Wall being knocked down

[Tim Smith]

Hi

We are in the process of arranging for a wall with a door way in it to be taken down to open up the whole area. I have had a report done by a structural engineer to determine what steels need using and checking foundations and so on.

However, in the calculations he makes assumptions about the foundations and says that if these factors are not true then the pillar at one end will need underpinning to support the new RSJ.

I dont understand any of hte calculations about the foundations, but it says that if the parameters are not met then local underpinning of the pier to a size of 600 x 1100 x 200 DP is required.

Is it possible to give any indication of what this is likely to cost ?

Thanks

Tim

[Rick]

1 dig hole - difficulty depends upon your situation 2 fill with concrete - ditto

say 15 quid an hour for a man + skip + concrete, its not much concrete.

Compared to the rest of the work, its not going to be much.

Rick

[Tim Smith]

This is becoming a nightmare now.

I spoke to one Underpinning company who said on the figures I quoted, the guessed around £1500+VAT.

The Structural Engineer has said it shouldnt cost more than £600-£700 and that any builder should be able to do it (maybe with some of his advise).

Another underpinner has started to tell me how diffiucult it is to underpin piers.

Any helpful suggestions ????

Thanks

Tim

[BigWallop]

Knock it down and start again, mate. That might work out the easiest you know. It is "quite" difficult to underpin piers, but not that difficult for a good builder. The piers have to be bound to keep them from falling apart while the footing is renovated, but that isn't to bad a job for a good'un. Each pillar needs to be done individually to stop splitting occurring in their supported structure, this should also be well considered by a good professional builder.

Not actually being able to see the whole job is a bugger, but your description tells of an regular sort of re-enforcement to an existing build. Nothing you say tells of it being a real bastard of a job to a good building company. You should also make really good use of your Engineer on this, and let him tell the builder what he wants done, and not the other way round.

[Tim Smith]

Thanks for the advice.

I did acutally have antoehr builder around last night who seemed to know more about what was going on.

This is the currently sitation

==DOOR=============OPENING ==== | | | | |

and we were hoping to change to

kitchen

==DOOR=== OPENING ==== | | utility | Stud Wall breakfast room | |

Obviously the bit between hte door and the opening is the wall which might have needed underpinning.

What hte builder has suggested, is to brick up the door way into the utility room (using sufficient foundations) and use this new brickwork to support the steel, We can then knock down the old brickwork completely. A new doorway would then be put into hte utility through the studwall.

The builder said it is a lot easier to build a new wall in the doorway with decent foundations than it is to underping the "pier" under the floor. I guess this is pretty much in line with what you were saying. It also has the advantage the opening is bigger because there is no stub sticking out into hwat was the breakfast room.

any thoughts? many thanks for the advise.

Tim

[BigWallop]

What the builder says, sounds good to me as well. In an opening the size of a doorway, it's far easier to make a solid footing and build new above. If the new build an then be utilised to support the rest of the needed works, then by all means do it that way.

Me thinks this builder is the one for this job, but make sure your structural engineer is also in on what's being done here, and take his advice on how to begin and complete all the works. The builder sounds as though he knows what's what, but the engineer is the one who signs it all off in the end.

[Tim Smith]

Thanks for that.

I must admit, he seems by far the most knowledgeable so far.

We'd had two quotes for the original plans of £1500 + plus an estimated £700 from the engineer for the underpinning. One guy quoted £600 but didnt know anything about foundations ! This bloke quoted £2300 but he is removing the need for underpinning and he is also building a new doorway in the stud wall....

All in all, it seems a reasonable price and a far better solution.

Tim