Would you take the job, walk from it, or run? 2

[JLSE]

Ive been asked to get involved with this retaining wall project (see photo), after a neighbor called the county to report the prospective client for building a retaining wall without a permit. hmm

No mention of any building adjacent to the wall, over the phone.

I dont ever want to take a "save my butt please" job anyway, especially one with construction that is impossible to truly verify to any standard equivalent to a new build..... I walked from this job.

But I would like to know, if anyone with experience has successfully dealt with a situation like this.... that is his neighbors structure, that would have been supported by his wall.

Lets assume the planned cantilevered wall was adequate to support the load. My understanding, is that it still would allow the structure above to move enough to cause some problems... differential settlement type issues.

Do you agree?

I was thinking a soil nail wall might keep the neighbors structure from shifting.... I am curious what you think.

 

[BAretired]

I might be tempted to run from this project, for reasons already mentioned by others. But, on the other hand, someone has to deal with the problem. What should be done now?

The wall is intended to be a retaining wall, but not likely a cantilevered retaining wall. The excavation may be for a crawl space or even a basement. Perhaps the man in the photo is standing on the sub-grade below the crawl space or basement floor. That means there may still be an opportunity to derive lateral resistance from the floor structure above.

Taking photos of existing cracks as recommended by PEinc is a good start. Perhaps other protective measures could be taken to mitigate the potential for lawsuits. Some thought might be given to how best to resist soil pressure.

The soil appears to be capable of holding a vertical surface while dry. The terrain in the neighborhood seems to vary significantly in elevation. The residence beyond the fence in the photo seems to be significantly lower than either of the properties in question.

It seems to me that a soil report and a survey of surface elevations, if not already available, should be done before proceeding with any more work. In addition, the plan for the residence under construction should be examined with a view to determining the most cost effective way of resisting the earth pressure.

BA