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You might be unpleasantly surprised by what structural inspectors can find in buildings, even the ones that apparently look safe and sound. From faulty foundations and cracked floors to frankly dangerous attempts by home-owners to fix huge flaws, there are some buildings that are simply best to avoid.

The company Alpha Structural, Inc. posts the most jaw-dropping photos from their inspections online. The pictures are often so shocking that it’s a wonder the buildings are still standing, and that nobody got hurt. The number of dangerous things the California-based company spots on a day-to-day basis is mind-boggling, so here are the very best examples.

Keep scrolling down, upvote what you think are the worst things seen on structural inspections, and share with your friends. And if you’re in the mood for some more architectural weirdness, here’s Bored Panda’s other list of horrible stuff spied during inspections by Alpha Structural, Inc.

More info: alphastructural.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

#1

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

This is an old turntable used for cars back in the day. Some also may call this a Lazy Susan! It was used for cars back in the late 1800's to early 1900's for easy access and movement. Cars back had a bigger turning radius so they had the turntable to help out.
The build date and fabrication number was stamped into the center of the steel. You can see that the turntable was built on Dec 11th, 1917. This thing was discovered while doing an earthquake inspection for a large industrial building in DTLA.

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varwenea
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope they savaged it and took it to a history and industry museum, assuming these are rare enough.

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R.s. Potter
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are still made. People who live on narrow inner city lots sometimes have them installed in their driveways.

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Pamela Scott
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is amazing. I knew they used them in some rail yard for trains but had no idea that made them for horseless carriages!

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Nic Schoowert
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How was it used in the late 1800s if it was built in 1917? 🤔

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Mer
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It looks like it's about to fall through and the weight of one more car is all it'd take.

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D. Pitbull
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow... considering all the crappily made buildings today... this shows they REALLY don't make 'em like they used to???

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Rose Brien Harrington
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

VERY good idea!!! I've put lazy susans into all my cupboards, makes everything so much easier to reach.

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Kathy Trites
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had one in our garage growing up in the 70s. All the kids would try to make it spin like a ride until one day my mom drove in and we scattered but couldn't stop it in time. One dented car later, my dad poured concrete down the shaft. Sigh

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El Lie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They use these a lot in Japan. Granted more modern versions, but same princinples. Its to get the cars around 90 degrees corners with the smallest possible place

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Alpha Structural, Inc. told Bored Panda more about what the company does in an interview. “There are many factors that can affect the repair of a home such as budget constraints, timing, accessibility of workspace, etc. For the most part we would put the responsibility on the contractors that were hired to do the work. Most homeowners are not aware of the repair “methods” used, especially when the work is under the home. For example, we’ve seen brick foundations that have been “retrofitted” by bolting the framing to the brick walls. However, this doesn’t serve any purpose as the bricks can’t hold these bolts. Many times the homeowner had no idea that there was any problem performing this type of retrofit on a brick foundation. Without trying to sound cliché, we can say the old maxim, “you get what you pay for” holds true when selecting a contractor to repair, or upgrade your home’s foundation.”

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The company’s representative Ben Reinhart also revealed to Bored Panda what he thinks is the very worst building encountered so far: “I would say one of the worst homes we inspected was back in 1992. We went to a 3 story hillside home located in Playa del Rey. The condition of the soil supporting the home was so bad that, during our assessment, we found that the home was cracking and actually moving. We are not alarmists in any sense but this was the first time we had to evacuate. Temporary shoring was put in the next morning to prevent the home from collapsing. The complexity of the repair required, getting a large rig on a steep hillside to excavate a 55’ deepened foundation, made this one of the worst most challenging in our long history. Let’s just say if we were on a reality TV show, this episode would’ve been a season finale.”

#2

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Image 1: This was a column on a soft-story retrofit project we have in Los Angeles. As you can see, the column has rusted to a point that it has become very brittle and weak. At the time this was discovered, emergency shoring was put into place for additional support.

That very same night, the Ridgecrest Earthquake happened. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Ridgecrest, California, some 100 miles away from Los Angeles.

Image2: Once we came back to the property the very next day, we noticed the entire column had snapped in half due to the movement from the quake! If we hadn't installed that additional shoring, the unit above may have met the ground...

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Alpha Structural, Inc. also had some advice for home-owners about making sure the buildings they own are safe and sound to live in. “Basic maintenance will keep your home strong for a long time to come. Our advice would be to clean out gutters, ensure you have downspouts that direct water away from your foundation and see that the hardscape (walkways, patios, etc.) and landscape grade away from the home. Most foundation problems are caused by water and poor drainage. If you look under your home, check to see that there is no earth to wood contact. Not only will moisture from the ground get to the wood and cause rot, it also allows for wood destroying organisms to get to the framing of your home. Additionally, earthquake retrofitting is a cost-effective upgrade encouraged by not only engineering communities, but also local and state officials.”

“In order to be a structural assessor it is required you have years of experience in the field of construction. They must be familiar with all types of building construction and must understand current building code and hillside building codes,” Reinhart explained. “Remember, we are not dealing with new construction, we deal with existing structures which may have had many repairs over the course of its life. As far as values we require that no one is an alarmist and honesty is key. All homeowners have options when repairing their home. Our job is to explain all of those options and let them choose what they want to do, it is their home after all. We recommend that when buying a home, get all of your inspections done. This would include a general home inspection, foundation, sewer, plumbing, etc. If you own a home and think there might be foundation or structural issues, make sure that the contractor you decide to hire is reputable and knowledgeable. Due diligence would include looking at their reviews online and checking their status with the CSLB to verify that they are licensed for the work they are performing.”

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The company refers to itself as “the most trusted foundation repair contractors in Los Angeles and Southern California” on its website and has over 10,200 followers on Instagram.

#3

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

This was a retaining wall being held up by a chain...


I would recommend walking on the opposite side of the road.

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Pelleh Din
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very useful. Someone you don't like walks by, you unlock the chain accidentally...

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Alpha Structural, Inc. has told Bored Panda in a previous interview that “besides having a stellar reputation, we're called out to inspect and propose solutions to many structural issues. We mainly are called to inspect when there are issues such as sloping floors, failed retaining walls, etc."

"A very common engineering fail we see is mid-century hillside homes that are sinking. They were often built with shallow footings that are prone to sink over time. Additionally, there is a lot of expansive soil in Los Angeles which, due to its high clay content, expands and contracts. This leads to corners or sides of a home that sink."

#4

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

This had to be the first image because it is by far my favorite this week. The absolute definition of a "DIY" project. This entire crawlspace was filled with tree branch posts, many of which were resting upon rocks and logs. I like to think it's just a person's bad hiding spot in a game of prop hunt. This one will fall some day. I will keep you posted.

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Dianna Siever
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know this is me showing my supreme ignorance, but what is so bad about logs holding up the building? Why would they have less structural integrity than say, a 6x6 if they measure the same?

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"I would say we're more likely to be surprised by what's under the home than the structure itself! Although, while we are not alarmist in any way, every once in a while, we will come across a structure that we are surprised is still standing," the Alpha Structural, Inc.’s representative previously told Bored Panda. The company, which a few months ago celebrated its 25th birthday, has inspected tens of thousands of properties. That’s the reason why the company has lots of experience and its inspectors can quickly spot structural problems."

"We always recommend earthquake retrofitting your home," the company added when asked about improving a home’s safety. "It's no surprise seismic activity is prevalent in Los Angeles, so taking the time to retrofit your home is key. Also, most foundation problems are caused because of no drainage, or poor drainage around the home. The most cost-effective solution to preserve your foundation is to make sure your yard slopes away from the structure and that your gutters and downspouts are cleaned and route the water away.”

#5

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

A hillside deck with some inward leaning posts. I would not want to be that guy up top.

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Living in California can seem like the best place on Earth, what with the state’s brilliant beaches, friendly folks and wonderful weather. However, it’s no paradise for buildings. Year in and year out, California is ravaged by vicious wildfires and constant earthquakes. How many earthquakes, you ask? Well, just in the last year alone there have been over 17,000 in or near the state. Mind-blowing, wouldn't you agree?

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The Los Angeles Times writes that people can do more before the “next big quake hits California”, for example: bolting bookshelves firmly to walls, so they don’t move around or fall down and using putty to stick fragile things to shelves. Earthquake engineer Keith Porter told the media that he’d like the state’s lawmakers to raise California’s minimum building requirements. According to the expert, the current standards are lacking: “People think a new building is earthquake-proof. But really, all it’s supposed to do is not collapse and kill you. The damage can be so costly that you can’t afford to fix it; that it doesn’t make sense to fix it.”

#6

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

We've seen a few dolls under homes before, but this one may take the cake on the creepiest one so far.

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#8

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Somebody has some serious Jenga skills!

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#9

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

This is the result of the Kool-Aid man failing to break through...


But on a more serious note, this is a brick wall that had no reinforcement on either side. Over time, the weight from above caused the bowing of this wall. The earth below was actually quite sturdy but the rest of the home wasn't.
There was also some dirt on the other side, which caused the wall to bow inward as opposed to outward. We like to call it an inverse surcharge.

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#10

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Sometimes the access points to these crawlspaces can be a bit rough...

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Magpie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We ( Australia) know that in general the Caucasian population has increased in height and weight quite a lot. Because of old preserved navy uniforms. ... Is there any reason this can not be made bigger?. (my neighborhood most of the houses are about 120 years old. and had same minor problem - fixed with the other things due to age).

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#11

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

This was an old 1900's apartment building that was being held up by some less then effective stud supports. You can see the newer members to the right and left of the original support. They had to trim down the newer ones to compensate for the sagging that was caused by the originals. Scary stuff.

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#12

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

This was the skull of some very large animal we found under a crawlspace. It isn't just a normal rat or opossum skull as it was the size of a basketball. My guess would be some sort of alien (such as E.T.) or a Silver Back Gorilla, but I'm not too sure.

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Julie Wolf
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably a deer. Definitely an herbivore because of the rear molars and lack of incisors. It's hard to tell because there's nothing to use for size comparison.

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#13

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

We found some vintage... booklets in the crawlspace of this home. No, we did not take them and sell them to collectors.

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#14

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

MDF, or Medium Density Fiber Board, is used in a lot of furniture and aesthetic pieces. This type of material should NOT be used for anything structural. A lot of the time it isn't treated well for moisture or natural elements. This is what happens when it becomes exposed to water over a short period of time... it will begin to fray out and decay. It looks like mold, but it's actually the wood fibers being pulled apart due to moisture. Don't use MDF for your structural work!

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Leo Domitrix
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What idiot used MDF?! Sorry, I had to ask... These are all cringewortthy pics, but htis one? Yeesh!

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#15

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Yes, that is a stone acting as a concrete pier for the post. *Insert joke about the post being stoned here*

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Bill
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Plenty of 200+ year old homes in New England still stand with this set up

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#16

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

This was a massive sinkhole that opened up in the back of somebody's property. The pictures don't show it well, but the hole is 12' deep and about 6' wide. At the bottom you can clearly see an old clay pipe from the city. It hasn't been used in many, many years. It was thought to be an issue involving a septic cap. It's possible the cap caved in to the tank and caused this massive hole to open. This thing was scary to stand next to in person.

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Tambot
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sure the pictures don't do it justice; the whole "sink hole" thing is incredibley scary but so interesting

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#17

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This was a hillside deck that had rotted and been damaged by termites over many years. The result is a decayed, unstable and leaning deck that is ready to slip.

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Magpie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one is scary to me. Is there a phobia about being scared of houses landing on you? .....or am I just a persecuted witch?

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#18

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

An older pier that wasn't even in contact with the post above. This would normally cause some dipping in the floors over time.

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A B C
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seems like the rest of the support beams are taking one for the team here. Hooray for you, Team Support Beams!

#19

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Here we have a classic garden wall with improper footings and tie-ins to the other wall. It could also be the result of a "surcharge." A surcharge is the result of pressure being built up against a surface, usually caused by the settlement of nearby structures, such as a house. I put that in layman's terms so don't yell at me for not being technical.

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Brandy Grote
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had a wall down from a Bougainvillea pushing against the wall. I showed the gardener months before and asked that the neighbor's plant be trimmed back. They didn't trim much. In a very heavy windstorm, 60 feet of wall came down. But we have good insurance and it's better than before.

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#20

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We also specialize in soft-story retrofits. These are under a mandatory ordinance by the city of LA and many other surrounding cities. We were called out to inspect and correct a recently completed project done by another company.


This was the actual finished product by this other group... Now, we have been doing these retrofits since before the city ordinance, but many companies jumped on the bandwagon to make a quick buck. This is the result of a "quick buck" job. The cheapest isn't always the best option folks.

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Brandy Grote
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sadly many want and need cash up front to start work. Many claim to need to full amount up front, leaving the owner with no recourse but small claims, which is costly and takes ages.

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#21

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This is a post that had been spliced together with another random piece of wood. Why somebody would do this is beyond me.

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Jonathon Smith
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Standard repair technique (for agricultural buildings) in my neck of the woods

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#22

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If you go around East Los Angeles, you'll see this sort of crack in retaining walls on almost every single block. These homes in Silver Lake, East LA, Mount Washington, etc. are all on a moving land mass and when mixed with water and quakes, it makes for a good damage sandwich.

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#23

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

As I was thinking of what to say for this caption I forgot there was a plastic skeleton and giant skull to the left and felt any other comment besides mentioning those would be a disservice to you guys. But the post is a bit wonky too.

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Tambot
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least they have metal brackets! Better than some we have seen... I guess that's not saying much

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#24

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Those nails are doing a great job holding nothing together.

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#25

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Would you feel safe with framing like this holding up your home? Me neither.
This is pretty common in older homes around Los Angeles. Years of water damage and those pesky termites will eventual cause some pretty bad rotting and instability.

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Leo Domitrix
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I went with the inspector when we were looking to buy a home. Saw something similar. We didn't buy that place. Someone did, heaven help them, but not us.

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#26

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Lean with it, rock with it!

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#27

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

To the untrained eye, this may seem like nothing, but try and take a closer look. The entire house is leaning at a 45 degree angle. Scary stuff being under a home like this. A glass drops above and boom, that puppy drops. (not really but it is scary)

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M O'Connell
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The good news is that is has already fallen half-way. The other half won't be nearly as dramatic.

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#28

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

And here we have the entrance to the next level of Super Mario Bros. It doesn't actually go through the foundation wall, though by the looks of it, that wall could be easily broken apart. The whole foundation needs to be replaced. Very brittle.

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#29

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

Uneven flooring? Here's your issue. Earth to wood contact. That's just asking for wood rot and termite infestations.

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Brandy Grote
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our floor is uneven, but it's just a slab. Earthquakes do make things wobbly.

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#30

Dangerous-Weird-Things-Structural-Inspections

A nice little girder with no bracing. It's also just smashing down the existing "post" and pier.
You'll see this sort of thing all over LA. Instead of putting in a proper post, people will install random pieces of wood under a girder to help support the home. The problem with this is that it's almost never braced and the wood used is often untreated. They rot much faster than most pieces. I'll also add that this doesn't necessarily compromise the structure.

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Note: this post originally had 85 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.