Retaining walls are a common feature in housing developments, but under the INSPIRE inspection protocol, not all retaining walls are created equal. John from USIG provides clarity on what property managers need to know about inspecting these structures.

Which Walls Are Inspectable?

• Only retaining walls 24 inches (2 feet) or taller are considered inspectable under INSPIRE.
• Walls shorter than 24 inches, such as 12-, 18-, or 22-inch walls, are no longer inspected.
• Landscape walls and decorative features are excluded from inspection.

This distinction helps property managers focus on walls that could pose structural or safety concerns.

What Inspectors Look For

The good news is that HUD is no longer concerned with:

• Cracks in the wall
• Rotted or splintered blocks
• Missing or loose top blocks

The only defect that matters is if the wall is leaning from fill side.

• A leaning wall indicates potential structural instability.
• Leaning walls over 24 inches are categorized as a moderate defect.

Other imperfections, like cracks or minor missing pieces, are not considered defects.

Practical Examples

• Non-inspectable wall: A 22-inch tall wall with loose or missing blocks is not a concern.
• Inspectable but non-defective wall: A 30-inch wall with cracks but no lean is not a defect.
• Defective wall: A 26- to 30-inch wall that is visibly leaning is a moderate defect.

Key Takeaways

1. Inspect only retaining walls 24 inches or taller.
2. The only defect that matters is if the wall is leaning.
3. Cracks, missing blocks, rotted wood, or splintered sections are not inspected.
4. Moderate defects from leaning walls result in small point losses, usually around 0.2 points per occurrence.

Conclusion

INSPIRE inspections for retaining walls are straightforward. Property managers can save time and reduce inspection stress by focusing only on walls that are both tall enough to be inspected and leaning.