ᐅ Is it advisable to have the foundation slab inspected by a building surveyor?

Created on: 5 Jan 2023 12:28
B
bavariandream
Hello everyone,

In mid-December, the foundation slab for our single-family house was poured. The civil engineering company is a family-run business from the region with an excellent reputation. The preparations went very smoothly (they even started with the earthworks before we had signed the contract), and we didn’t have to worry about anything (they also handled various inquiries with the local authorities since they already knew each other).

On the day the foundation slab was poured, unfortunately, we were all very sick (middle ear infection with a fever just under 40°C (104°F)) and couldn’t visit the site (just getting to the bathroom was already a struggle). I went there the next day for a quick look. The slab was completely covered, which we expected because there had been heavy snowfall at the time and nighttime temperatures dropped to -12°C (10°F). The civil engineering company regularly works under such conditions; at our previous landlord’s site, they poured the slab on Christmas Eve despite heavy snow.

So far, so good. However, when we visited the site about a week later (we don’t live locally), some parts of the protective foil were missing. We suspect that children playing may have removed it because the wind alone shouldn’t have been able to do that—the foil was very well secured.

Now we don’t know exactly when this happened, so we’re unsure if the slab was already frost-resistant at that time, and we’re wondering if this might have had any negative effects. Visually everything looks fine and, for example, I haven’t noticed any cracks. The slab will be inspected in spring by our construction manager, but I assume they will mainly check if all measurements are correct.

Therefore, I wanted to ask here if you would recommend having the slab inspected by an independent expert. I’ve heard that organizations like TÜV Süd offer such services. Or is that money wasted because they would basically just measure again and check for cracks (as I said, I couldn’t see any; everything looked fine to me, but I am a complete layperson)?

Thank you very much in advance for your help!
M
motorradsilke
7 May 2023 16:59
Bauherrin123 schrieb:

Only for the sink, only the sink facing the children's room, does it make a lot of noise? Actually, everything used to be like that before....

I have tested it now. When I turn on the water at the bathroom sink, I only hear the sound of the main water pipe in the adjacent utility room, but nothing from the sink itself.
Tolentino7 May 2023 18:46
In the past, you also had solid brick walls.
The interior walls should have about the same amount of air space as the exterior walls, but depending on how thick they are, you can hear differently. I’m not sure about the sink. For me, it’s the bathtub.