Cottage supports are shifting and heaving

[Frank D]

I currently have a 30 yr old seasonal two story log cottage sitting on cedar posts which are either sitting on bedrock about 2 feet below ground or buried in soft ground at varying depths according to slope of bedrock. I do not have access to heavy equipment as I am secluded. The land slope is about 10 percent. My problem is that the frost has been heaving the posts at the rear of the cottage which is now 5 inches higher than the front. I tried putting in cement blocks filled with concrete and putting them as deep as I could but they are heaving too. The construction is simple 6 inch cedar logs nailed vertically on post and beams. The 2 story cottage measures 25 X 32 feet. The slope of the bedrock( which is a few feet below ground level at some support points) can be at 30-40 percent. My next plan is to just get the cottage level and use new cedar posts. I need to lift the sagging sections and put in new cedar posts. For this I want to use three

20ton bottle jacks to straighten the main beams which are double 2 X 12.

My problem is how to safely support the jacks at a three foot hight. The ground is sandy with clay underneath. Can I just use cottage pads on the ground and put solid concrete blocks to fill the gap. So one support would be a 18 X 18 X 3 inch reinforced pad on the ground with maybe crushed stone to level. then several 3 x 6 x 8 solid concrete blocks stacked together and finaly the bottle jack and a 3/8 steel plate secured to the jack and the beam. In my area there is available either a 20 X 20 X 4 inch 7000lb per square inch cottage pad or a 18 X 18 X 3 inch steel reinforced. I would prefer the reinforced one because its only 75 lbs and easier to stack and move around. I don't know what the load capacity of the 3 in is and I dont know how much of a load I will actually be putting on it. There are so many variables. I've seen house movers using what looks like railway ties to build cribs to do this but i can't find any DIY info on this method. Has anyone had similar challenges that can give me some pointers. How far apart to place the jacks? How to keep the whole lifting assembly dead level while it is being pushed into the ground?

Sorry for the long post but I'm trying to do this job right for once and not kill myself in the process. I heard that if the jack is not dead level it could slip out and....well my wife would be rich ;-)

Frank

[Phil]

There's only one thing you need to safely complete a job like this - experience.

[LightsAREon]

A couple of moths ago TLC ran a show on the relocation of a historic train station that was going to be made into a museum. They had some of the most rotten soil you could imagine and the whole station sat directly on its floor. Picture a concrete matte foundation without the concrete. They had a lot of details on exactly the method you were talking about.

Another possibility is contacting a house moving company and talking to one of their field superintendents.

The cottage pads should be sufficient but since the soil is sandy on top. I would try to spread the weight by putting several tightly packed

2x12's under the cottage pad. This should prevent most of the sinking. The jacks do need to be level but at least one will always be out of level as the cottage is being raised. Get several (borrow from friends or rent them) 4' framing levels and strap them to the house at the corners and midspans. You can even get post levels (very cheap) that tack on to the corners of fence posts and put them on the bottom corners of the house.

Just some thoughts.

[bowgus]

Maybe lower the back by say an inch or so at a time by supporting beside each post, cut an inch off, then lower ... and repeat. Better still, replace the posts while at it. A buddy has a similar situation ... footings don't go down below the frostline so levelling once in a while is required. Too bad you can't get down to bedrock and put an end to it.

[Furry]

Folks,

I have a bunch of left-over shingles from my new house. They are IKO brand. There are a bunch [about 40] of "cap" shingles. There are 4 packs of IKO Aristocrat 25 shingles. There are 15 packs of IKO Chateau shingles. I've had no luck selling or giving them away but I'd hate to just dump them and don't have any room for them here.

I read a few months ago about a place in Maine that either buys left-over materials or lets you donate them. Then other people can go and buy your old stuff cheap. I live in York, Maine and remember it being in a town pretty close by. Does this ring a bell for anyone? Basically I'm just trying to get rid of these shingles and it would be nice if someone else could use them and save some money.

Thanks, Bill

[longshot]

try

in kennebunk

[longshot]

better yet, try habitat for humanity

[Rick Blaine]

See if you have a local Habitat for Humanity or similar organization. There's a couple in my town that accept building supplies.

[Italian]

I would suggest forgetting about the old posts and footings for now. Pour new ones next to the old ones at proper depth (dig with 2 man auger, very portable) after these have been in place say for 2 weeks place the jacks on these new pads and re-level the entire building its not that big. Any other way is going to allow the problem to continue if you do not get below the frost line you will have heaving there are no if ands or buts about it.

If you do one at a time you do not have to worry about it going anywhere.

I've seen house movers using what looks like railway ties to

these cribs are used after the house is lifted the house rests n them while the new foundation or walls are being erected. If Im understanding correctly your saying there is no stable ground on which to rest these oncorrect ? which is anoter reason why you must pour new footings first.

there is only one way to do it right and not have to do it again....you must get below the frost line......

Frank D wrote:

[KLS]

Have you joined your local Freecycle group and offered the shingles there?

Or what about Craigslist?

[Furry]

Everyone,

A quick email to let you know that I found the place I had heard about. It's called the Maine Housing and Building Materials Exchange and here's their URL:

They came to my house and picked the stuff up. The guy was very professional, wrote out the receipt, didn't leave a mess, etc.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Bill

Furry wrote: