CSES often provides assessments for homes which someone is looking to purchase. This is one of those homes that looks cheesy on the outside, but is quite nice inside. There were a few problems – some dry rot, some less than adequate floor framing, and the big one, a carport […] Read more »
Cracks In Basement Wall – CSES Engineering
This happy couple are in process of finishing off the basement, to provide more room for their family, and to prepare for a possible second story addition. They were concerned about a number of cracks in their basement wall, and whether those indicated that something more serious was going on. […] Read more »
Garage Wall Knocked Out – CSES Engineering
You think you have bad luck? This poor fellow inherited a home from his father, who did not keep insurance up to date. So the house was not protected, and was in a bad part of town. Then, of course, a drunk driver lost control of her car and knocked […] Read more »
70s Home Structural Upgrade
This gentleman’s house was constructed in the 70s. It is one of those tri-level houses popular then, and is well built, but the poorly thought-out floor plan results in a good deal of wasted space. There are areas where the living space is effectively unusable because of this. The owner’s […] Read more »
Considering For Purchase Mercer Island
These photos are of a house which our client was considering for purchase. It is a large home on Mercer Island, and the house stands on the top of a steep embankment, on the edge of a green belt, with a wonderful and peaceful view of the raving and a […] Read more »
Capitol Hill Home Cantilevered
An older gentleman owns this fine old Capitol Hill home in Seattle. Many homes in this neighborhood are over 100 years old, and are getting to be a little creaky, as may happen to us all. The home is a little unusual in that the rear section of the upper […] Read more »
Erosion Control On The Hillside
Even the rich sometimes need a little help from us. This poor fellow’s pool, overlooking Puget Sound, was in danger of sliding down the hillside. The soil supporting the patio around the pool was eroding away, and cracks beginning to form. The problem was that the yard had been built […] Read more »
Charm Of The Houseboat
I think most of us city dwellers have fantasized about living on a houseboat. It is a scarce and limited resource, and strictly controlled by the Seattle ordinances. I have been lucky enough to experience living aboard one, if only briefly. I (and CSES) have also been involved in the […] Read more »
Letter To The Landlord
Some landlords can be hard to convince to pay for upgrades – or even to fix what is broken! A contractor was called after extensive dry-rot deterioration was discovered. He was balking at the repairs, even though a couple of families were put in harm’s way by deteriorating framing. CSES […] Read more »
Continuous Cantilevers
Remodels can be enlightening. This fellow owns a 60s style home, you know, exposed 4×12 wood beams, lots of odd shaped windows, big overhangs and cantilevered beams. Anyway, the question was, how to remove an exterior “privacy wall” that was built between two 4×4 posts. The posts extended from the […] Read more »