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Hello. As I described in an earlier post (http://www.houserepairtalk.com/f39/n...project-11441/) I've been working on converting my crawlspace to a basement. I am just about done. I just need to work on the staircase framing reinforcement a bit and add a handrail. However, my big issue now...

I just laid the first section of my basement slab. I'm now preparing the area for the next section and discovered a small, half-rotted stump that is just at the level where I intend to lay my concrete. The subgrade is otherwise completely virgin, hardpacked ground. The stump is rotted enough...

I am ready to start placing my basement slab doing one small (8'x8') section at a time (thank for the idea BridgeMan) . I am trying to educate myself on the finishing process before i start mixing. Everything i read says this: 1) Screed 2) Bull float immediately after screeding to push the...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am about to pour the concrete floor for my basement project. I'll be doing this in sections that match how I would have cut the control joints if I did the whole floor in one shot. I'm wondering how to do the vapor barrier. I've been reading that even small...

I have been posting sporadically here for the past year as I work through my DIY crawlspace-to-basement project. I am just about ready for my concrete floor which incidentally will be the first thing I'll not be doing myself for obvious reasons. I've spent some time on Angie's List and found...

In my crawlspace-to-basement project I am to the point where I am installing the PVC perimeter drain before the concrete slab is installed. I'll have several cleanouts that will naturally have to travel through the slab. My question regarding those cleanouts is how close to the slab edge is...

Hello. I am preparing to pour the concrete slab in my crawlspace-to-basement project. I will have a perimeter drain next to the footings to drain any moisture that makes its way under the slab. I plan to install several cleanouts along the drain. Since after the concrete slab is in place...

Hello. I am almost done laying the block for the retaining wall for my crawlspace-to-basement conversion project. Naturally, I need to fill the cores that have rebar. However, I am having a tough time finding that product. The local big box home stores don't carry it and the concrete place...

Those who read my other posts know that I am in the middle of a crawlspace-to-basement conversion project. A few days ago I placed the concrete for my retaining wall footing (the retaining wall is L-shaped and runs the length of two adjacent foundation walls. I screwed up on about a 10' wide...

I am an amateur DIY'er and did an amateur screw up. Now I need to figure out my options to recover.:( Here is some backround: I'm plugging away at my crawlspace-to-basement project. My original post describing the project is HERE. I'll have a "L" shaped retaining wall that runs between...

Hello. I am in the process of converting my crawlspace to a basement. There is a section of foundation footing that is at such a depth that rather than my floor slab being laid on top of the footing and butting up against the bottom of the foundation wall, the slab will be even with the...

Hello. I am approaching the point of my crawlspace-to-basement dig out project where I will be building my retaining walls. The retaining walls are what will be giving me extra ceiling height by allowing the floor to extend below the level of the foundation footings. Naturally I want to...

I've posted a number of questions on this forum as I planned for my crawlspace-to-basement conversion project. Most of which were about inane details that I thought were major issues. Anyway, I am actually doing work on this now. I knocked out the first column, pulled out it's footing and...

I'm not sure this is the correct forum for this question, but here it is. I need to bolt the baseplates of several new steel columns to their footings. Because of clearance issues, I cannot sink J-bolts into the concrete before it cures and still have room to get the column installed, so my...

I am doing a project that involves pouring new concrete footings for several steel columns in my basement. I want as good a bearing surface between the concrete and the column base plate that I can get, which is why I am trying to think through how I will get the footing surface as level as I...

Hello. I need to prime several new steel columns before installing them in my crawl space as I convert it into a basement. What is the best type of paint to prime them with for maximum rust prevention? Also, what is the best painting method? The columns are basically bare metal right now...

Hello. I'm in the middle of a project to convert my crawlspace to a basement. I will be replacing 5 masonry columns with steel pipe columns. Per my engineer's recommendations, I am using nominal 3.5" schedule 40 pipe (4" O.D.). So far I have welded the top plates to the pipes, but will be...

Hello. I am getting ready to construct my new column footings for my crawlspace-to-basement project. The footings will support steel columns resting on 1/2" think baseplates as shown in the attached graphic. My assumption is that it is critical that I get the footing surface as flat and as...

Hello. This is another question that came up as I plan for my crawlspace-to-basement conversion project (details in this post: http://www.houserepairtalk.com/f39/new-amateur-project-11441/) The basement slab I'll need to place will be approx 600 SqFt. My understanding is that the pros...

Hello. I am trying to dry out a wet area in my crawlspace. As luck would have it, the outside of the wet foundation wall setion is a 10'x10' flower bed that is bordered on all sides by the house, concrete porch, concrete walkway and driveway (in other words it would be very difficult to drain an...