I’m going to move part of my workshop and office to my basement on a victorian home. The current basement floor is only 1″ concrete and 7′ from the ceiling.
I just broke the floor concrete and dug two holes on the left/right side of my basement. The wall is brick. The footing is also brick that sticks out about 2″ toward the basement floor and about 8″ deep. How deep am I allowed to dig for the new concrete floor, without causes weekness? Can I be at the last brick on the bottom of the footing that hits dirt or do I need to be at the top of the footing. I would love to get more headroom inches, but don’t want to cause problems in the future.
I know that several of you talked about adding additions to old homes and the walls gave in, so I’m being careful here. THANKS
Replies
Don't know but I almost bought an old farmhouse that had a inner wall of concrete that backed up the exterior wall of brick.
Without jacking, bracing, and rebuilding I'm thinking you need to be less greedy with the floorspace and keep back from the wall a significant distance. Let someone with experience be your guide here.
You should be OK going to the bottom of the footing. You do not want to dig deeper. If you go, deeper then you must maintain a min. of 45 degree angle of undisturbed soil from the bottom of the footing (assuming that your soil conditions are not unusual).
You can start nearly flush with the bottom of your footings and come in a foot and down a foot easily.
That should give you all the room you need.
Gabe
Thanks everyone. I plan to start removing the concrete tomorrow. I just need a few inches more for headroom, because of some piping and duct work.