Soil & Structure Consulting, Inc

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#222222;">From: *** ** ***, P.E. Date: Fri, Feb 28, at 8:AMSubject: Response to ID (Attn: *** ***)To: [email protected]
Dear ***,
I am responding to the complaint submitted to Revdex.com by *** *** on 2/3/As *** clearly and correctly pointed out in her complaint, she did not follow my complete recommendation to install an exterior drainage system to relieve hydrostatic and soil pressureAlso, I do not believe the best course of action is the installation of rebar into the base of the wall at this time.
*** will continue to see minor cracks in her rear foundation wall until such time as the marine clay backfill soils are removed and no longer applying lateral pressures on the exterior face of the wallThe installation of an exterior wall drainage system would serve to remove the expansive clay materials and reduce hydrostatic pressure
*** has and understands my recommendationsWhether she chooses to follow them is her decisionNo further action will be taken by Soil & Structure Consulting
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaintFeel free to contact me anytime to further discuss this case
Regards,
*** ** ***, P.E
Preston White Drive
Suite
Reston, VA
###-###-####
###-###-#### mobile
###-###-#### fax
www.soilandstructure.com
***
***
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[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
It fails to address the fact that **. [redacted] designed the incorrect reinforcement for the rear wall.  He now agrees the rear wall was displaced at the base at the time the work was done and that the wall is still moving inwards at the base.  The carbon fiber straps do not stabilize the base of the wall.  The wall should have been reinforced with steel struts, as the right wall was in the area where it was displaced at the base.
**. [redacted] keeps referring to the fact that his report recommended removing the clay from around the house, but this same report says all four walls need to be reinforced.  The rear wall has only been partially reinforced.  Yes, it's my choice whether I have the clay backfill removed, but I already paid to have the walls reinforced, and that's the issue here. 
By the way, this is the first I've ever heard from **. [redacted] about using rebar to reinforce the rear wall; I'm not sure why he mentions it.  As I already said, he used steel struts for the right wall that had the same problem.
Regards,
[redacted]

Review: In 11/2009, [redacted], P.E., of Soil & Structure inspected the foundation of my home for structural proble**. He found that all four basement walls had some degree of bowing and the right wall was also displaced at the base near the rear corner. At his recommendation, I had [redacted]. reinforce all four walls with carbon fiber straps and the right wall where it was displaced inwards at the base with steel struts (**. [redacted] was the engineer for this project). About 21 months later when I replaced the laundry basin, I discovered the rear wall was also displaced in that area at the base. I contacted both [redacted] and **. [redacted] admitted the foremen noticed the problem at the time the reinforcement work was done. **. [redacted] eventually agreed to look at the wall. He stated at that visit that as long as the wall was not moving, it did not need to be reinforced, but if the wall moved so much as 1/16th of an inch, he would draw up the plans to reinforce the wall with steel struts. He admitted that the carbon fiber straps would not prevent the wall from continuing to move inwards at the base. To determine if the wall was moving, he instructed [redacted] to install non-shrink grout in the gap below the displaced cinder blocks. That grout has now developed cracks, which **. [redacted] agrees means the wall is moving. **. [redacted], however, now says I need to remove the expansive clays from around my house and install a foundation drain. He points out that this was one of his recommendations in the report he prepared in 2009. That same report also says that all four walls need to be reinforced, so I don't understand why the rear wall does not need to be reinforced, particularly since his report indicates displacement at the base is structurally more significant than bowing. It makes no sense that the left wall with a 1/16th in. horizontal crack along the middle, but no actual bowing or displacement, had to be reinforced, but the rear wall, which is now displaced at the base by about 1 in., does not.Desired Settlement: **. [redacted] should, at no cost to me, draw up plans to reinforce the rear wall with steel struts and obtain the necessary permits from the County. He has admitted the rear wall was displaced at the time the reinforcement work was done on my house.

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Response:

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From: [redacted], P.E. <[redacted]>

Date: Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 8:32 AM

Subject: Response to ID 99112360 (Attn: [redacted])

To: [email protected]

Dear **. [redacted],