Field Findings

Real defects, documented during real inspections across the Richmond-to-Williamsburg corridor. Here are some examples, grouped by where we found them.

Foundation & Crawlspace Structure

Piers, girders, and joists, found by going into the crawlspace.

Foundation pier leaning out of plumb in crawl space.
Masonry foundation pier leaning out of plumb.
Cracked masonry pilaster needing structural engineering review.
Cracked pilaster that needs a structural engineer’s evaluation.
Foundation pier lacking evidence of a poured concrete footer.
Pier resting on soil without evidence of a proper concrete footer.
Dry-stacked concrete block pier improperly leveled under floor support.
Dry-stacked masonry pier out of level beneath girder.
Subfloor girder beam with inadequate length shifting on compressible shims.
Short girder beam shifting on improper compressible shims.
Floor joists spanning excessive distance without support.
Overspanned floor joists lacking intermediate support.

Masonry & Settlement

Crack patterns tell a story — the job is distinguishing cosmetic aging from active movement.

Step crack running along exterior brick foundation mortar joints.
Stair-step crack pattern in exterior foundation brickwork.
Close-up of active diagonal stair-step crack in exterior masonry mortar.
Close-up of a step crack in foundation mortar.
Large structural crack in foundation masonry beside crawl space access door.
Significant foundation crack at a crawlspace entrance.
Structural crack and misaligned masonry indicating localized foundation settlement.
Masonry cracking consistent with localized settlement.
Aging masonry foundation pier with spalling brick and crumbling mortar.
Aging brick pier with spalling and degraded mortar joints.
Crumbling brick support pier with deteriorated original lime mortar.
Historic pier with soft lime mortar wash-out.

Moisture & Drainage

Water damage builds slowly and costs a lot to fix. We check suspect areas with a moisture meter.

Standing water ponding around concrete foundation pier in crawl space.
Standing water ponding around a crawlspace pier.
Wooden floor joist with fungal growth and moisture decay.
Floor joist with fungal decay and wood rot.
Moisture meter verifying high moisture percentage in crawl space floor joist.
Moisture meter showing a high reading in a floor joist.
Soil sloping inward toward home foundation causing negative drainage.
Negative grading directing runoff toward the foundation.
Gutter downspout discharging water directly next to foundation on negative grade.
Downspout discharging at the foundation on negative grade.
Fallen, sagging, and degraded fiberglass insulation under crawl space subfloor.
Fallen, moisture-degraded subfloor insulation.

Roof & Exterior

A drone gets close enough to see small roof details clearly.

Lifted and unsealed roof shingle exposed to wind lift.
Lifted shingle with a broken adhesive seal strip.
Asphalt roof shingle improperly overlapping an attic roof vent.
Roof vent partially blocked by improper shingle placement.
Damaged roof shingles surrounding open chimney flue missing cap.
Shingle damage beside an un-capped chimney flue.
Roof rake edge metal flashing detaching from gable roof perimeter.
Rake edge flashing separating from the roof edge.
Rotting fascia board showing moisture entry and wood decay at gutter line.
Moisture entry and rot in fascia trim at the gutter line.
Exterior wall lacking house wrap water resistive barrier behind vinyl siding.
Vinyl siding installed without a water-resistive barrier.

Interior Clues of Structural Movement

Small interior symptoms often point to what’s happening below the floor. We follow them down.

Gap between kitchen cabinet and wall suggesting structural floor movement.
Kitchen cabinet gap suggesting floor movement below.
Cracked kitchen countertop sealant gap suggesting underlying floor settlement.
Separated countertop sealant — a subfloor movement indicator.
Gap between bottom baseboard trim and wood flooring indicating floor sag.
Baseboard separation gap indicating floor sag.
Gap beneath fireplace hearth tile indicating subfloor settlement or sagging.
Gap under a fireplace hearth from joist deflection.
Cracked interior door casing trim indicating potential foundation settlement movement.
Trim crack that can point to foundation movement.
Kitchen cabinet pulling away from wall surface indicating floor sagging.
Wall cabinet separating from drywall — another movement clue.

Safety & Fire Hazards

Not every defect is structural — some are the kind you want fixed before move-in day.

Exposed interior Romex electrical wiring vulnerable to physical damage.
Unprotected NM (Romex) wiring in a living space.
Kinked and crushed flexible dryer vent duct posing lint restriction and fire hazard.
Kinked dryer exhaust duct — a lint and fire hazard.
Combustible vinyl flexible dryer vent hose routed in crawl space.
Combustible vinyl dryer duct routed through a crawlspace.
Unrated garage pull-down attic ladder breaching fire barrier.
Garage pull-down ladder breaching the fire separation.
Dryer vent duct improperly cut through structural wooden sill plate.
Dryer exhaust notched through a structural sill plate.
Improperly constructed concrete masonry unit CMU chimney flue.
Improper CMU chimney construction lacking standard clearances.

Every Finding Ends Up in Your Report

Each defect is photographed, located, and prioritized in a same-day interactive report — so you know what needs a contractor, what needs an engineer, and what just needs a weekend.

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