Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
I have biggish cracks now showing on a 1905 buildings kitchen outbuilding with a bedroom above it. Located in Dover.
Are there any underpinning experts on SD?
- Thread starter Bavarianbrit
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RJ Engineering are based in Cheriton (outskirts of Folkestone) so about 15 minutes away. Dean Weir is the MD. They have worked for me extensively.
You probably know the Gateway in Dover (the huge 1950’s block in the harbour that blocks Dover’s view of the sea!) RJ deal with the structural work.
They’re not a huge outfit, the quality of their work is excellent.
Hope that helps.
You probably know the Gateway in Dover (the huge 1950’s block in the harbour that blocks Dover’s view of the sea!) RJ deal with the structural work.
They’re not a huge outfit, the quality of their work is excellent.
Hope that helps.
I am not an expert, but I do have considerable building experience. I had to do a similar job on a house I bought in Chatham before I could sell it. Being built in 1905 in Dover, it may not have been built with much of a foundation, or not a full concrete foundation, and the recent dry weather may have dried the ground out and caused it to shrink slightly.
The cheapest way is to dig a section out from under the kitchen wall a meter in length, and see what is under there.
This will tell you if there was a footing or not, and if a footing, how deep it went. If it has a footing it is probably shallow as they tended to stop when they hit chalk. Whatever the case, once you have it excavated you will know. You can then fill this hole in with concrete, to a depth of one meter, and a width of 600mm (i.e. reinstate a proper footing).
Skip a meter in length along the kitchen wall, and repeat the process. Then dig out and fill in the gap between the two, and carry in that manner until you have a continuous footing. It is laborious, but not that expensive, and is something you could consider having a go at yourself.
If you understand the process and what is involved it may help you to avoid cowboy quotes.
The cheapest way is to dig a section out from under the kitchen wall a meter in length, and see what is under there.
This will tell you if there was a footing or not, and if a footing, how deep it went. If it has a footing it is probably shallow as they tended to stop when they hit chalk. Whatever the case, once you have it excavated you will know. You can then fill this hole in with concrete, to a depth of one meter, and a width of 600mm (i.e. reinstate a proper footing).
Skip a meter in length along the kitchen wall, and repeat the process. Then dig out and fill in the gap between the two, and carry in that manner until you have a continuous footing. It is laborious, but not that expensive, and is something you could consider having a go at yourself.
If you understand the process and what is involved it may help you to avoid cowboy quotes.
As Old 30-06 says. It’s called ‘hit and miss’ mass poured underpinning.
You need to dig down until you find a suitable load bearing strata.
You need to dig down until you find a suitable load bearing strata.
Following with interest as am looking at a similar age house!
The age of the house shouldn’t correlate to issues with subsidence. There are tens thousands of houses of a similar age, it doesn’t mean they will all have the same issues.
What's wrong with starting your footings from a point of solid chalk?
K
K
nf-fuse
Well-Known Member
Old houses often have inadequate footings compared to modern housing.
I think there is a lot of difference between a early 20th century property and a modern one.
Respectfully, I disagree with you on this and the broad generalisation.
I work in the construction industry as a surveyor. You would be astounded by some of the issues we see in modern properties.
I’m not saying we don’t see issues with older properties. But to say modern properties are constructed better is simply not the case.
What I meant in my earlier comment was; because one house built in 1900 (ish) has an issue, that doesn’t mean another will or is more likely to have the same issues.
Sorry, this isn’t intended to be an argumentative comment, and I apologise in advance if that’s how it appears.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Out off couriousity when u carry out the hit and miss founds.
Do u have to put some steel rebar in and leave it sticking out so u can tie in all the founds together?
Do u have to put some steel rebar in and leave it sticking out so u can tie in all the founds together?
Kyle_hill98
Well-Known Member
Another Surveyor here
, I will never buy a new build, unless I have had a trusted team in to build the property for me!
several times i saw architects try to specify that approach but the structural engineer laughed at them.
No you don’t need to leave the re-bar exposed. Once cured, you scrabble the face of the previous pours to expose the aggregate, then pour the section next to it.
Norfolk Horn
Well-Known Member
Only if you hate who ever is going to dig around those bars.
Seriously even if you don't get a chemical bond with the next pour the uneven nature of the concrete once cleaned up with give a good physical key.
why would an architect be ever be specifying foundations? that is the SE's remit. and you saw this several times.......
gelert
Well-Known Member
How big, deep and fresh are the cracks? have you had an problems lately with any burst or faulty drains/flooding nearby? any trees close to the building? I'd mark the wall with chalk or a pencil and record and monitor while seeking a professional in the mean time to visit. A structural engineer like has been mentioned. You might then want to get in touch with your insurance company if a way forward and remedial work is needed.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Cheers folks, was just wondering if the cold joint on the found was a problem.
But obviously not.
I mind once labouring for brickies on a site and the found other subbies had made a slight mistake with founds and the trench block would be over hanging the found an 1" or so.
I just mind all the clean vests came up scratching their heads and pointing fingers at folk.
I dunno how they fixed it in the end but talked about digging down the side off the concrete found and drilling rebar in and then pouring an extension.
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
Saw it first last summer, my builder advised waiting and watch the cracks grow. It grew as expected so now am on the fix it mode. Me being 75 digging is not for me so paid help will be used.
Here are a few pics of the damage. No trees shrubs or plants are nearby. The bedroom shows movement away from main house as does the bathroom add on, the last on left but the lower kitchen to main house structure shows no cracks yet!
Here are a few pics of the damage. No trees shrubs or plants are nearby. The bedroom shows movement away from main house as does the bathroom add on, the last on left but the lower kitchen to main house structure shows no cracks yet!
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