garage slab arch

[4000sposse]

I got this photo from a friend who is looking to buy this foreclosed house, so there is no access other then exterior visual. Does this slab under the garage door indicate that the foundation is settling, or that the slab is settling at the garage door jambs? Clearly the concrete driveway is shot. I have no idea from just looking at this photo at the structural issues, maybe someone here has seen this or can make a better guess then myself.

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[John Dirks Jr]

Slabs are usually independently floating and not part of a foundation wall system. A failing slab does not automatically mean there are foundation problems.

One thing I might be able to conclude from the picture is water will probably get under the garage door and into the garage during heavy rains. It looks like the driveway might slope towards the garage instead of away from it.

As far as concluding any information about the foundation, the picture doesn't help very much.

[John Kogel]

Buddy's truck has an oil leak. We are still oblivious of the house and garage.

[Marc]

The slab beneath the garage door is higher in the center of the door than at the ends, by no small amount. This I can discern because the bottom edge of the door itself is straight. Perhaps the problems with the driveway slab do not stop at the door but continue on into the garage.

What John D said. Problems with a floating slab do not always mean problems with a nearby foundation because the foundation goes deeper into the earth.

The photo alone doesn't speak of the foundation.

Marc

[kurt]

It just looks like mildly screwed up driveway.

[Stephen Lagueux]

do you guys have any problems with pyritye backfill in your part of the country? Many houses have problemes here in Qc, especially in the Montreal metropolitain area. Garages and basements slabs will raise and crack due to pyrite.

[4000sposse]

Thanks for the replies, I am gong to drive over there today to see this first hand. Sorry to ask a question about a photo with so many unknowns, I would assume that the slab is floating but it could be pinned to the foundation wall, who knows... I too would assume that the problem continues into the garage like Marc points out. Is the driveway sloping towards the garage? Hard for me to tell form the photo, but if your right John D you have one Eagle Eye, good on you! This neighborhood had spoils dumped from the silver mining days, so backfill material could be a mixture of anything. I will let you know what else I see for conversations sake.

[Stephen Lagueux]

if you can, take pictures of the slab in the garage and basement