existing base for garden shed....break it?

hi, we have a small wooden garden shed on a cast concrete base. the shed is pretty rotten so we want to replace with a larger breeze block construction shed ( that's if breeze block is the cheapest kind of shed to build, that's not wood. [guess breeze blocks will work out cheaper than the pre fabricated kind of concrete sheds you can buy anyway?])

my question is; since i am going to need a larger concrete base, should i smash up the existing one or is there a satisfactory way to 'key in' a piece of new larger concrete base onto to the existing one. many thanks for any advice. yours, john west

Reply to
john west++++
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Either. You may want to put in a bit more depth of a foundation, which means digging down the side of the existing.

OTOH a quick and dirty way to get most of what you want is to dig back a little around teh edges, shutter up, and pour a shitlaod of new concrete on top of everything.

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Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Hello john

Concrete blocks, not breeze blocks. Might seem a minor quibble, but it could save you some embarrassment down the builders yard.

Might be worth hunting around for faced blocks. Much more expensive though, and most peeps are happy with rendering over the ugly.

Make for great sheds though.

You can key in, but you need to do the math as to whether the existing is deep enough for whatever height you're planning on, in which case you might not need any further concrete. If not, then trench footings are the way forward, either alongside or break out a trench and go that way.

However... Damp proofing. Concrete sheds don't breathe like wood so damp is more of a problem. It would pay, I think, to rip out all existing concrete and start afresh, putting down a DPM when you lay the new pad/raft. Adequate ventilation also needed (grilles, vents, etc)

Reply to
Simon Avery

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