ᐅ Reinforcement visible

Hello,

the house is almost finished and we are in the final stretch. Until a few days ago, we were very excited.

During the installation of the utility connections a few days ago, I had a clear view of the foundation slab. I noticed that the reinforcement bars are considerably exposed.

I then dug test holes around the house and found that parts of the reinforcement bars are also exposed here and there.

Workers from neighboring construction sites kindly pointed out that this might be a serious defect. The bars could rust, and the rust might eat into the slab, causing it to crack. At the same time, frost and moisture could worsen the damage.

By the way, I also noticed that the brickwork is hanging free over a stretch of about 1m (3 feet).

My question now is: is this exposed reinforcement a major problem? Or can it be repaired?

We discussed this topic just a few days/weeks ago here. The steel bars must not come into contact with the ground, as they are completely unprotected against rust and, even worse, allow moisture to seep into the foundation. You should urgently get an expert involved to raise a proper alarm. Having the facing bricks exposed in the air is also absolutely not acceptable!

From which angle was the reinforcement photographed? It looks like it was installed vertically.. is that actually the slab or a frost wall / strip foundation? (which certainly doesn’t improve the situation)

Sorry if this topic has already been discussed. The forum is really full of information. You can find various threads using the search bar, but usually not exactly what you’re looking for right away.

I called an expert today. The cost for an expert report is just under 1000€ (about 1100 USD). Man, man, man, especially in the final phase, every extra euro really hurts.

@BeHaElJa
I took photos of the reinforcement from an angled top view. Then I crawled into the excavation pit and took a direct frontal shot.

I think, strictly speaking, it’s a strip footing. That’s located in front of the slab-on-grade.
The biggest concern is just that the bars might also be installed incorrectly beneath the slab.

No matter how much the expert costs, they are necessary here!

At the neighboring house (same construction company, same issues), an expert was already brought in. The problems there became apparent earlier because the sewer work started sooner.

The owners of the neighboring house are now talking about a possible demolition or, to put it politely, a partial dismantling of their house.

Could this actually be a realistic consequence?
In other words, is this damage potentially beyond repair?

That really sends a chill down your spine.