BUYING A HILLSIDE HOME

The higher the slope and the closer the home is to the slope, the greater the chances of problems.

Chances of buying a problem-free site are improved if the house was built after 1963.

Examine the provisions for drainage on the slopes and around the building area to ensure that site drainage is diverted from the property without ponding or erosion. Check slope drains for clogging or cracks to see if they may have to be replaced to remove uncontrolled drainage.

Mud flows have occurred on slopes with a heavy accumulation of soil.

On sites where the home is in an area next to a natural slope, there is a possibility of soil-slump or mud flow into the home. A denuded or grass-covered portion of the slope surrounded by natural shrub-like native plants may be an indicator of past problems.

The property should be checked for cracks within the home and surrounding grounds. Evidence of a down-slope creep is also observable in bowed or tilted trees, hilly or bumpy terrain, tilted fence posts and poles, and broken or displaced retaining walls or street curbs.

Burrowing rodents such as gophers may indicate that a loose fill or weathered soil/bedrock condition underlies the site. Loose earth combined with a network of rodent holes usually provides a slope that is highly susceptible to saturation and slump-type failure.

Condition of the curbs and sidewalks on downhill properties can usually provide some insight into the performance of the slope. A wooden bulkhead below the street is a sure sign that problems have occurred.

Information on sites is available from files in the grading division of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. A more complete evaluation of the site can be obtained from a certified engineering geologist or a soils engineer.

Source: Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety