front step has a sink hole under it

[jIM]

I bought a new construction house in Dec last year.

Most has gone well.

I have discovered a sink hole directly under our poured concrete front porch. There is a small crack in the porch and it appears to me the only think holding up the cement is rebar.

There is a 3" gap under the porch (between porch bottom and grass to one side).

I had a contractor coming to quote me on another job, unrelated. He pointed this out to me on his may into the house.

How would anyone suggest a sink hole like this get fixed? The contractor suggested some "57 gravel" and top soil.

I hope I remembered the gravel term correctly. Please explain or ask questions as needed. thank you.

[avid_hiker]

[jIM]

this is real close to the foundation of the house, and has difficult access (this is under a poured concrete front step).

To implement this solution would be "expensive".

[avid_hiker]

If not repaired correctly....it will cost you more later on....garunteed. That is if the sink hole is a BIG sinkhole awaiting to be show you and your home just how big it is. Here is a link to what can happen if not corrected in a timely fashion.

The contractors solution may solve your problem, its worth a shot. However, does he have much experience in dealing with sinkholes? To be on the safe side, make sure whoever does deal with it, knows how to deal with it.

The link above on the previous post was posted only beacuse noone was replying to it and meant to tell you how to deal with it the proper way. If you want to take short cuts to save money......then unfortunatly there is no garuntee it will not return; that is unless this contractor puts that in the contract and will correct if this returns.

But I do hope that no HUGE problems arise from this hole like this attached link.

[Doug Boulter]

"jIM" wrote on 01 Dec 2006:

I'd be extremely surprised if this were a real sinkhole. It's common that after the builder has excavated for the foundation, the perimeter is filled with construction trash that rots away, or good fill is used, but isn't compacted. As a result, when settling occurs, your steps lose their ground support.

The correct way to fix this is as your contractor described -- remove the old soil, replace with gravel/topsoil, and properly compact. You may have to demolish the existing steps to do this.