The Day the House Fell: Homeowner Soil Problems-From Landslides to Expansive Clays and Wet Basements

by Richard L. Handy

This is a book about soils-not soils that grow things, but soils that are intended to support hillsides, walls, streets, and houses. Richard Handy uses his years of professional engineering experience, his knowledge of geology, and his sense of humor to provide a light-hearted look at soil problems that confound buyers and owners of homes. With straightforward, easy-to-read language, Handy shows readers how to recognize and deal with problems that are at the very foundations of their domiciles. He addresses some of the most common and severe site problems, details what to look out for, and explains when to get professional help. Topics * landslides * slopes * quicksand * wet basements * expansive clay * collapsible soils * glacial action * bedrock, caverns, and sinks * mines and landfills * frost action and * earthquakes. The text contains many diagrams, and each chapter concludes with a list of key points, questions, and answers. This book looks at problems that confound homeowners, builders, architects, real estate agents, zoning boards, attorneys, assessors, insurance adjusters, earth movers, environmentalists, and even engineers.

230 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1995

Reviews

[Sheng Peng · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange little book that is surprisingly unserious in tone despite being written by a professor on the subject matter. Full of puns and gags but stays quite informative on the important things. Very unique.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent layman's language book on soil problems faced by homeowners.