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We bought our house about six months ago, and we are first time home buyers, so please forgive my ignorance. This weekend I noticed that the bottom of the wall in the garage was about 1-2 inches over the concrete slab underneath. Is this a major concern? What could this be? I have a structural engineer coming, but he cannot make it until Friday. I'm just wondering what we might be in for.

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It is only an issue if it is load bearing. If it is load bearing then you cannot have part of your footing floating (in the first picture it definitely looks like the bottom plate is outside of concrete). Period. Is it a thing that has to get fix right away? No. Engineer will give you advice on fix. It is just a wall though and shouldn't be too costly.

If it isn't load bearing it is still horrible workmanship. I would like to see what engineer says - since we are only looking at 2 small pics - but I would say that at the very least you run a 2x6(ish) from ground to bottom plate and anchor 2x6 into concrete.

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  • I am just afraid that the wall is going to fall over or something. Or that it might be a sign that the house is shifting.
    – Jessica
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 19:25
  • Is the wall not at a right angle right now? Do you think the wall is moving? Other than it looking weird what made you start investigating it? Did your home inspection point this out?
    – DMoore
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 19:33
  • And hate to add this but if the house was made with the garage (not garage added) then it is probably load bearing.
    – DMoore
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 19:35
  • No, we did not see this during the home inspection. It's at a right angle, and I think that is why I hadn't noticed it before. I'm pretty positive it isn't moving since everything on the other side (the tile, trim, etc.) is not cracked of misaligned. So, it is not moving unless the entire house is moving.
    – Jessica
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 23:15
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    I would check into it and get it fixed. I however don't think it is emergency.
    – DMoore
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 23:37
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From your pictures, it looks like it's just the baseboard that's overhanging the slab, not the wall itself. That's fine. Kinda weird to have baseboard there anyway. Even if the drywall is overhanging the slab, that's fine too (though a bit ugly and unprofessional). Only if the actual wood framing of the wall itself is overhanging the slab might you possibly have a a problem, and even, then, it would most likely be a fireproofing and air sealing problem, not a structural problem.

I wouldn't worry about it.

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  • About a 6th of the wall is actually hanging over it.
    – Jessica
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 19:27
  • Wall = bottom plate of the wooden studs or wall = drywall or wall = baseboards?
    – iLikeDirt
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 19:39
  • bottom plate of the wooden studs + the baseboards
    – Jessica
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 20:05
  • Where is the drywall? The baseboards are nailed right to the studs?
    – iLikeDirt
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 20:29
  • No, sorry. The drywall is there, too. The stud is about maybe a 10th of an inch over the slab. The rest is drywall and baseboard.
    – Jessica
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 20:45
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Correct me if I'm wrong but from what I see floor level in the next room is higher than the one in the garage? If that is the case this could be either forced out solution (so garage slab wouldn't be too high for a car to come in) either very handy one. Handy because in case of some flood or whatever in a garage water wouldn't come right away in your home. But I doubt that this is the reason. Anyway nothing to worry about....no cracks, no traces of concrete deterioration. Of course I'm only speaking about what I can see from the pictures.

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  • No I don't see any concrete deterioration. I'm just concerned that the wall shifted and this is a structural issue. or that the house is sliding off of the foundation, or something else super serious
    – Jessica
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 19:22
  • All of those things which you have mentioned would cause cracks... visible ones
    – python starter
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 7:10

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