Foundation & Structure

---

All foundations are dependent on the soil beneath them for support, but soils are not uniform. Some that might appear to be firm and stable can liquefy and become unstable during seismic activity. Also, expansive soils can expand to twice their volume with the influx of water and move structures with relative ease, raising and lowering them and cracking slabs and other hard surfaces. Regardless, foundations are not uniform, and conform to the structural standard of the year in which they were built. Therefore, the inspector will identify the foundation type and report on any evidence of significant deformation. However, cracks or deteriorated surfaces in foundations are common. In fact, it would be rare to find a raised foundation wall that is not cracked or deteriorated in some way, or a slab foundation that did not include some cracks concealed beneath the carpeting and padding. Regardless, InterNACHI inspectors cannot predict the future performance of any structure or its foundation, regardless of its age or type.