We see so many homes at which the downspouts terminate at the foundation with little damage visible that although we mention it we usually don’t make a real big deal about it. This damage happened over less than 4 months. I’m guessing that there was a deposit of collapsible soil. Subsidence appears to be about 16 inches at the lowest spot.
That concrete pad at the stairs leading to the right (last photo) used to be flush with the nose of the 1st tread.
The job of a home inspector is to document current conditions; not speculate on age or how long the defect took to get that way.
Over 80% of water in basements and foundation movements/cracks are caused by poor terracing, downspouts not extended, clogged gutters, etc. all outside of the foundation. Areas of the U.S. will vary upon many weather related variables.
The point of my post is that inspectors shouldn’t underestimate the damage that downspouts terminating next to foundations can do, not that they should estimate the amount of time it took damage to occur.
Here is my recommendation…
Ha ha ha
Good point!
Also, inspectors should understand when the bulldozer blade recommendation is required.
Who inspected it?
Wow… that is sad to hear.
Inspector from Estes Park CO.
Thanks Roy I just choked on my coffee. :twisted:
Wow that sucks. I am from Estes Park but I didn’t do that house I have lived in WI for 11 yrs. 
It was fine until a pipe burst in the crawlspace near this same area and they didn’t know about it. They got that fixed after several weeks of leakage, but then it rained for almost 30 days straight and all the water off the back half of the roof went right into the low spot, which began getting lower fast.