A carelessly built house is not something you can get away with. Eventually, it will reach a point where it will deteriorate, and it holding together is a matter of pure luck. In which case, calling a professional is a must. One such company that is licensed to engineer and build any type of foundation or hillside repair is Alpha Structural, Inc. in Los Angeles.
In commemoration of its 25th birthday, the organization has decided to share some of the craziest structural inspections they've done over the years, making many internet users question the sanity of some contractors. "A very common issue 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." Below is a series of photos that show what this company tends to find on a daily basis... and it's shocking!
1. Looks like anything goes.
2. Yes! That skull is real, and the police were called!
3. Looks like they missed.
4. Taken during a structural inspection in Hollywood.
5. A one-meter hole. The owners had no idea it was there.
6. Explains why the floors were sagging.
7. A wall created entirely out of concrete filled with washing machines.
8. And there goes the other half of your house.
9. Is that a car jack?
10. A colony of bees created a honeycombed nest on the carcass of a dead animal.
11. This foundation is made up of river rock, some sort of hardened mortar and the tears of the contractors that did it.
12. An interesting view from a basement window.
13. A massive gas pipe discovered during excavation.
14. No this photo was not taken at an angle.
15. These jacks should have never been used as a permanent pier.
