building-admin, Author at Building Doctor https://buildingrepair.my/author/building-admin/ Building Repair Specialist Malaysia Thu, 25 Aug 2022 03:15:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://buildingrepair.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Logo-32x32.png building-admin, Author at Building Doctor https://buildingrepair.my/author/building-admin/ 32 32 Types of Waterproofing For a Building https://buildingrepair.my/types-of-waterproofing-for-a-building/ Wed, 16 Jun 2021 04:03:53 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=2641 Types of Waterproofing For a Building Get Quote Introduction Concrete is porous and there are many tiny voids within it[1]. As concrete absorbs water, the passage of water molecules will exert hydrostatic stress on the surface of the concrete voids which results in deteriorations such as the crack formation and spalling of concrete. In addition, […]

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Types of Waterproofing For a Building

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Introduction

Concrete is porous and there are many tiny voids within it[1]. As concrete absorbs water, the passage of water molecules will exert hydrostatic stress on the surface of the concrete voids which results in deteriorations such as the crack formation and spalling of concrete. In addition, the presence of moisture in concrete can cause other decorative defects, such as paint blistering, stalactite forming, efflorescence and mold growing. Waterproofing of the building can be accomplished by restricting the water transmittance. An impermeable membrane can be applied to it or surface can be modified and make it impermeable to water. Waterproofing application in the building is vital to increase its service life and avoid the formation of such water leakage defects.

Typical Waterproofing Materials

Concrete is porous and there are many tiny voids within it[1]. As concrete absorbs water, the passage of water molecules will exert hydrostatic stress on the surface of the concrete voids which results in deteriorations such as the crack formation and spalling of concrete. In addition, the presence of moisture in concrete can cause other decorative defects, such as paint blistering, stalactite forming, efflorescence and mold growing. Waterproofing of the building can be accomplished by restricting the water transmittance. An impermeable membrane can be applied to it or surface can be modified and make it impermeable to water. Waterproofing application in the building is vital to increase its service life and avoid the formation of such water leakage defects.

a) BITUMINOUS SHEET MEMBRANE

The bituminous sheet membrane is high strength bituminous fabric sheet which is durable, elastic, high impact resistance, and high acid resistance. The elastic properties of the membrane enable it to resist any type of stress caused by building thermal or structural expansion [2]. Bituminous sheet membrane has a typical lifespan of 30 years [4] and it is suitable to be used on the rooftop and wall of the underground structure [3]. There are two types of bituminous sheet membrane which are hot-applied sheet membrane and coldapplied sheet membrane [1]. Hot applied sheet membrane may release carcinogenic gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the waterproofing membrane application. The cold applied sheet membrane does not emit poisonous gas because it does not require heating up during the application of the waterproofing membrane. Figure 1 shows the hotapplied bituminous sheet membrane. 

Application of a bituminous sheet membrane may require high-quality workmanship in particular to ensure proper sealing, lapping, and finishing of seams at corners, edges, and between sheets. In addition, sheet membranes must be added to a flat finish without voids, honeycombs, or protrusions. Protection boards must be placed as the membrane can puncture and tear during backfilling. Bituminous sheet membrane has poor resistance to UV-radiation and needs to be covered by another protective layer such as cement.

b) THERMOPLASTIC MEMBRANE

Thermoplastic membrane (Figure 2) is made up of polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyurethane, or chlorosulfonated polyethylene [1]. The most common type of membrane is glass-reinforced PVC. Thermoplastic membrane has elongation properties, high resistance to chemical and hydrostatic pressure. It can be applied at seams with solvent-based adhesives or by heat-welding. Thermoplastic membranes have the disadvantage which its properties and strength change with the temperature. Besides, it will degrade when in contact with hydrocarbons material such as asphalt, fuel, lubricant oil, etc. Application of the thermoplastic membrane requires the contact surface to have a “floor quality” steel trowel finish to ensure good adhesion. The typical lifespan of the thermoplastic membrane is about 22 to 30 years [5] and it can be applied at the tunnel structure, ponds, swimming pools, the water tank, and underground structure [3].

c) LIQUID-APPLIED MEMBRANE

Liquid-applied membrane can be applied with a brush, spray, roller, trowel, or squeegee, and usually contain urethane or polymeric asphalt (hot or cold-applied) in the solvent base [1][2]. This membrane is usually applied on the positive side of set concrete that expose to water contact and has a service lifespan of 25 years [6]. Liquid-applied membrane has benefits such as it is strong, elastic, low in-place cost, and easy to apply. Despite the benefits, there are disadvantages. To assure the applied membranes’ thickness and uniformity, it requires high-quality workmanship for the application of liquid-applied membranes. This type of membrane also has poor resistance to UV-radiation and needs to be covered by another protective layer such as cement. Besides, it contains toxic and hazardous VOCs. The suitable application areas for liquid-applied membrane are rooftops, house porches, terraces, large concrete surface areas (e.g. Warehouse and factory) [3]. Figure 3 shows the liquid-applied membrane at the rooftop.

d) CEMENTITIOUS WATERPROOFING

Cementitious waterproofing is the application of polymer modified cement coatings, where the admixtures can cover the pores in the concrete and make it waterproof. It is easy to apply, readily available, low in-place cost, and durable to chemical attack [2]. However, it required proper mixing and enough layer thickness to ensure excellent waterproofing quality. Besides, it has poor resistance to thermal expansion and contraction that is accommodated by movement joints. Cementitious waterproofing is appropriate to be applied at the kitchen floor, shower stall, bathroom floor, and underground structure. The lifespan of cementitious waterproofing will depend on the quality of workmanship during the waterproofing application and is typically last for about 10 years [7]. Figure 4 shows the application of cementitious waterproofing at the floor slab.

Figure 1: Bituminous Sheet Membrane
Figure 2: Thermoplastic Membrane
Figure 3: Liquid-applied Membrane
Figure 4: Cementitious Waterproofing

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INSTALLATION TIME, COST, AND EASE OF INSTALLATION

Conclusion

It is important to select suitable waterproofing materials based on the actual site condition. Sometimes, a hybrid system that consists of various waterproofing materials may be required. The basic properties of each type of waterproofing material are summarised in the table below.

References

[1] Kevin Yuers (2011). Understanding The Pros & Cons of Crystalline Waterproofing. Retrieved on 14th June 2021 from https://www.kryton.com/in-the-news/2011/04/05/understanding-the-pros-cons-of-crystalline-waterproofing/

[2] Othuman Mydin, Md Azree & Mohd Nawi, Mohd Nasrun & C. Munaaim, M. Arkam. (2017). Assessment of waterproofing failures in concrete buildings and structures. Malaysian Construction Research Journal. 2. 166-179. Retrieved on 14th June 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322920802_Assessment_of_waterproofing_failures_in_concrete_buildings_and_struc
tures

[3] Justina Ann Marie (2020). Roof and Bathroom Waterproofing: Simple Guide for Malaysian Homeowners. Retrieved on 14th June 2021 from https://www.recommend.my/blog/things-you-need-to-know-about-waterproofing-services-inmalaysia/#:~:text=Cementitious%2C%20elastomeric%20liquid%20emulsion%20and,weather%2C%20usage%20and%20so%20on.

[4] Soprema. 5 Reasons Why Bituminous Roofing Membranes Make All The Difference. Retrieved on 15th June 2021 from https://www.soprema.ie/en/article/articles-projects/5-reasons-why-bituminous-roofing-membranes-make-all-thedifference#:~:text=EXCEPTIONAL%20LIFESPAN&text=Typically%20SOPREMA’s%20SBS%20bitumen%20membranes,recommended%20to%20extend%20its%20lifespan

[5] Bulldog Adjusters (2019). What is TPO roofing? Pros and Cons in South Florida. Retrieved on 15th June 2021 from https://www.bulldogadjusters.com/what-is-tpo-roofing-pros-and-cons-in-southflorida/#:~:text=TPO%20roofs%20have%20a%20lifespan,TPO%20is%20very%20energy%20efficient.

[6] Waterproof Magazine. Cold Liquid-Applied Roofing. Liquid Applied Membranes. Retrieved on 15th June 2021 from https://www.waterproofmag.com/2014/10/cold-liquid-appliedroofing/#:~:text=Because%20these%20membranes%20are%20applied,is%20typically%20about%2025%20years.

[7] Prasad. Concrete Waterproofing. Retrieved on 16th June 2021 from https://www.structuralguide.com/concrete-waterproofing/

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]]> Types and Reasons of Cracks in Concrete Column https://buildingrepair.my/types-and-reasons-of-cracks-in-concrete-column/ Thu, 27 May 2021 03:45:29 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=2638 Types and Reasons of Cracks in Concrete Column Get Quote Non Structural Crack and Structural Crack After a building has been constructed, it is vital to have proper management to maintain the building. This is to improve the appearance of the building and ensure the health and safety of the users [1]. Not only that, […]

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Types and Reasons of Cracks in Concrete Column

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Non Structural Crack and Structural Crack

After a building has been constructed, it is vital to have proper management to maintain the building. This is to improve the appearance of the building and ensure the health and safety of the users [1]. Not only that, regular maintenance is much more cost effective than fixing a problem after it has already failed [1]. Having said that, the maintenance of a building can be complicated, managers will face many maintenance challenges throughout the process. The management team must able to identify these challenges and determine the most effective and efficient solutions to overcome them. Therefore, in this article, 6 major building maintenance challenges will be discussed along with their respective solutions.

Types of Crack in Concrete Column

Column is an important element in the building framing structure and it transfers the load from the upper floor towards the foundation. Cracks in the column can be categorised according to their crack pattern or propagation. The 4 types of cracks in the concrete column are listed below [3] [4]:

a) Diagonal Crack

The crack propagation is diagonal along the entire column face. This crack formed due to incorrect design causing the column to have inadequate loadcarrying capacity. Diagonal cracks in the column indicate that the column may have not enough reinforcement area or inadequate cross-section of the column. Figure 1 shows

b) Horizontal Crack

Horizontal cracks within the concrete column are typically seen on the beam-column joint and on the column face where tensile stress is high. Columns with insufficient moment restrain, low reinforcement area or incorrect arrangement of the diagonal crack in the concrete column.

Figure 1: Diagonal Crack In The Concrete Column [3] [4]

Figure 2: Horizontal Crack in The Concrete Column [3][4]

c) Splitting Crack

Splitting cracks at the concrete columns are short and parallel vertical cracks of varying width. These types of cracks can occur in columns with insufficient steel bar reinforcement and low concrete strength. Splitting crack happens as the load acting on it reaches its ultimate load-bearing capacity. In other words, this is a compression failure of the concrete column. An example of the splitting crack in the concrete column is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Splitting Crack in The Concrete Column [3][4]

d) Corrosion Crack

Corrosion crack is a crack formed by rusting the concrete reinforcement bar. The crack propagation follows the pattern or the line of the steel bar. The reinforcement bar normally corrodes due to the inadequate concrete cover, hairline cracking on the concrete surface, and exposure to high humidity or chemical attack. If these types of cracks cannot be properly treated, the degradation of the steel reinforcement bars can worsen exponentially. Figure 4 shown the corrosion cracks in the concrete column.

Figure 4: Corrosion Crack in The Concrete Column [3][4]

Conclusion

Crack in the column can be non-structural or structural crack and can be categorised according to its crack pattern. Structural cracks (crack width of more than 2.00 mm) in the column are difficult to handle because it serves a vital role in building frame structure. The rectification work of cracks should be based on its type and the root cause of the failure. It is recommended to appoint a competent or professional contractor with engineering background to carry out proper defects assessment in order to recommend the best solution for defect repairing.

References

[1] Arvind Rajabather (2016). Investigation of Cracks In Buildings. Forensic Structural Engineering, Vit Chennai Campus, Volume: 1. Retrieved on 26th May 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319630328_INVESTIGATION_OF_CRACKS_IN_BUILDINGS

[2] Lai Woon Fatt (2020). Type Of Cracks On Buildings. IPM Group. Retrieved on 26th May 2021 from https://ipm.my/type-ofcracks-on-buildings/

[3] Madeh Izat Hamakareem. 4 Types of Cracks in Concrete Columns and their Causes. The Constructor, Civil Engineering Home, Building Technology Guide. Retrieved on 25th May 2021 from https://theconstructor.org/concrete/types-cracks-concretecolumns/26433/

[4] Civil Engineering (2019). Types Of Cracks In R.C.C Columns. Retrieved on 25th May 2021 from https://www.constructorsknowledge.com/2019/10/types-of-cracks-in-rcc-columns.htm

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]]> 6 Main Building Maintenance Challenges and Solutions https://buildingrepair.my/6-main-building-maintenance-challenges-and-solutions/ Tue, 20 Apr 2021 05:51:00 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=2511 6 Main Building Maintenance Challenges and Solutions Get Quote Introduction After a building has been constructed, it is vital to have proper management to maintain the building. This is to improve the appearance of the building and ensure the health and safety of the users [1]. Not only that, regular maintenance is much more cost […]

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6 Main Building Maintenance Challenges and Solutions

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Introduction

After a building has been constructed, it is vital to have proper management to maintain the building. This is to improve the appearance of the building and ensure the health and safety of the users [1]. Not only that, regular maintenance is much more cost effective than fixing a problem after it has already failed [1]. Having said that, the maintenance of a building can be complicated, managers will face many maintenance challenges throughout the process. The management team must able to identify these challenges and determine the most effective and efficient solutions to overcome them. Therefore, in this article, 6 major building maintenance challenges will be discussed along with their respective solutions.

1. Cost Control

Building maintenance is heavily related to budget constraints. It is especially a challenge for those buildings with many irresponsible users or residents who refuse to pay for the maintenance fee and sinking funds. Therefore, the building manager must carefully plan and allocate the available resources. Cost controlling can be carried out in several ways. One of the ways to help to control the maintenance cost is to obtain few quotations with detailed specifications of a product or service for comparison. The management could have a clearer view on the pricing and their respective proposed specifications based on the comparison. Interview could be also conducted to understand whether the proposal complied with management requirements. With that, the management could ensure the budget spent is justified and no extra cost would be spent for rectifying the wrong purchase decision. 

 

Other than that, the cost of electricity can be further decreased by integrating more environmentally friendly energy like the energy generated by solar panels [3]. Even though there is an initial cost for the panels, but the cost saved will eventually exceed the initial cost for the installation of the panels after some time. Other solutions can be allowing more natural lights into the working space to avoid using unnecessary electrical lighting during the day. Replacing light bulbs in the common area with LED light would significantly reduce electrical consumption as well.

2. Accurate Data Recording and Analysis

Data recording is an important aspect that needs to be taken care of by the building managers. The record-keeping helps to keep track of all maintenance activities with respective details for future data analysis, i.e. frequency of maintenance, maintenance expense for each activity, service providers, warranty period, etc. The building manager must setup the system to record all the activities, especially for large building consisting of a lot of different systems. These records included all building as-built drawings, all system asbuilt drawings, meeting minutes, maintenance logs, service providers details, stock, asset inventory, etc [3].

Based on all the maintenance activities records and data, the building manager shall be able to perform proper planning for maintenance and services activities in advance to avoid high maintenance costs due to urgency. Ad-hoc maintenance works could be also reduced if the regular maintenance activities are planned well to prevent the sudden breakdown of the systems.

In some large site, where the amount of data is extremely huge, the building manager could consider leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) to capture and analyse the data available while utilize the Computer Maintenance Management Software (CMMS) to pick up and report the data back to the user, making the process of work communication much easier and efficient, therefore saving in labor and materials [4].

3. Emergency Response

In an event of an emergency, the management team has the challenge of evacuating everyone safely. Typical emergency activity in Malaysia can be fire incidents, while other emergencies include natural disasters, security breaches, terrorist attacks, etc. To solve this problem, the management team must come in prepared with the list of critical system that must remain running, list of regular occupants, and emergency response procedures [3]. 

 

Furthermore, safety (fire) drills are suggested to be done routinely so that residents or occupancies are familiar with the evacuation procedures. In addition, having an automated failure report will keep the maintenance team ahead of potential dangers. Last but not least, the equipment relevant to emergency response such as fire protection systems, walkie talkies should be checked routinely to ensure they can function well in an actual evacuation scenario.

4. System Maintenance

Equipment and facilities will age as time pass by, it is inevitable that those equipment and facilities need to be replaced at some point in the future. However, it should be noted that good maintenance could slow down the process of aging, which in the long run, it is more cost effective. Large systems in buildings such as the Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV), electrical, water, and fire protection system could have detrimental effect if it is not well-maintained, and it will be very costly if it were to be fixed after malfunctioning. Therefore, it is better to maintain these systems regularly with lesser cost to prevent system replacement which would cost a “bomb” to the management. Professional maintenance technicians and competent specialists should be appointed to maintain and keep those systems functioning.

5. Coordinating Teams

Communication is the key to ensure all the maintenance team members are doing their own jobs and scopes accordingly. Proper scheduling and timetable shall be prepared by the management to arrange the works for each of the maintenance team. Regular communication and coordination shall also be done with appointed contractors or specialists for the scheduled maintenance that involved external parties. Regular review on the performance either for internal team or external parties shall be conducted so that the miscommunication between the teams and the management could be minimised. Subsequently, the maintenance works could be performed smoothly and more efficiently.

6. Physical Intrusion

Even if there is a security guardhouse in place, physical intrusion is still possible. The intrusion can cause threats such as theft, acts of violence, etc. The potential loss for the building users is not only in terms of physical properties, like jewelry, or expensive devices, etc, but might be also in the form of important or confidential data. The loss of data could cause major damage such as damaging the company’s reputation and leaving the company to legal action [5].

 

To prevail over physical intrusion, security guards must be well trained and be strict at all times. The security guards should only allow the entry of visitors with approval from the owner, and the credentials from the visitors should be asked at all times as well. CCTV should be installed to monitor any suspicious activities 24 hours a day. Security guards should be arranged to patrol around the building every hour and stationed at the entrance and the exit to prevent any forced intrusion.

Conclusion

No matter what type of building it is, the management of the building is important to prolong the lifespan of the building, as well as maintaining the safety and well-being of the people within the building. By considering these few challenges and respective solutions, the management team shall be able to enhance their operation and provide a better experience to the users in the building.

References

[1] Why Is Building Maintenance Important? Retrieved on April 14, 2021, from https://b38group.com/why-is-buildingmaintenance-important/

[2] Top Five Facility Management Challenges and How to Overcome Them. Retrieved on April 14, 2021, from https://www.csginc.com/posts/facility-management-challenges/

[3] Bryan Christiansen. 4 Biggest Building Maintenance Challenges and Solutions. Retrieved on April 15, 2021, from

https://www.buildings.com/articles/28028/4-biggest-building-maintenance-challenges-and-solutions

[4] Alani, RP. Tattersall, et al. Overview of Maintenance Strategy, Acceptable Maintenance Standard and Resources from a Building Maintenance Operation Perspective. Journal of Building Appraisal, Retrieved on April 15, 2021, fromhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/jba.2008.46

[5] Systems, L. Overcoming Emergency Building Maintenance Challenges. Retrieved on April 15, 2021, from https://www.landport.net/common-emergency-building-maintenance-challenges-and-how-to-overcome-them/

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]]> Polyurethane Injection As Waterproofing Solution https://buildingrepair.my/polyurethane-injection-as-waterproofing-solution/ Sun, 28 Mar 2021 05:20:00 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=2493 Polyurethane Injection As Waterproofing Solution Get Quote Introduction Water leakage is a serious problem in every building as it causes the building to become more brittle. Stress develops internally when the water seeps through it, into the interior of the building, thereby reducing the concrete material strength and causes cracking and spalling of concrete. In […]

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Polyurethane Injection As Waterproofing Solution

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Introduction

Water leakage is a serious problem in every building as it causes the building to become more brittle. Stress develops internally when the water seeps through it, into the interior of the building, thereby reducing the concrete material strength and causes cracking and spalling of concrete. In the worst scenario, the reinforcement bar of concrete will rust as a high presence of moisture and the building structure will eventually collapse. Water leakage can cause certain hygiene problems, such as allergy, irritation of the skin and respiratory system. This is because the fungus growth with moisture present and its spores are a source of allergens and irritants.

Defects associated with moisture are normal due to defective waterproofing of the house. A well-designed building should avoid water leakage by installing a proper waterproofing system. Figure 1 shows the building elements required for waterproofing [1] . Failure in waterproofing is generally related to the construction design and choice of materials, cracks created, poor workmanship during installation, and water trap in the joints.

Figure 1: Building Elements Required For Waterproofing [1]

Polyurethane (PU) resin is a long-chain polymer formed by polymerization of isocyanate (-NCO) and polyol (-OH) groups, and it can be either elastic gel or become rigid when reacts with water [2] . Figure 2 illustrates the formation of PU in the chemical formula. PU is good insulation material due to its wide range of chemical and physical properties. It has high expansion characteristic and short reacting period, thus it is an appropriate material for repair water leakage, repair concrete cracks, raising depressed concrete slab or road pavement, resolve settlement problems, etc. PU grouting or injection is a waterproofing solution that uses polyurethane injection expansion to prevent water from running through or splitting in concrete.

Figure 2: Chemical Formula For The Formation Of PU [2]

Benefits of Using PU Injection

The benefits of using PU injection are listed below [3]:

i. High abrasion resistance: It is a solid adhesive that protects the concrete from building movement. The high volume of cross-link (Figure 3) available in its material matrix makes it rigid, strong, and able to withstand abrasion [2].

Figure 3: PU Cross-link Observed Under Electron Microscope

ii. Wide molecular structural variability: PU is a flexible resin that can also be used for paint, maintenance, emergency, and insulation purposes. It also exhibits rigid and expandable when reacting with water and can be used to repair building cracks, raising the depressed structure, solve settlement, and repair water leakage.

iii. Rapid repairing and curing time: It’s fast-drying and can close tiny cracks and voids on the concrete.

iv. Comparatively low cost: PU injection comes with relatively low repairing cost and this approach needs lesser maintenance.

PU Injection

The methods and procedures for PU injection are listed as following [3] [4]: 

  • Clean the area and decide the location and spacing for PU injection holes (20 – 40 cm).
  • Drilling the holes for PU resin injection. The holes should be 45 degrees or less, the depth of drilling should be 2/3 of the thickness of the structure.
  • Insert packers (nozzle for PU injection).
  • Inject clean water into packers by using a high-pressure pump at 6MPa to clean the dust in the cracks.
  • Sealed the visible cracks with cement-based waterproof material to avoid PU grout leak out from the cracks available.
  • Inject PU by using high-pressure injection grouting machine. Injection stats at bottom packer and one hole at a time.
  • Remove the packers when there is no more leakage.
  • Patch up the holes with cement-based waterproof materials.

Figure 4 shown the PU injection to repair the water tank crack [4]. which constructed 3 water tank models to investigate the effectiveness of PU injection waterproofing repair. The case study has proven that the water tank repaired by PU injection can significantly reduce water pressure losses compared to the other 2 models (without waterproofing and with flexible water-stops layer as waterproofing system) (Figure 5). 

Figure 4: PU Injection To Repair Water Tank Crack [4] 

Figure 5: Water Pressure For Each Water Tank Model [4]

Conclusion

Polyurethane resin injection is a good approach to waterproofing repair due to its advantages such as low cost, quick-drying, solid, and high abrasive properties. However, the root cause of waterproofing system failure should be identified to select the best repair methods that fit the financial, material, and safety aspects. 

References

[1] Othuman Mydin, Md Azree & Mohd Nawi, Mohd Nasrun & C. Munaaim, M. Arkam. (2017). Assessment of waterproofing failures in concrete buildings and structures. Malaysian Construction Research Journal. 2. 166-179. Retrieved on 27th March 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322920802_Assessment_of_waterproofing_failures_in_concrete_buildings_and_struc tures 

[2] Jais, I.. (2017). Rapid remediation using polyurethane foam/resin grout in Malaysia. Geotechnical Research. 4. 1-11. Retrieved on 26th March 2021 from https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/jgere.17.00003

[3] M3 Multiservices Pte Ltd (2021). 5 Things About PU Injection Grouting. Retrieved on 26th March 2021 from https://www.m3m.com.sg/pu-injection-pu-grouting-pu-waterproofing/

4] Saafan, Mohamed & Etman, Zeinab & Konswa, Alaa. (2019). Evaluation of Polyurethane Resin Injection for Concrete Leak Repair. Case Studies in Construction Materials. 11. e00307. Retrieved at 28th March 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337138007_Evaluation_of_Polyurethane_Resin_Injection_for_Concrete_Leak_Repair

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]]> The Reasons That You Will Never Find A “Perfect” Contractor https://buildingrepair.my/the-reasons-that-you-will-never-find-a-perfect-contractor/ Fri, 22 Jan 2021 02:02:33 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=2204 The Reasons That You Will Never Find A “Perfect” Contractor Get Quote Introduction Closing a deal between a client and a contractor is a two-way agreement between both parties in terms of price, time, and quality. However, most of the clients did not satisfy with contractors due to the performance is under the client’s expectation. […]

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The Reasons That You Will Never Find A “Perfect” Contractor

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Introduction

Closing a deal between a client and a contractor is a two-way agreement between both parties in terms of price, time, and quality. However, most of the clients did not satisfy with contractors due to the performance is under the client’s expectation.

It is undeniable that there are incompetent contractors in the market and they could commit to the client anything just to close the deal and eventually could not perform at all, but sometimes it might not be the case as well.

Approaches, demands, and expectations of the clients themselves would also affect the perception of the client against how professional a contractor could be, as most of the clients tend to think that thecontractors shall able to serve them with “cheap, fast, and best quality” works.

Hence, the clients shall judge the contractors rationally based on the agreement and not just based on own feeling without proper justification. Here are some reasons why you may never find a “perfect” contractor.

1. Unreasonable Expectations

After all, the client attempt to optimise the performance and quality of work done by the contractor. However, going too far will lead to an unreasonable expectation to the contractor. Therefore, from the client’s perspective, the contractor is always underperforming. Generally, the clients would expect the contractors to:

  • Be efficient
  • Always yield towards the clients’ need or opinion
  • Provide prime work quality
  • Be helpful and willing to provide professional advice at anytime
  • Be honest
  • Equipped with CIDB license and insurance coverage
  • Have professional certifications and recognition
  • Have the lowest price in the market

By requiring the contractors to fulfill all these expectations are definitely unreasonable, while there are also some contractors that are able to achieve most of these expectations, but the prices for their services will not be cheap likewise.

Therefore, clients need to know exactly their own requirements. In some points, they will need to compromise certain aspects to achieve their expectation. For example, if the client has a budget constraint, he might need to compromise on the product quality or engage the small-scale contractor to perform the works. On the other hand, if the client needs the premium product quality with professional installation, then the client shall not expect the price comes cheap. A client shall strike the balance between cost, time, and work quality when intend to engage a contractor.

2. Lowest Bid May Not Be The Best Option

Most clients have the tendency to select the lowest bidder to perform the works. Theyalways have a mindset that contracting is just like a product, every contractor performs the same and able to complete the jobs within their expectation. Unfortunately, contracting is not a product, but it is a service, which the services provided by each of the contractors can be varies based on their resources, experience, integrity, etc. There is no way for the services provided by every contractor are exactly the same as the product manufactured in the factory.

As mentioned, the client needs to know exactly what is their expectation and need to see if the contractor profile could meet the requirements. For instant, the client could evaluate whether the contractor has similar job experience, sufficient manpower, product quality, payment terms, etc, before making the decision for the contract awarding. It is worth mentioning that most of the time, the lowest bid might not be the most competent contractor. In a lot of cases, professional procurement would select the bidder from the middle range as the best suit contractor.

3. Goals Between Clients And Contractors

Different contractors have different goals and interests. Some may have larger scale projects such as skyscrapers while some may work on smaller scale projects like warehouses. Each contractor has more experience within their region of interests, therefore as a client, it is important to align your objective with the chosen contractors’ interest to optimise the performance. Clients can simply ask for a list of past projects through email or go through their website to know more about their past projects. This will help clients to understand each contractor’s aim and interest to find the most suitable contractor for the job.

4. Itemised Quotation

Clients tend to request contractors to provide them a breakdown quotation so that they can bargain on the price for every individual item. An item like “Labor-only” makes it easy for the clients to reverse calculate the hourly salary of the contractors by knowing the project duration length. After deducting the overhead expenses, the client would roughly know the hourly pay rate charged by contractors. Some clients refuse to pay those hourly rates unless it is within a “fair” range.

While for the itemized quotes, contractors tend to underbid some parts of a project and overbids the others due to unforeseen uncertainties in the project. However, due to the itemised quotation, the client always bargains with the contractors to decrease the overbid items but never allow the contractor to increase the underbid items, and thus resulting to an overall underbid project which leads to the loss at the contractor side.

5. Availability Of Good Contractor

Generally, competent contractors will not have time to deal with these difficult clients. A competent contractor will always have their repeating clients to serve. They are willing to explore new clients but definitely not those unreasonable clients, who expect “cheap, fast, and with the best quality”. They will avoid those project which will potentially occupy much of their time and have to handle a lot of unnecessary problems. Hence, if the client is unreasonably expecting the perfect contractor with a cheap price, in most of the cases, the client will end up engaging a cheap contractor who claims they are the perfect contractor (remain unsure in reality).

Conclusion

As listed, these are the reasons why you will never find a “perfect” contractor. Overall, clients shall not solely emphasize on the price, rather they should also evaluate the contractor from other perspectives, such as experience, resources, professionalism, recognisation, testimonial, etc, before making the decision for the contract awarding. Although it is never possible to get a perfect contractor, the client could get a matching competent contractor to serve them and eventually lead to mutually satisfactory with the end results by both parties.

References

[1] Jensen, M., Rumora, E., Felice, A., & LaCava, M. (10th November 2021). 4 Reasons You’ll Never Find a Good Contractor (Insight from a Contractor). Retrieved on 20th January, 2021, from https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/how-to-find-a-goodcontractor

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]]> Type Of Building Maintenance Activities https://buildingrepair.my/type-of-building-maintenance-activities/ Thu, 24 Dec 2020 01:50:34 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=2189 Type Of Building Maintenance Activities Get Quote Introduction When we talk about the phrase “maintenance”, we will mostly relate it to products such as machines, electronic devices, tools, cars, and building too. Building maintenance is the effort to maintain, restore or even improve the functionality of the building at its optimum efficiency. Construct a maintenance-free […]

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Type Of Building Maintenance Activities

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Introduction

When we talk about the phrase “maintenance”, we will mostly relate it to products such as machines, electronic devices, tools, cars, and building too. Building maintenance is the effort to maintain, restore or even improve the functionality of the building at its optimum efficiency.

Construct a maintenance-free building is difficult because the elements of the building will have deteriorated over time due to material properties, construction techniques, influences of the surrounding, and the building usage or purpose.

There are various meanings to describe maintenance work, e.g. British Standard BS3811 defines maintenance as a special activity performed to remain or repair any amenity for each section of the property, building, and the element to a satisfactory benchmark.

Building Maintenance Objectives

Building maintenance is essential with the objectives stated below:

  • To extend the building service life and avoid unnecessary expenses for replacement.
  • To follow the Lender/Insurer requirements, providing a safe, secure, convenient environment and preventing deterioration of physical assets.
  • Maximize the aesthetic and economic value of the building and enhance the safety and health of the occupants

Type Of Maintenance

In general, maintenance can be planned maintenance or unplanned maintenance. For planned maintenance, works have been planned or scheduled to check and observe the building condition. For example, regular housekeeping or annually cleaning and painting work on the building façade and roof area. Planned building maintenance could be done by the building owner, tenants, and building management team as it involved the daily cleaning work, painting work, and visual checking only.

While for the unplanned maintenance will refer to those unexpected maintenances such as building defects that required immediate action, e.g. lift not functioning, water leakage problem, cracks at building structures, foundation settlement, etc. This type of maintenance work will require technical efforts to resolve or repair the building defects. Expertise or specialist should be appointed to carry out the building defect assessment, to recommend the building owner or management team a solution with the consideration of cost, time, quality, and resources.

The building maintenance can be categorised according to the purpose and scope, which are:1. Preventive Maintenance: The effort to avoid building defects or failure from happening. Preventive maintenance is usually done in a scheduled way, where regular care and repair of the building will carry out to ensure the building is safe and secured. Planned maintenance like daily housekeeping, regular equipment checkup, and painting work are the examples for preventive maintenance.

2. Corrective Maintenance: The corrective action to resolve any building defects or failure. It is the rectification work done to restore the functionality of building components. The
good examples of corrective maintenance are unplanned maintenance such as repairing roof leakage, lift, building cracks, etc.

3. Condition-based Maintenance: The action taken to resolve any monitored building elements when it reaching unacceptable limits. A common example is the use of pressure readings on piping systems to continuously tracked the water pressure, allowing the on-site maintenance staff to identify where potential leaks can occur.

Typical Maintenance Works

The 4 typical building maintenance works is as follows:

  • Work service: The services provided to ensure the facilities and equipment functioning well. Daily housekeeping and scheduled cleaning on the roof, roof gutter, walls, and
    windows. It may also involve regular checking for machines and building systems such as electrical supply system, water supply system, ventilation system, fire system, pumps,
    and lifts.
  • Repair work: Any repairing work for building and facilities defects. For example, patching up work for crack, repair floor tile, pump, repair lightings, repair fans, etc.
  • Replacement work: Replace defected and damaged building system or elements. This maintenance always involving serious damage to the building and sometimes required scheduled inspection to identify the root cause of the defects. The example of replacement works are replacing corroded reinforcement bar in concrete, reinstall waterproofing system, reinstall electricity system, etc.
  • Protection work: It is the work to protect and prevent the building from defecting. This protection work will include also the care of building structures. For instant, painting on the exterior of building surfaces as the protection layer to resist weather changes, moisture, and molds growth.

Conclusion

All buildings will deteriorate over time. Thus, proper building maintenance is the only key to retain a building in an accepted standard. The building owner, tenant, or management team should carry out appropriate building maintenance to ensure their building safeness and secure their assets.

References

[1] Seeley I.H. (1987) Nature and Importance of Building Maintenance. In: Building Maintenance. Building and Surveying Series. Palgrave, London. Retrieved on 15th December 2020 from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-18925-0_1

[2] Othuman Mydin, Md Azree (2016). SIGNIFICANCE OF BUILDING MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A REVIEW. Journal of Engineering Studies and Research. Retrieved on 15th December 2020 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328625196_SIGNIFICANCE_OF_BUILDING_MAINTENANCE_MANAGEMENT_SYS
TEM_TOWARDS_SUSTAINABLE_DEVELOPMENT_A_REVIEW

[3] Ir. Abdul Aziz Abas (2014). Building Maintenance. Building Maintenance presentation for Faculty of Civil Engineering, UiTM. Retrieved on 23rd December 2020 from https://www.slideshare.net/irazizz/building-maintenance37936879#:~:text=Building%20maintenance%20is%20the%20combination,to%20perform%20its%20required%20function.

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]]> The Causes And Consequences Of Structural Cracks https://buildingrepair.my/the-causes-and-consequences-of-structural-cracks/ Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:34:00 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=1011 The Causes And Consequences Of Structural Cracks Get Quote Introduction Figure 1: Crack The occurrence of cracks in a building is common. The structural component will crack whenever the stress in it exceeds its own strength. Building cracks can be classified into two categories which are non-structural crack and structural crack. Non-structural cracks are cracks […]

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The Causes And Consequences Of Structural Cracks

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Introduction

Figure 1: Crack

The occurrence of cracks in a building is common. The structural component will crack whenever the stress in it exceeds its own strength. Building cracks can be classified into two categories which are non-structural crack and structural crack. Non-structural cracks are cracks that do not jeopardize the stability and integrity of the structure but structural cracks do. Hence, extra cautious shall be given when dealing with building structural cracks.

There are several causes that led to the occurrence of structural cracks. Some of the common causes are as follows:

1. Poor Workmanship and Faulty Construction Practice

Figure 2: Workmanship

Various poor construction practices can cause structural cracks. These poor construction practices are usually due to ignorance, carelessness, and greedy of the contractor. Some of the poor construction practices are improper proportioning of concrete mix, inadequate quality control on concrete production, etc. Thus, proper monitoring of good construction process is important.

2. Improper Material Specification

Using improper material such as admixtures containing calcium chloride may lead to the corrosion of reinforcement. Besides, low quality bricks can absorb more water and cause cracks in the plaster. Hence, it is important to use proven quality building material instead of solely focusing on the pricing perspective.

3. Inadequate and Faulty Design

Improper structural design can give rise to several structural problems such as cracks. Cracks could be occurred due to design errors such as insufficient reinforcement, low concrete grade, undersize steel structure, etc. Besides, under-designed foundation could cause differential settlement which would also lead to the building cracking.  

Besides the above human error, building cracks could be also caused by other associated structural issues.

1. Settlement of the Foundation

The occurrence of the cracks could be caused by the differential settlement of the foundation due to the unequal bearing pressure under different parts of the structure, low soil bearing capacity or improper design of the foundation. These issues could be prevented by designing the foundation based on sound engineering principles.

2. Overloading

The concrete and reinforced concrete design have its own limits of loading capacity for every specific use and purpose. When an excessive amount of load is placed on top of the concrete slab, it can cause cracking eventually. For example, a mezzanine floor slab is designed for office purpose but it is used as a warehouse for storage purpose which may cause overloading on the floor slab, thereby creating floor cracks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to practice proper construction method and engage with qualified professional building contractor so that the cracks and the problems associated with it can be prevented.

References

[1] Causes and Remedies of Cracks in Concrete Buildings. (2019, April 20). Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://theconstructor.org/concrete/building-cracks-causes-remedies/5392/

[2] 6 Types of Concrete Cracks and What They Mean. (2019, February 11). Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://concretesupplyco.com/6-concrete-cracks/

[3] C., By, -, & Constro Facilitator. (2019, October 22). Reasons of Cracks in Buildings. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.constrofacilitator.com/reasons-of-cracks-in-buildings/

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]]> Nine Common Building Defects https://buildingrepair.my/nine-common-building-defects/ Thu, 22 Oct 2020 01:55:00 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=935 Nine Common Building Defects Get Quote Introduction Whether it is a high-rise building or landed property, it is getting usual for owners to complain about building defects. There are several common building defects that deteriorate the condition of the building. The following are some of the common defects: 1. Roof Leakage The most common roof […]

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Nine Common Building Defects

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Introduction

Whether it is a high-rise building or landed property, it is getting usual for owners to complain about building defects. There are several common building defects that deteriorate the condition of the building. The following are some of the common defects:

1. Roof Leakage

The most common roof defect is leakage. Leakage is normally due to the unsealed penetration, missing roof tiles, and improper installation of the underlayment. Roof leakage may develop moisture that causes staining on the ceiling. The parts where the staining can be seen will start to rot and this will weaken the structural integrity

2. Cracks

Figure 1: Crack

Cracks are commonly found in various structural elements in a building, for instance, beams, columns, slabs, and walls. Cracks can be classified into structural cracks and non-structural cracks. Structural crack is caused by structural factors such as overloading, settlement, foundation problems, etc. while non-structural crack will occur because of the temperature, weather condition, and internally induced stresses in building material. The severity of the crack is normally categorised by determining the crack width using crack ruler. As a rule of thumb, if the crack width is less than 2mm, it is considered as non-structural crack, and vice-versa.

3. Dampness

The excessive moisture that exists in the building structure caused dampness. Dampness can be very serious as it can damage the brickwork by saturating them, decaying the timber, breaking down the mortar joints, and corroding the steel structure. Dampness occurs due to water penetration in the porous building material, inadequate drainage system, and poor ventilation system.

4. Plumbing Leakage

Plumbing leakage could cause serious damage to the structure and the properties in the building. This is because the leaking water will penetrate into the structural members like slabs, walls, beams, and columns, and start to develop massive moisture which will rot the material. Plumbing leakage is mainly due to the materials failures in the plumbing system.

5. Foundation Problem

Foundation settlement is usually caused by the overloading of the foundation, poor bearing capacity of the soil, or poorly designed foundation. The settlement caused by the foundation failure can be very serious as the building will start tilting eventually and it might even collapse in the worst case.

6. Electrical Wiring

Faulty electrical wiring can be hazardous as it may cause fires in the building. Faulty electrical wiring may be caused by human error, poor workmanship, or the deterioration of the wires used in the electrical system in the building.

7. Mold

Figure 2: Mold

Mold can grow on the surface as long as there is high moisture content. Mold can impair the concrete as the acid produced from the mold is able to degrade the concrete strength and integrity. As the mold continues to erode, the concrete will become more porous, thus allowing further intrusion of moisture and bacteria.

8. Peeling Paint

Figure 3: Peeling Paint

When the painted area is exposed to high moisture, the peeling paint will occur and impair the appearance. When there is high moisture content around the area, the water will penetrate through the coats of paint, causing the paint layers to peel off the surface. The moisture can originate from roof leakage, plumbing leakage, etc.

9. Timber Defect

Figure 4: Timber Defect

Timber defect usually occurs in the old building made of timber structures. Some of the factors contributing to the timber defect are environmental exposure, insect infestation, fungal decay, etc. Dry rot and wet rot are the common timber defects that will weaken the timber strength, thus undermining the integrity of the timber structure.

Conclusion

These common building problems may be very troublesome and bothering. It is essential to hire a qualified professional contractor to solve these building problems to prevented worsening.

References

[1] Common Building Defects List. (2020, January 22). Retrieved October 16, 2020, from https://vitalbuildinginspection.com.au/common-building-defects-list/

[2] Top 10 Most Common Construction Defects. (2019, September 11). Retrieved October 16, 2020, from https://atcgroupservices.com/top-10-most-common-construction-defects/

[3] CHIN HANG, H. (2016, September). INVESTIGATION OF DEFECTS IN NEW BUILDINGS IN MALAYSIA. Retrieved from http://eprints.utar.edu.my/2310/1/CM-2016-1101687-1.pdf

[4] Defects in Concrete Structures – Types Causes, Prevention. (2018, November 16). Retrieved October 16, 2020, from https://theconstructor.org/concrete/concrete-defects-types-causes-prevention/8581/

[5] Defects in Concrete Structures – Types Causes, Prevention. (2018, November 16). Retrieved October 16, 2020, from https://theconstructor.org/concrete/concrete-defects-types-causes-prevention/8581/

[6] Fores, J. (2015, October 01). 15 Causes of Peeling Paint on Walls and Ceilings – Dengarden – Home and Garden. Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/Why-do-I-have-Paint-Peeling-Off-in-my-Bathroom-Walls-and-Ceiling

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]]> The Challenges of Landed House Extension https://buildingrepair.my/the-challenges-of-landed-house-extension/ Thu, 10 Sep 2020 09:45:00 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=832 The Challenges Of Landed House Extension Get Quote Introduction Building setback is a mandatory requirement by the Local Authorities (Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan, PBT) for all the types of property development in Malaysia, including landed property such as terrace house, semi-detached, and bungalow type. The setback is a distance between the property line and the land […]

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The Challenges Of Landed House Extension

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Introduction

Building setback is a mandatory requirement by the Local Authorities (Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan, PBT) for all the types of property development in Malaysia, including landed property such as terrace house, semi-detached, and bungalow type. The setback is a distance between the property line and the land boundary line, which no structure or building shall be allowed within the area. However, some of the property owners tend to extend their house to the land boundary line to maximise land usage and build a more usable living space.

The extension of the landed house is not totally prohibited. However, the property owners would expect some challenges or limitations when extending their houses. The following are some of the challenges foreseen.

1. Compliance Issue

PBT understands the requirement of the citizen to having more living space by extending their houses. Hence, PBT provided some loose requirements for landed houses for an extension. They imposed certain limitations for the extension, and the requirements are subjected to different PBT. The property owners are required to engage professional architect or building draughtsman to do proper submission and application to relevant PBT for approval. The property owners shall also ensure the actual construction of the house extension complies with the PBT requirements as submitted.

2. Structural Problem

The property owner is strongly advised to engage professional structural engineer to study and design for the structure of the house extension. Typical property owners would only leave the “design” to an appointed contractor, who normally constructs the structure of house extension by “experience” or “feeling” without proper design. If the contractor is not experienced enough or not feeling correctly, most of the case the owner would face the following problems:

i. Uneven Settlement

In most of the cases, no provision foundation will be provided for house extension during the earlier house development stage. A new foundation shall be designed for a house extension to sustain the additional weight at the area. Proper foundation design shall be provided to avoid severe ground settlement. Besides, if the foundation is not designed properly, the settlement of the extended area would be at a higher magnitude compared to the original building structure, and hence shearing would be happened and causes building cracking.

Figure 1: Crack

ii. Crack

Proper sizing of foundation, columns, and beams shall be designed to sustain the additional weight of the house extension. If the construction of the extension is only based on experience and feeling, the columns and beams might be under-designed, and eventually cracking might be occurred due to overloading. Wall cracks could also happen especially at the extension joints with the main building. Hence, it is important to consult a building consultant to design for the extension so that the structure is safe to occupy.

3. Electrical Problem

Some extensions will encounter electrical problems like the electrical trip. This is caused by the improper electricity installation during the extension works. Electrical tripping is dangerous which may lead to fire occurs in the building.

4. Roof Leakage

The joining between the new roofing and the existing roofing shall be taken care professionally. Proper sealing and waterproofing shall be carried out to avoid roof leakage from the joining points between the extended and the existing building.   

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is advisable to consult with professional consultant and qualified contractor to plan, design and build a proper extension to avoid any house extension problems that give rise to adverse effects in future. 

References

[1] Isnin, Z., Ramli, R., Hashim, A. E., & Ali, I. M. (2012). Sustainable Issues in Low Cost Housing Alteration Projects. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 36, 393-401. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.03.043

[2] Wilkes, L. (2019, November 18). Can Building Work Cause Structural Damage To My Or My Neighbours Home? Retrieved September 18, 2020, from https://www.jefferyandwilkes.co.uk/can-buildingwork-cause-structural-damage/

[3] A, M. (2019, May 07). Certain home renovations in Malaysia may not require permits. Here’s why. Retrieved September 18, 2020, from https://asklegal.my/p/renovations-malaysia-illegal-permit-majlis

[4] What is Subsidence? Your Building May Be Affected: Geobear. (2020, June 25). Retrieved October 16, 2020, from https://www.geobear.co.uk/what-is-subsidence/

[5] Cracking: Is My House About To Fall Down? (2016, December 05). Retrieved October 16, 2020, from https://www.spipropertyinspections.com.au/cracking-is-my-house-about-to-fall-down/

[6] 10 common mistakes builders make when renovating. (2019, February 22). Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.extensionfactory.com.au/10-common-mistakes-builders-make-when-renovating/

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]]> 5 Common Sign of Foundation Problems of a Building https://buildingrepair.my/five-common-sign-of-foundation-problems-of-a-building/ https://buildingrepair.my/five-common-sign-of-foundation-problems-of-a-building/#respond Mon, 24 Aug 2020 09:10:00 +0000 https://buildingrepair.my/?p=810 5 Common Sign of Foundation Problems of a Building Get Quote Introduction Building foundation is a critical structural component for a building. It supports the building self-weight along with the applied loadings. The strength of foundation determines the building’s structural integrity and stability. Hence, the health of the building foundation must be maintained to ensure […]

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5 Common Sign of Foundation Problems of a Building

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Introduction

Building foundation is a critical structural component for a building. It supports the building self-weight along with the applied loadings. The strength of foundation determines the building’s structural integrity and stability. Hence, the health of the building foundation must be maintained to ensure the stability of the building.

Foundation defects would not happen in a single day. It will be generally happened slowly over time, start from a small sign, and gradually propagate to the serious one. Thus it is crucial for us to identify the common signs of foundation defects as early as possible so that necessary rectification could be performed. The most common signs of foundation problems of a building include:

1. Cracking

Figure 1: Cracking

Most of the cracks caused by foundation problems are structural cracks. Shifting foundation will lead to building structure cracking. Soil shrinkage, soil expansion, and foundation settlement are 3 common foundation defects that caused building cracking. These structural cracks are usually more than 3 mm in width and they may be vertical, horizontal, and have zig-zag patterns (stair-step cracks). The moderate wall and floor cracks are typically 5 mm to 15 mm in width while more severe cracks are generally above 15 mm [1].

2. Sticking Doors

Sticking and crooked doors is another potential indication of the foundation defects. As unstable or damaged foundation shifts, settles or cracks, it can distort the shape of the door frames and making the doors unable to latch and could not be opened or closed properly. This foundation problem may occur due to the moisture issues in the basement or the soil movement below the foundation.

3. Sagging and Uneven Floors

Sagging and uneven floors can be directly related to the foundation problems. Since flooring sits directly on top of the foundation, so any sign that the floor is suffering should be seen as a sign of a possible foundation problem. If the floors appear to be out of level, sagging, dipping, or bowing, this could indicate troubles to the building stability caused by foundation problems. Humidity from the water seepage, inadequate foundation waterproofing, and shifting soil are the common culprits of the flooring issues.

4. Uneven Road

The uneven road inside the building compound may indicate that the foundation is having problems as the uneven road is caused by the severe soil movement under the ground. Therefore, the foundation may subject to distortion and shifting which is a very critical issue that may weaken the building’s structural integrity.

5. Broken Drainage

Broken drainage around the building may also be a sign of a foundation problem. This is because when there is foundation shifting due to soil movement, the ground below the drainage will experience movement as well, thereby causing the distortion along the drainage. Hence, the distortion will break the drainage structure since the drainage structure is stiff and inflexible.

Conclusion

All of the above-mentioned signs could indicate some sort of foundation problems. No matter the problem is serious or not, as long as something unusual is observed, the situation warrants further investigation. The first thing to do after identifying those signs is to engage a qualified contractor to perform a thorough inspection to the building. The next step is to have the foundation fixed and restored as close to its original position as possible. By dealing with these foundation issues, the building will be safe to stay and stable.

References

[1] Nurul Nadia Omar Bakri, & Md Azree Othuman Mydin. (2014). General Building Defects: Causes, Symptoms and Remedial Work. European Journal of Technology and Design, 3. doi:10.13187/ejtd.2014.3.4

[2] “This company stood out the most and had great reviews.”. (2020, April 16). Identify 8 Common Signs of Foundation Problems. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://hdfoundationrepair.com/how-to-identify-8-common-signs-of-foundation-problems-in-houses-or-commercial-buildings/

[3] Staff, B. (2019, February 11). 9 Ways to Spot Foundation Problems Around the Home. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://www.budgetdumpster.com/blog/how-to-spot-foundation-problems/

[4] Posted on June 5, 2. (2018, May 25). 6 Signs of Foundation Problems in a Commercial Building: Perma-Pier. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://www.permapier.com/blog/6-warning-signs-foundation-problems-commercial-building/

[5] Signs of Foundation Problems. (2019, August 30). Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://www.olshanfoundation.com/foundation-repair/signs-of-foundation-problems/

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