options for raising floor on enclosed patio?

what-do-i-do

I have a patio that was enclosed and made part of the house by previous owner. I want to demolish the patio and build this area as an addition to the house, with permits, with the floor level with the rest of the house. Right now the patio area is on a cement slab, a step down about 10 inches lower than the house floor.

What are some methdods for raising a floor, making it level with the rest of the house? I want to do some research before calling an architect or contractor.

gregzoll

Pressure treated lumber used on top of the slab, with a barrier as a thermal break, such as foam board and plywood. What does your permit office state as to your idea on this?

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RenoStruct

You may be facing a new foundation pour. In most locals it's a requirement that the foundation top be 6" above grade. Also, you can't transfer weight directly to the slab without a foundation beneath.

Check to see if the slab has a proper foundation that will pass inspection for inhabited space. If it does, you should be able to block up or pour to get the right height and set anchor bolts. Then I would proceed as with any standard addition construction. Anchored sealed sill, rim joist, joist on joist hangers, deck, walls, etc and treat the area below as a crawl.

If you find, that the patio slab is just a slab without a footer, you're in for some excavation.

Let us know what you find.

AndyGump

Is the house itself on a raised foundation?

Andy.

what-do-i-do

house is on raised foundation, got a crawl space.

AndyGump

So demo the slab to make room for the new addition on a raised foundation like the original but up to present code.

You will have to excavate a little to get the proper depth for code, I design this kind of thing all the time. It is what I am best at.

Andy.

RenoStruct

I'm a little confused about your use of "demo."

Any word on the slab footer?

AndyGump

Thanks, changed it.

Andy.

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abracaboom

A friend of mine did the same in his house. The city wanted him to redo the whole thing, like Andy suggests. He hired an engineer who took a few measurements and designed what Gregzoll mentioned: a pressure-treated lumber deck above the concrete pad. The city accepted the engineer's design, and my friend saved himself a lot of money by not tearing out a concrete pad and replacing it with a concrete wall.

AndyGump

Here in CA. he needs 18" min. under a raised foundation for access anyway. Lots of good reasons to demo the pad.

It just isn't that big a deal.

Andy.

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