4 April 2023

Jason Roberts
2860 S Hudson St
Denver, CO 80222
[email protected]
(607) 643-3226

Dan Canda, P.E.

J2.26 Engineering
5765 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. Unit 28
Arvada, CO 80002
[email protected]
(c ) (720) 937-2055
(o) (720) 452-8117

RE: Structural Review at 2860 S Hudson St., Denver, CO 80222

J2.26 Project #: 23069
Inspection Date: 3/31/23

Shawna,
At your request, on behalf of your client, J2.26 Engineering arrived at 2860 S Hudson St. in Denver,
Colorado to inspect and comment on the general structural integrity of the building located on the property. I
understand that the home is up for sale. A general home inspection has recently been completed. A comment
regarding the foundation raised concern, which is why you contact J2.26 Engineering. I am not aware of any other
inspections on this home.

General building description:

The property is located on the east side of S Hudson Street. The building is a single story traditional wood
frame building with a finished basement. The construction of the building is typical to the era in which it was built.
The home is built on a concrete spread footing with concrete foundation walls. The home faces S Hudson Street,
and this will be considered the west side of the building for the purpose of this report.

Observations

We observed the exterior, interior main level, and basement of the building. This report is limited to the
items observed in these areas and excludes any other items either hidden by finishes or not observed at the time
of the inspection. Photos contained in this report are a selection of the total photos taken during the time of the
inspection. These are unaltered other than highlighting and re-sizing for the convenience of the report. Additional
photos are available upon request.

During my inspection, I observed the following specific items of note regarding the home:

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 1. Cracks in foundation walls:
There is a horizontal crack on the south basement wall approximately 2 ½ feet above the floor. Due to
basement finishes, I am unable to fully determine the extent of this crack or if there are other similar
cracks in other walls. However, there are some cracks visible from the exterior. All the visible cracks
indicate that this foundation has experienced movement inwards. This movement appears to be minor
and due to high lateral loads created by oversaturated soil. See item 3 below.

Figure 1: Horizontal crack located behind the basement Figure 2: Horizontal crack located behind the basement
stair. stair.

Figure 3: Location of possible lateral movement on east Figure 4: Example of vertical cracks indicating lateral
foundation wall. movement of wall.

2. Cracks in exterior finishes: There is a series of cracks in the exterior brick veneer consistent with past
settlement in the foundation. These cracks are relatively minor. These too are likely due to compromised
soil conditions due to saturation. There cracks near the garage door and at the back of the garage are
consistent with settlement in the slab and foundation. This is likely due to a previous slab that was
damaged and allowing water to pond near the south house wall (north garage wall). This previous
damage is likely when the visible horizontal crack behind the stair was formed.

5765 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. Unit 28, Arvada, CO 80002 - www.j226engineering.com - 720.937.2055

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 Figure 5: Example crack on northeast corner Figure 6: example crack at garage door (southwest corner)

Figure 7: Example of a crack along front (west) wall. Figure 8: Crack at garage back door

3. Exterior Landscaping/ runoff water mitigation: The gutters appear to be in good condition, however
several downspouts extensions are missing and depositing water immediately at the foundation. Also,
there are several locations near the foundation (within 6-8 feet) that are either sloping toward the house,
or allowing ponding. This is allowing water to collect and saturate the soil.

5765 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. Unit 28, Arvada, CO 80002 - www.j226engineering.com - 720.937.2055

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 Figure 9: Front yard location with negative grade that can Figure 10: North yard landscaping
allow water to point and saturate the soil

Figure 11: East side (back) yeard landscaping. Figure 12: Southwest corner landscaping

General Opinion:

The home is in generally good condition. The visible cracks indicate past movement/ settlement, and it is difficult
to determine if the settlement is going to continue. I believe the source is saturated soil due to negative drainage
in the landscaping around the home (grade sloping towards the home rather than away). It is my opinion that
addressing the gutters and downspouts will inhibit future settlement. See the following for my recommendations
to preserve the home’s structural integrity.

Recommendations.

1. Cracks in the foundation:

Observe the cracks for changes. If the sealant is pulled apart, or if any cracks increase in length or
width, contact a structural engineer for additional information.
a. Fill or seal the cracks with appropriate concrete sealant
b. The purpose is to:
i. seal the cracks and
ii. provide means to observe any changes in the cracks
c. Observe the cracks for changes. If the sealant is pulled apart, or if any cracks increase in
length or width, contact a structural engineer for additional information.

2. Cracks in the interior and exterior finishes:

a. Fill any cracks with an appropriate sealant or method for the finish type. For example:
i. Tuckpoint brick mortar
ii. Mud and/or tape (as necessary) for drywall repair
b. The purpose is to:

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 i. seal the cracks and
ii. provide means to observe any changes in the cracks
c. Observe the cracks for changes. If the sealant is pulled apart, or if any cracks increase in
length or width, contact a structural engineer for additional information.

3. Grading and water mitigation systems

a. The exterior finishes are subject to weather and maintenance.; therefore, they require
regular maintenance.
i. Review and ensure all grade (soil, concrete, asphalt, etc.) meets at least a ¼” per
foot slope away from the home. Identify and remediate any areas that will allow
water to pool and saturate the soil within 10ft of the foundation. Note:
1. If 6-8 feet of slope is not achievable, use other methods such as concrete
drain, swales, or French drains (this can be competed w/in 3-5 feet of the
building)
2. Landscaping materials such as rock and mulch can hide the actual soil slope
below. The grade should be checked below these occasionally.
ii. Ensure surrounding lawn sprinklers (if present) are not over spraying or
oversaturating the soil near the foundation. Adjust the coverage area and volume
of water applied, if required.
iii. Ensure gutters are depositing water 6-8 ft away from home with downspout
extensions or buried drain lines.

Additional reports, inspections, drawings, or other engineering services desired to complete any of the
recommended repairs may be provided at additional cost. This report should not be considered a warranty or
guarantee, implied or expressed, of the home in general, the building superstructure, the exterior siding, the
foundation system, or the roof. Structures and foundation systems may be severely impacted by changes in
climate, land use, etc., and the conclusions presented in this report are based on the conditions noted at the time
of the observation. Commentary or recommendations regarding mold or any other environmental issues,
electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems are beyond the scope of this report.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions about this report.

Regards,

Daniel M. Canda, P.E.

J2.26 Engineering, LLC

Digitally signed by Daniel M Canda

DN: C=US,
[email protected],
Daniel M Canda O=J2.26 Engineering,
OU=Engineering, CN=Daniel M
Canda
Date: 2023.04.04 17:09:25-06'00'

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