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Retaining wall failing 1

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minnesippi

minnesippi

Civil/Environmental
Mar 21, 2011
10
New here - not sure if I’m in the right area or not but need assistance please.
Have retaining wall on residential property. “2 blocks high” at one end, 9 ft high at the other - curves around corner of house – double deep in one area (on a slope). I do not believe drainage was done properly. There are no “weep holes” and there is not an area below that allows water to exit from behind the wall. There is a culvert below the ground that it might be tied into. Retaining wall is separating in two areas with gaps of 5 to 6 inches between upper and lower block. Cap blocks are disintegrating as well.
Due to drainage and wall failure, corner of house is "dropping" and creating cracks in walls and ceiling inside the home as well as the cinder block in two different areas outside.
There is no record of a permit from the city (required) and the company will not reply to my emails to even a general inquiry about the wall or even the manufacturer of the block. Former home owner had it built, and rebuilt at least one time. Wall is 12+ years old.
Wondering if contractor would be responsible being a permit wasn’t pulled for the damage that is being done to the house as well as rebuilding the wall properly. I live in MN.
Appreciate any help provided – or a direction I can go. $20,000+ for a new wall, my insurance won’t even look at it unless we dig the wall out and expose the corner of the house that is sinking.
Please help! Thank you in advance
 
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your attorney could better advise you, however after 12 years it is unlikely that the contractor would owe you or anybody else anything. Most contractor warranties are for 1 or 2 years. And since the contract was with the former homeowner, you have no contractual relationship with the contractor. You might have some leverage with the former homeowner if you just recently bought the property and they hid important information from you about the lack of permit for the wall when you made your offer.

After just going through an adjustment with an insurance company for wind/tree damage, you should sit down with your claims adjustor and work out a plan. You might have your attorney at that meeting also...
 
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Consult with a real estate attorney to review the validity of a possible claim against the prior homeowner, designer or builder of the wall, or local government. Consult with a lawyer who handles insurance coverage disputes to review the insurance company's denial of the claim. You may be able to establish that the collapse of the wall should be covered by your policy, but it depends on what is covered by your policy. Sometimes retaining walls are specifically excluded.

I would expect that the attorneys will cost you a minimum of $5K to $10K. You would have to pay for the lawyers yourself out of pocket, so the attorney fees will reduce any recovery that you may be able to obtain.
 
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if there is a suit, and you win, you can recover those fees...
 
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Thank you both. I am just trying to get all the information I can - the wall is there to protect the structural integrity of the house and with the wall failing, so is the structure. I bought the home from my former in-laws - as-is unfortunately. The thing that is frustrating me is the company that did the wall will not even provide me information about the block that was used. Luckily I work for a block mold company and they can identify it for me - but I would still like to hear from the contractor.
Sent another email to my insurance company to find out if is something that is even covered being the wall is needed for integrity of the house.
I hate cans of worms...they are always so damn big!! I'm ready to open the can o' woopass on this though. All I need is for the house to fall apart and it not be covered...icing on the cake.
THanks again.
 
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type of block really is not that important, especially since it doesn't sound like the block is failing (other than some caps). Retaining wall is a lot more than just some block. Dimensions of the wall and footing, amount and placement of steel, grouting of the block, foundation conditions, drainage, backfill matter much more. These are the things that should have been engineered and reviewed during the permit process. A 9 foot high concrete block retaining wall, designed by a contractor and no permit? That is just asking for trouble!
 
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Can you post any pictures of the damage?

As for the attorneys fees, if you do not ask for them, you will not get them, but asking does not guarantee that you will get them. As for the original contractor, in today's economy, he may not be in business anymore. Is he still bonded with the State?

Sounds like a real can of worms. Nice present from the former inlaws!

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
 
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I know, right? Where was the engineer?!?!
As best I can tell (without tearing it down of course) is there is nothing holding the block together - no morter, no adhesive etc - which I don't know if that is necessary or not, but it was noted. In the section that is separating - about 3ft wide in 2 sections - there is no rebar/steel visable.
It is straight up, no tiering or grade to the wall so to speak. I would think that a wall that high - with block - would need some sort of "slant" to it - but again, I don't know.
When we had another landscape contractor out last year to look, they said they could get the caps replaced through the supplier - I believe it is Versa-lok. I was hoping to at least do that.
My husband did most of the talking with them so I am not exactly sure what they determined with the wall except that it was done very poorly and should be redone.
I am so frustrated and cannot afford to have it redone - in the mean time, I am losing the corner of my house and just found out it is considered "foundation settling" and is not covered under my insurance policy. :(
 
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msquared48 - they are still in business - I have emailed with him recently but he has since stopped replying after he got the address of the property. Suspicious to me - but if they aren't liable because I am a new owner, I don't see what the issue would be and why he wouldn't reply to my email.
Still looking for a loop hole to get this fixed and not have it be ALL out of pocket...working with city now...
Again, thank you for your help.

 
 http://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=6ddfbee6-b9ec-4855-88fb-21ab34e8441c&file=SAM_0068.JPG
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wow, you're saying they built a 9 foot high wall with this? And not batter? I'm surprised it has last this long
 
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This is what I'm saying...
I will post a pic of the full wall once my DH sends it to me. Get ready to shake your head...
 
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As far as can recall the VersaLok units were all designed to have a "batter" and provisions to hold geo-grid when an engineered design was required. No rebar or steel in used in a SRW wall and they should not be placed on a concrete footing, since it is a "flexible" structure even if the wall is 40' high.

"Weep" holes are not required because of the vertical joints between adjacent block and quality backfill must be used and perforated pipe is usually recommended if it is suitable.

The 5" to 6" spacing between the walls is troublesome. If they are tiered walls to avoid the 4' or 5' height code requirements, they should be separated by many feet horizontally.

VersaLok is sold to both contractors and resale markets, so there it becomes difficult to determine the liability beyond the contractor. There also many "knock-off" brands made by others that do not have engineers available for support.

If the wall was rebuilt and failed a second time, it sounds like a poor, amateurish design.

Dick

Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.
 
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The damage in your first picture is due to freeze-thaw action, with consequent spalling of the cap.

Waiting for the encore.... Can I laugh?

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
 
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The distress in your house is not necessarily due to the failure of the "retaining wall". The house may have been founded too high, in unconsolidated fill material. The two failures are related, but solving one may not solve the other.
 
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Spalling?
So what you are saying is it is all due to freeze/thaw? Is that typical? How do "you" keep it from happening? How do I save my house from sliding down the front hill?
Does all block crumble like that in this situation? It's not happening on the other side of the house, but it is not the same block.
You can laugh - at me :)

Thank you
 
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The freeze-thaw damage in the picture is not related (at least not much) to the wall failing structurally as it appears to be an unreinforced gravity wall. Two different animals here as Hokie alluded to.

Just post the other pictures before Happy Hour so we have something to discuss. [bigsmile]

By the way, since this a worldwide forum, our happy hour runs 24/7.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
 
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in this pic you can (hopefully) see the white "lines" on the house where it is coming apart.

This is the ceiling in the basement - has been "filled in" but I can stick my finger in it.

This is the corner that is coming apart

and the walls upstairs - have all been patched so not sure how easily visable it is.

and more outside

That's all I have.
 
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OOOH... I have to look at the other pics yet, but just the first picture makes me think that the curved extension of the upper wall was placed on unconsolidated fill, and perhaps the foundation of the house too. The rest of the wall appears OK in bearing, the there is a soft spot at the curve where the block probably does not extend to firm bearing.

I think you need to call in a Geotech here. It is warranted.

I will continue looking...

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
 
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My emphasis would be on fixing your house, which will likely require some underpinning. The slope stabilisation can wait, unless it all falls over.
 
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