# Structural issues with my condo



## Fraser19 (Aug 23, 2013)

Hello,

I am curious as to what you guys think I can do about this. My girlfriend purchased a condo about three years ago, in that time somehow the condo is shifting and one of the structural support beams in the floor is pushing up on our floor and has caused the floor to lift about half of an inch. We have contacted the condo board three times and they have finally started to look into it. This has caused the hardwood to have gaps between the pieces and has also caused cracks in the walls to form.

They have stated that they are looking into it but they are not sure what they can do. Since we are looking at selling the condo, we are concerned about how this will negatively effected the price we sell it for. One person we talked to said the condo board should pay us as something that is not our property is casing damage to something that is our property.

I am wondering what you guys think about what can be done for this situation. 

Really I guess what I am wondering is, since the structure of the building is damaging out condo, are we liable? or is someone else?

Thanks,
Fraser


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

People have to stop thinking about "the condo" being a separate entity with its own money. The condo is still partially you.

If the building is in need of repairs, the money for those repairs comes from you (at least partially, depending on the your portion of the whole). 

Your condo fees are designed to cover these costs, but for major repairs (if required) you can expect a special assessment. The condo is not there to compensate you, it's there to cover the expenses of the common area. 

My guess is, if there is a major structural problem, it won't be an easy or cheap fix. They probably can't get money back from the developer, as there are tricks like declaring bankruptcy every few years which gets them off the hook, so they have to look into the best solution for the condo as a whole.

As to how it'll affect your price, it'll probably go down. You aren't entitiled to compensation for it, as ultimately it's your money that has to pay for it as you own the problem. 

Best case scenario, they find an ecconomical solution and your special assessment isn't too high. If it makes you feel any better, units who aren't affected by the shift are also paying a portion of your repairs.

I have heard that some insurance policies cover special assessments in certain cases, but I've never tried to claim it in my case (though I have the clause).


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## Fraser19 (Aug 23, 2013)

Well the condo board seems to be working well with us now as it is becoming more serious. They are bringing in a specialist.
Also as you mentioned the company that built it did go bankrupt due to massive issues in several building they built. 

Its unfortunate as these were built in 07 and there has been a significant number of issues that has needed to be repaired in the building.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

The worst case scenario is the building is not fixable and becomes condemned. I've heard of that happening too. Then,of course, you're out the entire amount of the purchase and hope your insurance doesn't decline coverage...


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Fraser19 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am curious as to what you guys think I can do about this. My girlfriend purchased a condo about three years ago, in that time somehow the condo is shifting and *one of the structural support beams in the floor is pushing up on our floor and has caused the floor to lift about half of an inch.* We have contacted the condo board three times and they have finally started to look into it. This has caused the hardwood to have gaps between the pieces and has also caused cracks in the walls to form.
> 
> ...


Is this a row unit where it has a main floor at ground level and a basement..or a stacked condo? 

Did you mean a FLOOR JOIST in your floor?
or an actual support beam that supports all the floor joists in your floor that has settled?


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

It sounds to me like a huge problem...it may be unsafe to continue to occupy. It may be crush blocks were left out on the floor joists. Someone needs to do some destructive investigation.


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## westcoast (Jan 28, 2013)

You may want to check your posting as it seems personal information in photographs is available through the linked condo photograph.


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## Fraser19 (Aug 23, 2013)

It is a condo building that has three levels, our condo is on the bottom level.
As far as what is in the floor that's pushing it up, I don't totally know I don't have much background in construction.

The guy who checked it out (Building maintenance man) said that it was a structural support beam that cannot be moved or modified. 

They are going to bring in an expert, but they need to clear it with the board on the second Tuesday of next month. As far as safety, who knows but I often think about that department store in Korea that collapsed in 1995 when walking through the halls. But that's just my imagination getting the best of me.

One of the board members stated that the building has a 10 year warranty, but I am not convinced he knows what he is talking about. So I will keep CMF updated as I find out more, but I am hoping that this turns out to be someone else s responsibility to fix, but we will see what happens.


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## donald (Apr 18, 2011)

might be as simple as readjusting the teleposts
They can be brought down(3 yrs is still 'newish')
I have seen this multiple times
This could be it and it is a easy fix
a 1/2 '' is pretty minor 
Has a lot to do with our Canadian climate and season changes
mother nature is a nasty women to anything built here(expanding/contracting)/summer/winter)


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## donald (Apr 18, 2011)

Its physics
the ground is in constant flux
that is why we have tele-posts and you are prob on one that is rising a bit 
just needs to be dropped,few good turns with a wrench


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Could also be a lack of humidity. Our 60 year old townhouse is exhibiting the same things and I am pretty sure the wood is getting dried out over the winter.

A humidifier would help solve that.........but we will see what happens in the wet spring.


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## donald (Apr 18, 2011)

its likely the piles 
the condo likely has a mechanical crawl space
the structural beams are set into the foundation walls at each end but by code the span would def call for vertical supports(ie adjustable tele-posts)
Piles are cones of concrete that are deep into the ground(well below the frost line)
thermo changes are common when weather starts warming
the ground warms and expands and thrusts up beneath/under the piles which puts upward pressure on the vertical supports


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

donald said:


> Its physics
> the ground is in constant flux
> that is why we have tele-posts and you are prob on one that is rising a bit
> just needs to be dropped,few good turns with a wrench


You mean the jackposts that support the main I-beam where the floor joists sit on?

Not seeing it of course, it would depend on where the floor joint is that is raised by 1/2 inch. If that happened to
be on an edge of the subfloor plywood, and the floor joist has sunk a bit, the edges of the plywood subfloor would
not meet properly to be level to each other.

Adjusting the jackpost down may do the trick, but they need to see exactly where the jackpost that affects that
floor issue is...there may be more than one jackpost supporting the I-beam depending on the span of the I-beam.


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## donald (Apr 18, 2011)

I am not sure 100% just taking educated guesses
It would be a starting points
I would throw a laser line level from end to end of the main I beam to see if there is a movement(they could all be 'high' causing a bow
the actual joists run the opposite way of the I beam which can further distort things
A journeyman carpenter and building engineer would be able to assess it
Would who the 'specialist' is?is that code for a expensive engineer?


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

I agree the problem may be minor if solid wood 2x10' joists were used but if manufactured joists then a beam pushing up enough to spread hardwood flooring is abnormal. The same goes for a telepost...if the beam is a built up 2x12 4 ply then it is subject to shrinkage (even 1/2') since douglas fir is not generally kiln dried. If the beam is a manufactured micro lam then something serious is wrong. Piles and footing should never move as the foundation beneath a condominium would never be subject to freezing ground. A leaking water line may do it though.

I agree any decent framer could assess and repair this problem...unless it is the absence of crush blocks...then its condemned.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Eder said:


> If the beam is a manufactured micro lam then something serious is wrong. Piles and footing should never move as the foundation beneath a condominium would never be subject to freezing ground. *A leaking water line may do it though.*
> 
> I agree any decent framer could assess and repair this problem...unless it is the absence of crush blocks...then its condemned.


This would be my guess..with this harsh winter, lots of water lines have frozen and burst. if that happens to be the case, underneath the foundation, then there should be some evidence. 

Do they still use 2x10s in new construction? 
My house (built 42 years ago uses 2x8s in the floor joists..which shrink down to about 1.5 x 7 inches when they dry out...but then I don't see any of the subfloor seams being pushed up... even with 2x8s.


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## OhGreatGuru (May 24, 2009)

The problem seems to be with the condo board as much as with the structure. The board isn't moving fast enough to investigate a serious problem before it causes more damage.

Put every complaint in writing.
Start keeping a file.
Keep asking (in writing) when they will have it investigated and corrected.


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