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Concrete Piers Spalling – Building & Pest Inspection – Common Defects No 8

N0 8. Spalling of Concrete Piers (Stumps)

Concrete Pier Spalling

Many high-set or low-set homes built in the middle decades of the last century were set on concrete piers (stumps) which were cast by the builder on site. This approached allowed the builder to cast piers of the required length and unlike timber stumps, they were not prone to fungal decay or termite attack.

Often these piers were cast with hand mixed concrete and the quality of the castings was variable, particularly in regard to the positioning of the steel reinforcement which corrodes when it is too close to the external surface of the concrete.

The problem occurs once the steel in the stump is exposed to moisture and air causing corrosion to start. This corrosion expands the steel and breaks the concrete apart, this is called “spalling”. If this is allowed to continue it can eventually lead to structural failure of the pier.

You may hear the scary term “concrete cancer” used to describe this problem.  However, there is no need to panic as it is often relatively easy to fix.

Should you have concrete pier defects which mention spalling or corrosion of embedded steel in your Pre Purchase Inspection and Building Inspection Report, ABIS recommends you get a quote from a re-stumping professional so you are fully aware of the costs that are involved in fixing the problem. Typically, a pier can be replaced or repaired for between $400 and $1000 depending on the length of the pier and ease of access to conduct the work.

ABIS building and pest inspections are conducted to the highest standard by building inspectors with a minimum of 10 years experience together with the highest professional qualifications in their field. ABIS has been in business over 27 years conducting both building and timber pest inspections.

Our highly recommended home inspectors are all long term trusted employees not here today gone tomorrow sub-contractors. ABIS Inspectors are supported by a unique computer aided inspection system and the latest inspection equipment such as high sensitivity thermal cameras costing thousands of dollars that others don’t often have.

When you book a pre-purchase inspection with ABIS, our friendly local (they know the area and are not in a interstate or overseas call centre) staff will make the whole process easy for you. Our Office team make all the arrangements with you, your agent, the vendor, the tenant (if there is one) and you will be sent an email to confirm the inspection time along with a pre-engagement letter which covers the scope of the inspection. Good communication and local knowledge are key to you getting the most out of your building and pest inspection. We are always happy to answer all your questions and you are most welcome to be on site when we do the inspection. Our technology, systems and processes also mean you get your high quality report shortly after your inspection is completed.

And all this for an incredible low price.

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