6x6 post is off center of concrete footer

walt1955

To begin with, thanks in advance to all who respond as I do appreciate your advice.
I have poured 4 footings each being 24" in diameter and 12" thick with rebar. These are to support a second floor storage area rated a 60 psf in a 40'x60' pole barn. The footings are as needed by a structural plan drawn and approved by an architect. My problem is two of the four are off center so when I set my posts they will be as much as five to six inches off center. My concern is that the footing will possibly want to tilt as the weight from the structure is not resting exactly in the center of the footing. The earth below the footings is virgin and there is roughly three inches of #2 stone under each footing. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks,Walt

Canarywood1

Your best bet is to ask the architect that drew the plan.

joecaption

It's his licence and stamp on the line.

Hammer450R

Thats why you make them 24x24, gives you room to wiggle. If your all the way to 1 edge id be concerned

But i agree a phone call to arch is easy.

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joecaption

I'd like to know how you could even get them that far off.

walt1955

I have left several messages for this guy with no response. Once he got my money it has been very little communication since. Interesting part is I paid his price as soon as the drawings were ready and he said he would give me one hour of questions at no charge. I've even offered to pay him to answer a couple of questions since with no response. Only made one change in his drawings so it's not like I bothered him. Last time I spoke with him he was buried in a big project. I want to set my posts tomorrow and am tired of waiting on him, hence my question here on DIY.

walt1955

Yes his stamp is on the line and while I had to go to an appointment the last two were poured without my supervision and you know the end result.

joecaption

Oh ya been there done that.
I've made them tear it out and redo it for free, don't like it leave.

Installed all the sheathing on a roof with the H clips on the ends so they were sitting on top of the trusses, not between them. (done by a so called "Pro roofer")

Set deck post so shallow I could tip them over with one hand.

Painter shows up to spray paint a house and ends up getting paint all over the gutters, (which he was told to remove and he agreed) my generator and a car in the yard. Painted a metal door that gets direct sun with Hunter green paint instead of the white I had told him to paint it. Dark colors on any exposted door will distroy the door, wish it did.
So ya I know how poop happens.

walt1955

Yep, you turn your back and look what happens. I don't think mine are so far off they need replaced but I want some reassurance before i set the posts. Actually I probably can set them so at least 2" of the 6x6 is centered in the pad. Thanks

concretemasonry

If they are so far off that you have to "fudge" to get a 6x6 on 2" on the pad, it is bad. If the 2" referred to the center of the post being within 2" of the center of the pad it is hard to tell what is considered the "center of the pad".

If you cannot get an answer from the calls, send him a letter informing of the problem and give him a chance to reply and say you will contact another engineer.

Since he already gave you some free consulting on something else, he may charge for an opinion since it is out of the range of what he was hired to do. You would have to pay another person for a professional opinion and time involved to see and understand what the situation actually is since verbal discussions are not always accurate to both parties.

The description you gave is difficult to really understand since a 24" diameter footing being 12" thick is somewhat confusing since round footings are unusual unless they a Sonotube cylinder that goes deeper. It does not sound like a big problem, but you are concerned on your end.

Dick

walt1955

Maybe I didn't explain the 2" properly. My worst case scenario is the center of my 6x6 (actually 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 ) post will be as much as 4" from the center of the 24" diameter slab. So roughly 1/3 of my post will be within the 5 1/2" square in the center of the slab. Regarding the architect, my one change I made was included in my final cost so he actually owes me some consulting time at no charge. There is no reason why he should not answer my calls. The 24" diameter was originally a 24" square pad but since the holes are 4' deep is was obviously easier to do them 24" round. The architect did his calculations and the 24" round slab was well within his limits. The more I think about this the more I think it will be ok. Thanks

Joe Carola

Why did you make a change from what he drew? Did you ask him first? What change did you make? Was it structural? You can't change any plans structurally.

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walt1955

The change was made before he finished and it was minor so I don't think he actually charged me any extra. Actually he didn't as my final cost was what he originally quoted. Thanks

walt1955

Actually structural changes can be made as he simply makes them, stamps them and I give the update to the building dept. Getting back to my original question. Do you have the knowledge to give a fair opinion? Thanks

hand drive

code for footings in my area used to be 4 inch of footing sticking out past the edge of the foundation, piers, etc... Now they have changed it to only needing 2" of footing sticking past the edge. that does not really help your situation but gives some reference to accepted codes for my area in North Carolina.

If you are down 4' with your footing depth and the earth down around the footing at the 4' depth is undisturbed you have that in your favor for lateral footing strength, plus the size of the pole has a lot to do with it as a large diameter pole would distribute more of its weight across the top surface of the footing as apposed to a smaller diameter pole pressing down on one edge of the footing, see what I mean? Where the pole comes closest to the footings edge,how far from the edge is it going to be? Thanks