What’s Involved in a Seawall Inspection?
Your seawall is the great barrier between the crashing water and your property. It’s like when you cook something in the oven. You don’t grab the container with an unprotected hand. The heat will burn your skin off. That’s why you need an oven mitt to protect you.
A seawall is that oven mitt making sure your property isn’t getting burned from potential land loss. You want to make sure it’s protected.
You wouldn’t want to use an oven mitt with a bunch of holes, just like you don’t want a seawall with large gaps (though weep holes are acceptable). You want your seawall inspected by a trusted professional to see if everything is okay.
I’m Tom Batholomew, a Project Design Specialist here at Dalinghaus Construction and I’ve been in the construction game for over 25 years. I’m the seawall guy that will come to see if everything is intact. Not only do I specialize in seawall repair and foundation repair, but I make sure to be as transparent with you as possible.
I want you to know how your seawall inspection will go before I get to your property.
You can also learn more about me with this video “Who is Tom Bartholomew? – Foundation Repair Project Design Specialist” That way we won’t be complete strangers by the time I get there.
Why Is It Important To Have My Seawall Inspected?
Either way, you don’t want your home or business to be part of other real sunken cities around the world.
You have to diagnose the problem for it to be addressed correctly. It’s to maintain the structural integrity of your seawall and make sure it has the support it needs. If your seawall doesn’t have that integrity, it’s important to implement preventative measures if signs of seawall failure are showing.
If the damage became bad enough, your property could be red-tagged, meaning it’s deemed unsafe to live in. Though this is the worst-case scenario.
You’ll want to look into seawall repair
Seawall damage is something you want to take seriously.
When it comes down to it, you want to protect your property, which is likely your number one investment. The only thing standing between the water and your soil is the seawall. It’s like a spartan phalanx formation going against water.
How Is A Seawall Inspected?
When I come out there to look at your seawall, the first thing I look for is to see if it’s moving. While it was cool to see Michael Jackson do his famous lean, it’s not nearly as cool with your seawall.
I will then look for signs of soil erosion to see if you’re losing soil. I will look at the inside and back sides.
For instance, I’ve looked at seawalls that have had some type of drainage on the inside of the seawall. It might not lean, but you’ll be able to see soot, which indicates erosion.
The seawall inspection process
It will be like any other inspection I do, but with a seawall. Here is the step-by-step seawall inspection process.
- I’ll arrive at your property at the scheduled inspection date and time and introduce myself.
- We will go to your seawall and I will listen to your concerns so I can do what I can to address them.
- The inspection of your seawall begins. During the inspection, I document the length, width, and height of your seawall while noting the location of any weep holes.
- I will first look and see if your seawall shows any signs of movement. That way I can figure out the problem to come up with the best approach to fix what’s going on with your seawall.
- I’ll check to see if any soil is missing.
- I check out the structural integrity of your seawall to see if there are any cracks, visible rust stains, and gaps between seawall slabs.
- If there are weep holes, I will check to see if it’s clogged. This depends on how your seawall is constructed. There are different kinds of seawalls.
- I need to also see if your seawall is connected to your neighbor’s seawall to see if these issues affect them, too.
- When everything has been assessed, I will update you on my findings. I’ll be as transparent as possible with the concerns I have and I’ll answer your questions as concisely as possible.
- After I leave your property, I will have a repair plan for you that day or the next day (at the latest).
Have a look at the signs and symptoms of a failing seawall.
How Much Does A Seawall Inspection Cost?
Nothing. Your 60-90 minute seawall inspection is free. Assuming your property isn’t on the market.
Seawall inspections for properties on the market are $1000. Thankfully, that cost is credited toward your seawall repair.
What do I have to gain from a seawall inspection?
Peace of mind. Rather than pondering and wondering if something is wrong, you can have a professional there to give you an honest and transparent answer about what’s happening with your seawall.
You’ll want to learn about the benefits of seawall repair. That way you don’t need to worry about the consequences of seawall failure.
Schedule a seawall inspection
You’ve learned about the importance of a seawall inspection, the inspection process, and what you have to gain from the inspection. The next step is to schedule your free 60-90 minute seawall inspection.
If you have a seawall next to a large body of water in Southern California, Arizona, or Nevada, call or schedule an appointment with Dalinghaus Construction.
You also want to be sure to read up on – how the best practices to prevent seawall failure.
And if you do think you need seawall repair, learn – how to repair a failing seawall?
Make sure your seawall is safe for the sake of you and your neighbor. Contact us at (877)360-9277 to schedule your inspection today!
