Slab inspection questions

[kingranch]

What's the typical tolerance for a slab in inches?

I was told 1 inch for new builds..

I'm looking at a home that has 2 inches on either side-2 and +2 almost a slope to make 4 inches.
Surprisingly not much drywall cracking or repairs done.. even outside brick is not cracking.

My next step would be a hydrostatic test but im not sure I'm that crazy about moving forward. Single story home built in mid 90s.

[Twist]

The people I deal with won’t pour a new one if it’s over about a 1/2” difference at any point during a form inspection. They’ll make sure it’s addressed before dropping concrete.

If I’m reading your post correctly, it appears there’s a total of a 4” difference from one point to another on the extremes. That is definitely excessive, and I’d be taking a pass unless further analysis was done and a long term warranted fix was provided.

[El General]

What's the typical tolerance for a slab in inches?

I was told 1 inch for new builds..

I'm looking at a home that has 2 inches on either side-2 and +2 almost a slope to make 4 inches.
Surprisingly not much drywall cracking or repairs done.. even outside brick is not cracking.

My next step would be a hydrostatic test but im not sure I'm that crazy about moving forward. Single story home built in mid 90s.

That is alot, imo. If there isn't any cracking in drywall or brick, that makes me think it was always that way, which would have me wondering what else they didn't do right.

[tx_basser]

Would be a nope for me... would request engineering evaluation.

[Cberry]

Standard would be 1/4" to 5/8" in a 10 feet length. Depends on the floor you want on top as well.

Edit. Sorry I misunderstood the question and thought your talking about flatness of the slab on a new home.

[Dale Moser]

How are you determining the actual slab thickness?


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[Tshelly]

That’s a lot of movement. I’d get repair costs to have the slab leveled before moving forward with the transaction. The interior house could have been repaired since it settled or just not cracked for whatever reason.


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[Preacher Man]

I'm an appraiser and would pick up on that just by walking the rooms. No technical testing or anything like that. I'd feel that big of a difference just by walking the floor plan. Instantly.

[Twist]

How are you determining the actual slab thickness?


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Pretty sure OP is talking about the actual finished floor and not the slab thickness. A 4” difference in the finished floor is huge, it means something either wasn’t done right originally or there’s a pretty major issue that needs to be addressed with regards to settling.

Or possibly both.

[mikemorvan]

A 30 year old house will move. If it is a post tension foundation they are designed to flex. The foundation could have been poured perfectly. In the intervening years, periods of drought, wet years, improper watering by owner may have wreaked havoc with the foundation. Or, it could have been fubar from the outset. There could be a plumbing leak under the foundation causing the issue (easy to test).

Whatever the cause: if you’re not comfortable with it, walk away. If you want the property and would be comfortable with repairs, negotiate repairs. If you’re comfortable with it, use the information as a bargaining chip and negotiate the price down.

Good luck with it all….

[McBar]

Mine had about that - ended up putting in 42 piers. not recommended.

[easeup]

if you buy it, one day this issue will wear you out when you sell it

[Dale Moser]

Pretty sure OP is talking about the actual finished floor and not the slab thickness. A 4” difference in the finished floor is huge, it means something either wasn’t done right originally or there’s a pretty major issue that needs to be addressed with regards to settling.

Or possibly both.

Whoah! Run away fast!


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[Txhunter3000]

More investigation needs to be done. People talk about slabs being out of whack but who really knows how true it was to begin with.

[Wits_End]

1/360 is official engineering evaluation. 1" over 30ft.

I've seen a slab poured with close to what you are saying, very uncommon, but does happen. Absolutely zero evidence of any movement. I saw it on a relatively new house, two story, in las colinas area. Absolutely no way it moved that much with no evidence. I can find plenty of evidence on just 0.5" movement.

My first thought is that i don't trust the measurements, from lots of experience. Do you have a full elevation map to show? Is it linear across the house or a step function?