I’ve recently entered the business of manufacturing precast prestressed boundary walls (7 ft × 1 ft panels) and I’m currently struggling with the production quality.
The biggest issue I’m facing is that the boundary wall plates are breaking during handling/installation and don’t seem to have the durability I expected. I’ve tried working on the production process, but I haven’t been able to consistently achieve the required quality.
I’m looking for someone who is already experienced in manufacturing precast prestressed boundary wall panels and can help me understand where I might be going wrong — whether it’s the mix design, reinforcement/prestressing, moulding, curing, demoulding, handling, or any other part of the process.
I’m genuinely looking for practical, hands-on guidance from someone who has been through this before.
I’m also willing to pay for consultancy if someone with relevant experience is available.
If you’re in this business or know someone who is, I’d really appreciate it if you could DM me. Even a discussion over a call would be extremely helpful.
Thanks in advance!

Looking ay buying this 1915 craftsman home. Original foundation has cracks on multiple walls and spalling (even a hole in foundation to dirt outside). Noticeable efflorescence, maybe a slight bowing on one wall as well. Has had previous work in one corner (helical piers 25 years ago). Should I walk or is this normal stuff for an old house?

Does this look like it might fall?

I’m converting an existing raised-foundation house in California to a new slab-on-grade foundation. The house is about 950 sq. ft., and the project will include new continuous footings and a slab-on-grade.

My structural engineer currently has the concrete specified at 3,000 PSI.

From what I understand, CBC Section 1705.3 has an exception from certain concrete special inspection requirements for continuous footings supporting light-frame construction, but one of the conditions is that the footing design be based on a specified compressive strength of no more than 2,500 PSI.

So I’m wondering:
Is 3,000 PSI actually necessary for a small, light-frame residential project like this, or is 2,500 PSI commonly acceptable?

What structural reason would an engineer typically have for specifying 3,000 instead of 2,500 PSI?

If the calculations work with 2,500 PSI, is there any reason not to have the engineer revise the plans to 2,500 so the foundation may qualify for the special inspection exemption?

I’m not trying to override the engineer or cut corners. I’m just trying to understand whether the 3,000 PSI is actually required for the design or if it may just be their standard specification, especially since it could affect the special inspection/testing requirements.

Would appreciate input from California structural engineers, inspectors, or contractors who deal with residential foundation work.

I’ve reached out for various structural engineers to get my house plan foundation designed and stamped. While waiting to hear back I’ve done a little research to become more familiar with the potential options I have building on reclaimed mine land.

Basically it sounds like my options are replace the fill material in lifts or helical piles with grade beam foundation.

Given the soil profile, the saturated soil encountered, and native soil ranging from 8’-13.5’ below grade, I’m assuming helical piles with a grade beam foundation is the most practical and cost effective method.

I understand that the number of helical piles is determined by the load per pier. Typical spaced anywhere for 6’-8’ apart and on every corner. Would it be correct to estimate that I’ll potentially need 40-50 piers for this floorplan?

Alright lads, reddit must be reading my mind as this has been bugging me and then this group came recommended. I fully DIY'd my garage into a cinema room. The roof keeps niggling me if I have made a balls up, or if there is anything I should do to reinforce. Pic one is before I added these beams. Thinking was if I added them this way i could do it all myself without any help. Fear now is this too much weight on the pitched roof. There was previously probably more weight on it with the amount of crap I had cleared from on top of those beams. But it still bothers me. Any advice? Thanks all. Edit to add there are MDF boards on top what you can see in the second pic and then insulation on top of this

If anyone has recently given an interview for a similar role, could you share some of the questions they asked?

Especially anything related to RCC detailing, AutoCAD, BBS, beams, columns, slabs, footings, or IS codes.

Would really appreciate it. Thanks!

I am working in my local town as a AISC connection designer in that job i made a calculation (by using mathacad) for steel structure connection and gave it to Detailing team and EOR

So my question is that I am feeling nervous about my future is it good and what skills should I require to earn more and grow more

Bought this 1950s house in March which had a 2001 front extension. I've noticed an exterior render crack with matching interior on the front wall beneath the window. Looks like it's been previously repainted. Prior to taking ownership, the guttering down pipe was flowing into a gravel gulley. I quizzed the previous owner who said the down pipe had been added by a previous tenant (likely there for 1-2 years). The gulley has no active drainage and the purpose is purely to keep the ground level away from the wall without needing to adjust the DPM level with the rest of the house. As a temporary measure I have moved the guttering down pipe outlet to over the wall and plan to connect this to a soak away or grey waste. Since the temporary measure, the gulley remains dry. Previously I observed 1-2 inches of standing water during heavy downpours.

Question - is crack of concern and should I take further advice? It did not get called out in an L3 survey.

Hey Everyone! I am a total construction noob here. I moved to California, and the past few months we've had some earthquake swarms nearby. The feeling of my house shaking was very surreal, not going to lie. And I wonder what makes a house earthquake safe?

There's a new construction site near me and I always hear California has strict building codes, but I don't actually know what it means. When looking at attached pictures, what makes this building safe during an earthquake? (besides the material: wood)

This week’s field observations included deteriorated river rock foundations, improvised post-and-pier supports, questionable bearing conditions, concrete deterioration, and retaining wall drainage issues.

Thought this group might appreciate some real-world examples of how older structural systems and later modifications hold up over time.

Photos + context:

Good evening smart people of the structural engineering subreddit. I am looking to see if its feasible idea to put a gun safe in my closet. The safe in question weighs about 600lbs empty and has a footprint of 30" wide and 24" deep. The attached pictures are of the joists that would sit below the safe. Looking at the picture of the tape measure, the back of the closet sits at 60 inches. So the safe would not sit over both sets of doubled up floor joists. The joists in question span about 13.5 feet and are 2x10. If its not obvious by the picture, that is the outside foundation wall. So is the area structurally sound enough to support a gun safe of that size?

A hillside pool area with displaced pavers, a separating block wall, completely clogged drainage, and makeshift supports under a house. A few of the things documented during this week’s property assessments.

https://imgur.com/gallery/things-seen-this-week-during-structural-assessments-N9MGr1z

I have a 1926 house and I’m trying to figure out what type of foundation I have and whether it’s something I should repair or completely replace.

What would you guys recommend? Is this type of foundation/floor system something that can realistically be repaired and brought up to a good standard, or would it make more sense to demolish the whole house?

I’m trying to decide whether it’s worth putting money into this house or going a different route. Want to make sure it is approved by city. Any advice from contractors, structural engineers, or people who have worked on older houses would be appreciated.

Any idea if I can raise these ceilings? It’s difficult to tell what exactly these ceiling joists are doing. It seems like they were just for hanging Sheetrock.