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<br /> <br />Appendix C <br /> <br />Homebuyer's Guide <br /> <br />Introduction <br /> <br />Every house has Imperfections, some of them serious. The <br />purpose of this guide is to alert the buyer to basic geologic <br />considerations affecting the value, serviceability and long <br />term maintenance of a house or bui lding. Structural flaws <br />can have many causes. They may be of geologic, desl:;Jn, <br />construction, or material origin, or a combination of them. <br /> <br />Look at OUTSIDE <br /> <br />Dnslte lot <br />grading. <br /> <br />A crack In concrete, for example, may be caused by geologic <br />conditions. improper concrete mixing. lack of reinforcing <br />stae I or inadequate so i I or base. <br /> <br />Bas i clot I Deat i ens re 1 at I ve to flood potent I a I. Jnstab I e <br />soils or other geologic hazards often can be cheL ld with <br />city, county or regional planning offices. In some I. tances <br />maps of the hazard areas are ava i I ab Ie. I n case:. where <br />examination of a structure Indicates potential s'lous <br />problems, experts can be retained to evaluate the situa 'on. <br />Such a consulting service can be Inexpensive insurance i ~ a <br />major investment. <br /> <br />This guide is not intended to maka all homebuyers In, <br />geotechn i ca I experts. I t can, however, be used by anyone t, <br />give a property a first screening. <br /> <br />Homebuyer's Geotechnical Inspection Guide <br /> <br />Observation <br /> <br />Lot slopes toward structure; water <br />ponds next to foundation. <br /> <br />Lot has low areas with thick <br />vegetation. <br /> <br />Steep slopes <br /> <br />Landscaping <br /> <br />Vegetation planted ciose to <br />structure and foundation. <br /> <br />Siqnlflcance <br /> <br />Action <br /> <br />Koof runoff and precipitation <br />will flow toward foundation <br />adding water to subsoi Is which <br />in turn cause wet basements, and <br />aggravate potent i a I swe II i ng and <br />col lapsing soi I problems which <br />can cause foundation movement. <br /> <br />~egrade lot so the <br />grade slopes away <br />from the structure <br />In all directions at <br />I east 611 j n the <br />first 10'. <br /> <br />Possible high water table, <br />surface drainage Insufficient. <br />to remove runoff. <br /> <br />Determine if house <br />is above water <br />table or has <br />functioning <br />dewatering system. <br /> <br />Potential areas for rapid <br />erosion and/or instabl I ity. <br /> <br />Control of surface <br />drainage and do <br />not overwater <br />area. If severe, <br />regrading may be <br />required. <br /> <br />Heavy irrigation may cause <br />the same problem cited under <br />lIJot grading." <br /> <br />Contro I i rr i gat i on <br />to prevent <br />application of <br />excess water; <br />landscape and move <br />vegetation. <br /> <br />57 <br />