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I live in a condo where a sunroom (lean too) was built or…

I live in a condo...

I live in a condo where a sunroom (lean too) was built or supposedly tied into the roof of the existing structure. It was added on in 2003. Over the years something has given way and there is a separation on both sides of the sunroom where 1 1/2 - 2 inch gaps have appeared on both sides where it used to be attached to the condo. There are minor cracks on the inside walls, casement windows & door are difficult to open. I have 3/4 inch separation of the concrete on the inside of the patio doors which I have laid weather stripping to prevent insects from coming into the living area. The carpet also has a large gap doe to this pulling away. The shingles on the the roof where it is supposedly tied in correctly are raised and when it rains, water now comes trickling down inside one patio door. What a mess. A contractor has come out and quoted putting 4 piers on the back side to lift it. The footer so I have been told is 2ft. Not below the frost line mind you. He stopped by yesterday and measured & took a level and you guessed it. The sunroom is level on all sides. Now, I wonder if this is a structural issue where it is tied into the roof. (????) I have a crack right where the sunroom is attached on the inside of the cathedral ceiling about 3ft down. Small, but still a crack. The roof has a tarp on it to prevent rain coming in for the moment. My question is: Did the roof give way? Did a truss crack due to the weight? Do I need to pier this room & will it set back to close all the gaps on each side? Am I wasting high dollars to pier this room and still have the same issue? Please-any advise would be helpful. I do have several pictures Help! I have been to lawyers, my insurance company, the original builder who has refused to stand behind his work, the city who inspected & approved it, several contractors have been here, and I filed a claim to the BBB with no results. I am at a loss here. Thank you & I hope you can offer good advise as I move forward. Thank you!

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Answered in 1 minute by:

11/14/2015

Structural Engineer: StructuralEng, Consultant replied 7 years ago

StructuralEng, Consultant

Category: Structural Engineering

Satisfied Customers: 9,772

Experience: Structural Engineer

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Hello

Customer reply replied 7 years ago

Hello would you rather talk after reading my issue? I still would like to have a response in writing so I keep things straight.

Structural Engineer: StructuralEng, Consultant replied 7 years ago

I'm still reading

StructuralEng, Consultant

Category: Structural Engineering

Satisfied Customers: 9,772

Experience: Structural Engineer

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Customer reply replied 7 years ago

I would still like to receive a written response to my sunroom issue. Please respond. I need this information to move forward.
You stated yesterday I would receive your response later in the day. Thank you!

Structural Engineer: StructuralEng, Consultant replied 7 years ago

I apologize for that delay.

Based on what you describe it is likely that the addition is settling away from the condo.

It would be money well spent to have the movement monitored to see if it's still moving or if it's stabilized.

It would also be possible to simply add piers to prevent future movement instead of trying to push the addition back into place. This would require addressing the roof and gaps between the addition and condo from the outside.

It is unlikely that the addition broke any roof trusses.

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