Pre-Purchase Structural Inspection in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis
Broad Ripple sells a lot of renovated bungalows, and the renovation is usually the reason to bring an engineer rather than the reason not to. An open plan in a house of this vintage means a wall came out, and the question is whether whoever took it out knew about the purlins.
The pattern to look for is specific: a beam installed for the floor load but not the roof load, or a beam correctly sized with posts at each end that die into a floor rather than continuing to a footing. Both look completely finished. Both are found by tracing the load down instead of admiring the opening.
The second recurring item is the attic. Broad Ripple bungalow attics get converted, and the original ceiling joists in a house of this age were sized to carry a plaster ceiling. A conversion that laid flooring over them without adding framing has created a room the structure was never asked to hold.
What We Look At Here
- Beams over removed walls, checked against roof as well as floor loading
- Whether beam end posts continue through to a footing or stop at a floor
- Attic and upper-floor conversions for framing adequate to occupancy loads
- Foundation material and condition, particularly in the lower-lying blocks
- Original framing spans and sizes against how the house is used now
- A written opinion inside the inspection period, separating age-normal from defective
More on the service itself: Pre-Purchase Structural Inspection. More on the area: Broad Ripple.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can you inspect during a Broad Ripple inspection period?
The report is normally back within a couple of business days. Say what your deadline is when you call and we will tell you plainly whether it can be met rather than finding out late.