I’m attempting to rebuild my 1946, 20 x 22 ft., single story, rotted garage before it collapses. Part of the foundation has sunk below grade. Regrading would require removal of sidewalks and driveway. Can I add 3 inches of concrete to my existing foundation? What kind of concrete? How to I attach sole plate? Old foundation bolts are rusted away. Is there a special drill, bit, and bolts for boring thru old foundation to re-attach sole plate? OBVIOUSLY, I don’t do this for a living. Your wisdom is appreciated.
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Why did it sink? Is there a sufficient footer there? DRainage issues from the yard channelling water to the area?
Something that small, old, and rotted is more likely easier to tear down and rebuild than to save in place as you suggest.
But yes it all can be done.
We regularly do the impossible, it just costs more.
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"Something that small, old, and rotted is more likely easier to tear down and rebuild than to save in place as you suggest."speculation: garage grandfathered, new setback would make it impossiblebut "Something that small, old, and rotted is more likely easier to tear down and rebuild than to save in place as you suggest."
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
I think the foundation was designed that way. I'm speculating that the foundation slopes down so that water would run out of the garage after a heavy Houston rain or that it was badly constructed in the first place. I would love to tear it down but I have no storage space, so I'm trying to rebuild a wall at a time. Can I add to the foundation so that the sole plate is 2-3 inches above grade?
First, I'm an HO, not a GC.Is your foundation poured concrete or block? What condition is it in?there are bits made for drilling into concrete, but will your foundation take it? also the joint between the old and new needs to be good.IF I was doing what you want to do I would clean the top of the old foundation real good.Drill holes and place bolts in them long enough for the new height, and find a good epoxy for holding the bolts (expantion bolts maybe) I would check out what they use for retrofiting seimic bolts for eaathquakes.then form for the new height and fill with the right concrete, also looking into something to help the bond for the joint.Is this all kosher per building code? No idea, have to check that out. Will it really work, don't know.
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
If the problem is storage, do you have space to put in a rented pod? If not, rent a storage unit somewhere.Then either tear it down and rebuild, or move it to the side and re-do the foundation.I tried to do something similar with an old garage, about 12' X 19'. I had my reasons, but it would have been better to pull it down and start over. I think one of the problems is that it was build without footers to speak of. I think many slab on grade "accessory" structures might have been built without real footers.
Typically I would jack a structure like that up and pour in under it, but if you have a way of supp[orti9ng it in place, you could also possible cutt the bottom out and pour new under it all, then a new sole plate and toe nail it back together. That would get rid of base rot but if you are trying to do one wall at a time....darn hard to do much when a place is still being used for storage.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Simplest approach would be to lay (with bagged block mortar) a row of concrete brick on top of the foundation. Be sure to clean and roughen the foundation surface first.
It's relatively easy to drill holes (rent a rotohammer) for new anchor bolts and epoxy them in -- if you can come in directly from above. More difficult with structure in the way (so that you can't get the drill pointed straight down). (Install the anchor bolts before building up the foundation.)
Edited 7/12/2007 10:12 am by DanH