Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello,
I live in Durham in a 70+ yr. old house on a crawlspace foundation. Some of the interior concrete piers have sunk (due to water) and some have been removed by the previous owner (for unknown reasons). This has caused the flooring to be uneven near the spot where the piers have been removed. Considerable seasonal shifting also occurs. In total, 2 piers need to be replaced (due to sinking, damage) and 2 piers need to be added. The foundation itself seems to be in reasonable shape for its age. I have had a few foundation repair companies come out to give gigantic repair estimates in the $4K range (~800/pier). I am wondering if I should even think about attempting to install concrete piers myself or is this way out of your average (lower than average if you ask my wife) DIYer's skill? Also any advice/tips on constructing these piers would be invaluable!
Please help!
If you want fervently to go DIY on the job, hire a structural engineer to draw it up for you.
To me, though, the water and seasonal aspects are more of a concern than the structural details. You must address those issues.
In total, 2 piers need to be replaced (due to sinking, damage) and 2 piers need to be added. The foundation itself seems to be in reasonable shape for its age.
This reads like an actual engineer visited your home and prescribed what load bearing support you need in total and how to remedy the failing stuff.
If that isn't the case... I suggest you back up a step and do that promptly.
Quote:
I have had a few foundation repair companies come out to give gigantic repair estimates in the $4K range (~800/pier).
This is NOT a gigantic estimate.
Actually it sounds reasonable if they're gonna do all the work and have all the tools and such as what I'd see being needed to do it right.
Especially as it will include proper inspections and some sort of warranty too.
Quote:
I am wondering if I should even think about attempting to install concrete piers myself or is this way out of your average (lower than average if you ask my wife) DIYer's skill?
A good rule of thumb when this sort of Q gets asked...
is that the folks asking if they should... really, probably shouldn't.
Most of the commenter's shouldn't either
eg: I've never done this job before.
I've seen it done though, and first hand too. And I've done the separate parts of it like jacking walls, setting piers and making concrete forms... just not the whole thing at once.
I wouldn't now either (too old/beat up); but probably ever.
Quote:
Also any advice/tips on constructing these piers would be invaluable!
Please help!
No way. But I will suggest exploring the idea of adding a steel or lam beam as part of the work plan.
I agree with the previous poster. $4K does not sound that bad for 5 piers installed in a crawlspace (possibly having to work on hands and knees, etc.). As the previous posters have said, the structural problems must be remedied first. How did water sink a couple of the piers (and most likely the ones that had already been removed)? Is there a stream running under part of your house?
Installation of piers would be fairly straightforward for an experienced DIY'r (have seen them do it on This Old House many times) - especially once you knew what sizes needed to be installed, was the rest of the framing up to code, etc., I wouldn't recommend it for a novice.
Kind of shocked it's only $4k. I would not do this myself, mainly b/c if you mess it up, you will REALLY mess it up. I would also look into figuring out why you're getting water around the piers. Why go through the trouble/expense if you are just going to compromise the work again? Do you have any sort of perimeter drain system in your crawl? My crawl gets water due to the slope of our property and high water table, but we have our crawl graded to slope to a sump pump which also is fed by a perimeter drain along the foundation wall. Seems to keep everything dry pretty well.
If you've never done this then I would hire it our. You need to know what you're doing when setting piers and leveling a house.
One slip of a foundation jack and you can easily find yourself pined under the house or cut in two by the jack.
After Katrina FEMA is paying homeowners to raise and level houses that were flooded. A lot of people got in the business that didn't know a thing about this type of work. Just this past year three people were killed on three different jobs when the house fell and crushed them.
This isn't like nailing a few studs together. You have the complete weight of the house above you. And when it comes falling down you cant stop it.
busta
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) DIYer's skill? Also any advice/tips on constructing these piers would be invaluable!
