The house's foundation is flawed

[alpacinou]

Hello,

In my language, we have a saying that literally translates to "The house's foundation is flawed." We use it when we want to suggest that an organization, a company a marriage, etc has fundamental problems and is beyond repair or repair.

Examples:

1. John has decided to fix the corruption that has been rampant in the company for the past few years, but I think the house's foundation is flawed. The problems in this company cannot be fixed.

2. Jill has said she is willing to give her marriage another chance but I think their problems run deep. The house's foundation is flawed.

Is there a similar expression / idiom in English?

 

[GoesStation]

It's a house of cards.

It's built on a foundation of sand.

 

[tedmc]

The company is beset with fundamental problems and is beyond redemption.

 

[emsr2d2]

The company is beset with fundamental problems and is beyond redemption.

That's not an "expression/idiom" used in English. That's just your definition of what the original means. The OP is looking for some kind of saying that native speakers would recognise.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Rotten to the core" especially if you are talking about corruption.

 

[alpacinou]

Thanks folks. I like your suggestions. I'm gonna try and combine them and you let me know what you think about this sentence:

The company is rotten to the very core. It's beyond reform. It's basically a house of cards ready to crumble.

I would appreciate your suggestions to make it better.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thanks folks. I like your suggestions. I'm gonna try and combine them and you let me know what you think about this sentence:

The company is rotten to the very core. It's beyond reform. It's basically a house of cards ready to crumble.

I would appreciate your suggestions to make it better.

Pretty good! You're almost there. Houses of cards don't crumble. That's a mixed metaphor. They collapse.

 

[alpacinou]

Pretty good! You're almost there. Houses of cards don't crumble. That's a mixed metaphor. They collapse.

Thanks. So, is this okay?

The company is rotten to the very core. It's beyond reform. It's basically a house of cards ready to collapse.

 

[Tdol]

Corruption doesn't always lead to collapse, though.