will solve everything.

[John Evans]

The local government building inspections are very questionable at times. It is frustrating to report very obvious defects resulting from incompetent contractors, only to have the local inspector state "no problem". The client may begin to doubt our opinions, thinking the gov. inspector is more knowledgeable than a home inspector.