A customer that we’re doing a kitchen for had me look at their porch. Brick wall front w/ conc. cap. Sagging at least 1-1/4″ in rear. I’m assuming the drain tile follows the outside of the porch, and not the basement wall at this point. Thus water is getting in the basement. Someone else quoted on a concrete cap, pitching away from the house. I think this is no good long term. My thought was to demo cap, dig 4-6 holes to terra firma and pour conc pilings for a new cap to bear on. House about 15yrs old. Cap has sagged enough to break top course of brick in a few spots. Thanks Mike
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I'm kinda surprised the duct tape didn't hold it up.
Is the back of the cap reasonably well supported? Could you jack up the front, dig your holes and pour some concrete? Or, jackhammer the whole thing and build them a nice, wood farmers porch.
You are certainly on the right track. Any outdoor structure like that needs footings below the frost line.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
Couldn't you support the back of the new cap with some kind of ledger attached to the foundation wall, maybe an angle iron?
Just a thought. What caused it to settle in the first place? I'll bet they poured it over fill and it settled and now the water coming in is eroding even more of the soil away.
I does need to pitch away from the house as I am sure you already know.
Eric
I like the direction firebird is going. You might also be able to grout rebar into the existing foundation add the necessary fill for your pour and when (and if) it settles again the rebar (grid pattern) should hold it all up.
Another option might be to get the mud-jackers out and let them pump concrete underneath the existing slab and raise it up. This assumes that the settling that has occurred is caused by poor compaction of the soils excavated for the foundation, and that they can jack up the slab next to a full foundation without risk of blowing out the basement walls. I has to be a cheaper solution than to demo and re-pour. I suppose there is always the risk of continued settling. It could be a five year or forever solution.
Tick,
The rebar is good to go. However, if in a freeze zone, and with fill under the slab it will heave. That's a BIG no no and may be partially what caused the failure.
This should be a flat arch. Not a lot of work, but a lot easier for some slob to fill up the hole with dirt and pour some concrete on top.
Eric