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Demolition and Reconstruction of Victorian Foundation

Bob is with Tim Berky, the general contractor for the Rowley Victorian addition and kitchen remodel. He updates Bob on the progress since the footing for the new foundation was poured and repairs to the original foundation were made. Berky and his crew found dry rot in the existing entry and had to remove it completely. The mason had to create a sloping course to level out the existing entry foundation and repoint it to blend it into the new foundation work. Inside, Berky and his crew removed the bathroom fixtures, secured the pipes to prevent leaking, opened the walls to expose wires and pipes for shutoff, and began to cut the entry into chunks for removal. The sill was releveled and an adhesive was used to attach the new sill to the brick foundaiton.

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Clip Transcript For:

Demolition and Reconstruction of Victorian Foundation

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Let's say additive murky -- the general contractor on the job and Tim since we were here last a lot of progress has been made as we left the other day and all we had was a hole in the ground with a lot of concrete for a base. And since then you've had the masons build up that nice brick facade mean brick foundation work that we see there were there any problems at that stage. Well the problem that we accounted once we had put in the brick foundation. We actually encountered the fact is as everybody realized that we were running into some rot around the front entry so. We rot of what nature you mean assume there was dry rot because of the old concrete stairs that were in there in the corner of the dry rot around the sill and area made it. Look like that it was something that we should just remove the actual structure -- yet yes we did fall through and as you can see we've removed the entire structure once removed. The structure we also realized that the foundation. After the mason had completed the new. Parents that I completed here. We realized how far off the foundation was soul you know is out of square you mean. It was actually out of square and it was not level. At least three what did you just cared. Turn on them welded to go backwards on that would have meant a lot more excavation and we actually felt that the foundation itself the that the old veneer is actually in good shape. It just needed to be. You know -- pointed and actually we cut a very small course from. Two inches to nothing going across the top layer once we set the -- we realized how. Far off from -- let's talk about what's happened so far there is you take the approach of building whatever has to be done on the outside of the existing house so as not to disturb the operation of family as little as possible that is but now you've already started. And you've already done some of the demo to the half back that was there right that's correct as most of that was on the outside of the house so there was still able to function inside the house. Obviously take us through the steps of what had -- What what we've done is we we came in on the site we removed the toilet the shower door of the sink and vanity. What once we remove all as we secured the pipes make sure that there was nothing that would actually leak or affect any part of the living area inside the house yeah just like he used dig safe outside on the inside you want to be very careful when you're doing demolition that you don't have any live electrical wires to. Performing --"

" That's correct so. Once we established. The shut offs in the basement we also opened up all the walls to expose any hidden threats of wires or any hidden pipes that may have been put in there that we wouldn't know about. Was there much insulation there was actually only because the government. Remodeled that one time -- this there was some insulation in the actual corner of the -- Rome but other than that the house has no insulation OK and then what else. What once we exposed all the threats we actually started this far up the structure into chunks it's will be quicker actually pushing the building a pile. Breaking apart the building in pieces. To be able to dispose of it so actually cut up the roof into an area we pushed those pieces all the the most odd couple walls up into areas. Pushed those off to the side and actually removed that entire structure and it all goes to the dump right west that's correct OK. I went once we had that all removed we actually started setting -- still. Across the top of the foundation that's when we realized the issue we had with the -- that right yes so what we did is we re level the -- we we attach we actually use an epoxy to set the sill on top of the avenue air."

" Because it's a brick veneer foundation you can't really put any kind of tie rods into -- Canada poured concrete foundation. So you've used an adhesive to attach the sill that's correct. And what we did have the mason come back and actually insert the rest of the brick and repoint and set that cement all the way around. -- did have anchor bolts on meet the new part of the."

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Foundation Inspection

Foundation repairs are expensive; help avoid major problems in the future by doing a regular checkup on your home. Inspect foundation walls for cracks; these can be caused by settling, expanding tree roots, or improper drainage. Inspect and clean out your gutters regularly and be sure that the drains direct water away from the foundation.

Choosing Between a Poured Foundation or a Crawlspace

Bob's back at the Mashpee site where he meets with developer Joe Valle to discuss the foundation that is being poured. Valle explains that the excavation work for an average foundation costs about $5,000 and includes the digging, backfill, and finish grading. The poured foundation also costs about $5,000, divided equally between the cost of labor and the cost of materials. Valle estimates it will take about 30 yards of concrete to pour the average foundation, which is equal to three truckloads. Bob questions the decision to pour a full foundation and wonders if it might not be more economical to build a crawlspace. Valle explains that the advantages of a full basement far outweigh any cost savings from digging and pouring a shallower foundation. The added living space is well worth the cost, especially since the foundation must be dug and poured regardless of the depth. As for a concrete slab, Valle says that the market does not support it in the Massachusetts area. Even with a slab house, a frost wall must be dug and poured, before the concrete arrives for the slab. Once the foundation is poured for this River Hill home, posts are set every 16 inches so that the sill can be bolted to the foundation and the house can be tied down to its base.

Reviewing the Plans for the Foundation

Bob and Ryley make their first tour of the site where the foundation is already in place. Ryley notes that with a sloping grade you want to drop the foundation as you follow the grade so that you don't have a lot of concrete sticking above the ground. Bob points out that the beauty of a sloping site is that the basement provides really good living space. Looking at the smoothness of the foundation wall Ryley can tell that the contractor used new forms for the pour. The horizontal line in the wall indicates where during the pour one truck pulled out and another pulled in, not uncommon in a large pour. The honeycombing that Bob notices is purely an aesthetic issue which could have been avoided by vibrating the concrete during the pour but does not compromise the wall's structural integrity. Bob and Ryley finish up with a quick look at the plans for the basement layout.

Site Clearing, Footings and Stem-Wall Foundation

Bob meets Buba Barrow of Barrow Construction, the general contractor for the container-built housing project, and Ray Price of SPNHS, the project manager for the job. Barrow, a former engineer turned builder, explains how the stem wall foundation is constructed first with 20-inch by 8-inch footings reinforced with rebar that are poured to support a concrete block wall reinforced with #5 rebar set 32 inches on center. The cells are filled with concrete in a continuous pour to make a monolithic slab and foundation. This type of foundation, known as a stem-wall foundation, is the sturdiest possible support for a home built in hurricane territory and subject to wind, storm surge, and uplift. Bob talks to Price about the site clearing on this shaded lot covered with Florida Live Oaks. Once the central oak and the brush were cleared, Price supervised the pouring of the footings during a challenging set of delays in Florida's rainy season. The rectangular foundation is ready for the intermodal steel building units (ISBU's) that will arrive on site and be welded to the steel plates set in the concrete as weld points around the perimeter of the foundation.