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What should a standard soil report include in CA?

E

ElArch

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Joined
Oct 17, 2022
Messages
30
Location
Orinda, California
I had a soil report for a up sloped land (12%-20%) for a single family house. Obviously the new house will have retaining wall and crawl space. However the soil report suggested slab on ground foundation. The civil engineer told me this.

Then I called the soil engineer that a crawl space foundation for raised floor and slab on grade for buried area. He agreed. And he that I should tell him that I have buried area with retaining wall and he need to provide me waterproofing information for retaining wall.

After a few days he said that I should pay $1500 to revise the soil report (The total original soil report is $3500).

I think this is their mistake and ignorance. The report deal the site as a flat land.

What is a standard soil report should include in California? How should I deal with this soil engineer? Can I transfer to another soil engineer to correct the report?

Thanks!
 
So, the geotechnical engineer just assumed what the design of the building is? If they need the design of the building to complete their analysis, logic dictates they ask for it.

I've reviewed a few hundred soils reports for houses. In my experience, they typically indicate that the soils are acceptable or have been made acceptable for the anticipated loads for a dwelling. They do not discuss the foundation design.
 
We have a project that was originally to be a slab-on-grade, but due to retaining wall heights was redesigned to be a raised wood foundation. For the most part, the requirements for the footings were the same but our site had lousy dirt and required a few extra items.
 
It was clear the report is for a single family house in a small upsloped land. The soil engineer only suggested slab on grade foundation. In the phone he said I should tell him that part of the building is buried with retaining wall and he needs to provide retaining wall waterproofing info.
How can we build a house in slab on grade foundation in sloped land without retaining wall? How much more will it cost to build the whole house in a sloped land using slab on grade foundation? A soil engineer should have common sense to provide reasonable suggestions. That's why we need a soil engineer.
If a structure engineer designed a lot of steel beams for a simple house and ignored necessary information, his design is incomplete and not acceptable. He is not supposed to charge more to fix and complete it.
I am thinking to go to license board for this issue.
 
ElArch said:
I am thinking to go to license board for this issue.
Click to expand...
Going nuclear over this already? If i was the arbitrator or judge, i would want to see what you sent him initially, and i would want to see very clear information on what you contracted for. Was it absolutely clear that the entire lot was sloped? He was doing a design based on soil conditions so his recommendation was correct.
 
Are you employing a general contractor, or an architect who is acting on your behalf to coordinate the entire project? Or are you doing that yourself?
 
ICE said:
Blind geotech
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e hilton said:
Going nuclear over this already? If i was the arbitrator or judge, i would want to see what you sent him initially, and i would want to see very clear information on what you contracted for. Was it absolutely clear that the entire lot was sloped? He was doing a design based on soil conditions so his recommendation was correct.
Click to expand...
The report doesn't make sense. It is useless.
 
I just looked over a few Geotech reports we've received and they recommend something, but only recommend. Each states that it's up to the Architect or Structural Engineer to design something that works with the info provided in the report.

Assuming that info is provided in your report, you (the architect) or a structural engineer should be able to to design something that works. My firm outsources all of our structural engineering to a separate firm, and those firms, to my understanding, have never had issues going with a different design than what's recommended by the Geotech, assuming it complies with code as applicable based on the soils report.

If that info is not provided... you'll probably need it.
 
My 2 cents. The engineer is asked to recommend a foundation suitable for a soil type and condition. Is he also asked to design the foundation to suit the lot and house design? How much effort should he put in to examining the site plan, vs analyzing the soil report?
 
tmurray said:
So, the geotechnical engineer just assumed what the design of the building is? If they need the design of the building to complete their analysis, logic dictates they ask for it.

I've reviewed a few hundred soils reports for houses. In my experience, they typically indicate that the soils are acceptable or have been made acceptable for the anticipated loads for a dwelling. They do not discuss the foundation design.
Click to expand...

Soils reports I have seen over the years are typically just the opposite -- they report the soil type or types and bearing capacities, and then recommend the most suitable type or types of foundations for the soil types. They don't design the foundations, but they do recommend type -- spread footings, piers, caissons, piles, etc.
 
My sense is that the problem is due to a lack of communication. The prime design professional, typically the architect, should have talked with the Geotechnical Engineer prior to the geotechnical engineer starting his investigation. Often the initial discussions between the Owner and the Architect will indicate a bias for certain building configuration which in turn will influence the nature of the investigation. If this information is not shared with the geotechnical engineer why would you be surprised if there were problems with the geotechnical report.

Hiring another geotechnical engineer will not solve the problem if there is a lack of communication.

Not knowing when the geotechnical engineer was hired, who hired the geotechnical engineer, and what he was told it is premature to assign blame.

In my experience, with projects in and around Orinda, the geotechnical report addresses the level of the water table but does not provide detailed information on the nature of the waterproofing. Typically the design provides for a drainage system allowing the water to be directed away from the building or provides a sump pump.

Mark Gilligan SE
 
ElArch said:
It was clear the report is for a single family house in a small upsloped land. The soil engineer only suggested slab on grade foundation. In the phone he said I should tell him that part of the building is buried with retaining wall and he needs to provide retaining wall waterproofing info.
How can we build a house in slab on grade foundation in sloped land without retaining wall? How much more will it cost to build the whole house in a sloped land using slab on grade foundation? A soil engineer should have common sense to provide reasonable suggestions. That's why we need a soil engineer.
If a structure engineer designed a lot of steel beams for a simple house and ignored necessary information, his design is incomplete and not acceptable. He is not supposed to charge more to fix and complete it.
I am thinking to go to license board for this issue.
Click to expand...
I have not used this, but a GC on one of our projects stated they had used this on another project and said it worked well: https://www.geofoam.com/
 
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