Extending a Strip Footing. Your take?

[user 62771]

My crawl space has four continuous strip footings as a base for all the (46) 4x6 posts which hold (15) 4x6 beams in position for my subfloor riding atop the beams. There's (2) 42 ft. length concrete strip footings & (2) 21 ft. length. strip footings.

The first of two 42 ft strip footings, runs a little short on each end. The very last post at the end of either side of the first strip footing doesn't provide a good stable base for the 4x6 post, hence the reason why I want to extend the strip footing.

(The good news is): the beams & posts are only 28.5 inches on center running the length of the strip footings. There's fifteen (15) 4x6 beams, forty six (46) total posts in my 1000 sq ft. And the beams run perpendicular to the strip footings. There are no floor sags, cracks in walls, door frames, doors or windows inoperative/warped, floor is level throughout above 4x6 beams in home, or any other signs of problems.

1. I need to extend that strip footing, which is already reinforced with half inch rebar. Home is built in 1978.

2. I need to dig down in front of the strip footing for a compacted Rock base of about 8 to 12 in deep.

3. The strip footing is from grade, 6 in tall by 12 in wide. Then build a form, where I'm going to pour the concrete to extend strip footing, to enable good solid concrete surface for 4x6 post.
3A. I should use 2500 to 3,000 psi concrete. And I should drill into end of existing strip footing, to reinforce with rebar, as well as place rebar where I'm going to pour the concrete within the form. Tie the rebar together.
4. Clean the end of the concrete surface area of the strip footing of soil, so adhesion from new concrete will grab old concrete and bond together.
5. Using Bottle Jack, raise area up by nominal amount, like ⅛ to ¼ inch against 4x6 beam, remove 4x6 post, so concrete work can be accomplished.
6. Pour Concrete, screed top surface of form/concrete.
7. Let cure for a few days.
8. Remove form, and reposition posts in place, with plastic or shingle between lumber & concrete, then lower down, using in position Bottle Jack onto post.
9. Done.

If I left out a step, got my steps (1, 2 3, etc.) out of order, make corrections & specifics on what I missed, etc. & should do differently or instead. Thanks for your help. Dan

 

[Snoonyb]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[user 62771]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Do you have that mentality about the brakes on your car; wait for them to wear down metal to metal, fail, then fix them? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Snoonyb]

Do you have that mentality about the brakes on your car; wait for them to wear down metal to metal, fail, then fix them? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Absolutely, saved me thousands, and, full trade-in value.

Have you consulted, ANY, engineer and understand, full bering?

Did you forget to post the photos, of the presumed deficiency?

 

[user 62771]

Absolutely, saved me thousands, and, full trade-in value.

Have you consulted, ANY, engineer and understand, full bering?

Did you forget to post the photos, of the presumed deficiency?

Well remind me, not to drive anywhere near where you are, so when your brakes do fail and you crash into something or somebody, I won't be anywhere nearby. So far this form shows arrogance vs understanding. A forum that I probably won't stick around to very long.

Geez, a guy puts a lot of effort into posting and then gets these kind of responses? I've be on quality, helpful forums, still am, and that's not how it works there. Guys are kind, patient, understanding & helpful, versus responses with arrogance & condescension. Way to welcome a new member! Not.

Prevention is the key. I wouldn't have posted the detailed post if I didn't have a need to repair for preventative maintenance!

No, I didn't forget to post the photos. I didn't post them on purpose. My post was very explanatory, enough to picture it well for now.

 

[Snoonyb]

Well remind me, not to drive anywhere near where you are, so when your brakes do fail and you crash into something or somebody, I won't be anywhere nearby. So far this form shows arrogance vs understanding. A forum that I probably won't stick around to very long.

Geez, a guy puts a lot of effort into posting and then gets these kind of responses? I've be on quality, helpful forums, still am, and that's not how it works there. Guys are kind, patient, understanding & helpful, versus responses with arrogance & condescension. Way to welcome a new member! Not.

Prevention is the key. I wouldn't have posted the detailed post if I didn't have a need to repair for preventative maintenance!

No, I didn't forget to post the photos. I didn't post them on purpose. My post was very explanatory, enough to picture it well for now.

I see, so your post, WITHOUT SUPPORTING PHOTOS, expects us, to assume, that there exists a, potential structural deficiency, that you've lived with, for an indeterminate duration, which you've patiently describe, YOUR, proposed repair for, WITHOUT, having consulted, ANY, engineer, or sought references to, FULL BERING, in determining if, in fact, a structural failure could occur?

And you, instead, took exception to being asked for, ANY, documented evidence, save your patient depiction, which would be, KEY TOO, our ability to fully value your proposed solution, or, suggest other tried and true methods?

 

[bud16415]

Keep in mind the forum is made up of many individuals with different backgrounds and experience. I read your post a couple times as well but couldn’t reply at the time and had similar questions on how you got to the point of needing to repair your foundation. Normally something is failing that brings people here needing advice on fixing a problem. We are not there to look ay it so we can only advise to the extent of what we know.



All that you posted sounds ok to me and if the house was designed and built and approved as it is and hasn’t shown any signs of failure, then surely adding more structure won’t cause any issues.



If it is in some sort of failure mode or you have strong belief it will be then hiring a structural eng. would be the first advice I would give you as well. Just as your proactive repair could prevent a future problem likewise it may not be enough. It is pretty hard to offer that kind of advice even based on an excellent explanation of the problem.



Think of it this way if you mailed exactly what you told us to a structural eng. and asked them to sign off on the repair sight unseen even for payment they wouldn’t do it.



Again welcome to the forum.

 

[Steve123]

Do you have that mentality about the brakes on your car; wait for them to wear down metal to metal, fail, then fix them? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

If you really think your foundation is inadequate, you need to have it reviewed by a licenced professional engineer.
Yes, asking the question on an internet forum is a lot cheaper, but you are more sure to get a proper result with the licensed engineer.

 

[PJB12]

I'm no engineer, but your plan in Post 1 sounds fairly reasonable- with two suggestions:
A) Bottle jack may not be a good idea. You can rent House Jacks that are 100% mechanical. No hydraulics to rely upon.
Jack slowly over a period of days to not crack anything inside or outside the house- like plaster.

B) When you pass your plan by an engineer as Steve123 suggested, she'll probably require rebar ties from new to old. You can
rent an SDS-Plus or SDS-Max long drill & bits for the purpose.

Having the engineer involved will help keep your home insurance peaceful if anything catastrophic happens. Also keep all material receipts S/A the one showing the bag-mix for the concrete (6-bag, 5-bag, etc.). This proves you used the materials specified in the engineering.

 

[Steve123]

Structural changes to the house will almost certainly require a permit and inspection.

 

[Snoonyb]

I'm no engineer, but your plan in Post 1 sounds fairly reasonable- with two suggestions:
A) Bottle jack may not be a good idea. You can rent House Jacks that are 100% mechanical. No hydraulics to rely upon.
Jack slowly over a period of days to not crack anything inside or outside the house- like plaster.

B) When you pass your plan by an engineer as Steve123 suggested, she'll probably require rebar ties from new to old. You can
rent an SDS-Plus or SDS-Max long drill & bits for the purpose.

Having the engineer involved will help keep your home insurance peaceful if anything catastrophic happens. Also keep all material receipts S/A the one showing the bag-mix for the concrete (6-bag, 5-bag, etc.). This proves you used the materials specified in the engineering.

1 of my 1st jobs in const., LB, CA, was the under floor guy, often referred to, in Spanish as "topas", which, comedically, liberaly, translates to "groundhog", we used 12 ton bottle jacks set on 4X6 and raised interior walls 1 too 2" in a matter hours, and installed new 4X posts, with only minor plaster repair, and "O" stucco repair.