[Greg pa]

I have a small laundry room addition 8x8 on the back of my cottage. Concrete slab at ground level, so the siding is also down to the ground. There is a lot of rot that was fixed half-axx. I am taking off the siding and fixing it right. What would you do to the area near the ground.
I could use several pressure treated 2xs stacked to make the sill plate 4-6" up.
I could make a 2-3 row brick base that the siding comes down to meet.
I could use pressure treated 2xs and put back as built.

What would you do?

Not a great picture, best I have.

 

[funfool]

would be good to see the picture, for better advice.
Ideally you want 6" above ground with concrete.
Work on that pic some more.

 

[Greg pa]

 

[joecaption]

Also let us know if you want this fixed once and for all or just want it better then what it is now.
The two differant ways to go about it.
I get stuck with having to do jobs done like yours all the time.
Mostly DIY's trying to enclose an old slab deck.
To do it right is going to involve a lot more work but will never give you a problum again, you have to support and slightly lift the addition and add a row of 6" concrete block and rebuild the wall on top of the block. Look up stem wall constrution, it's sort of like that.

The second option is to remove the siding at the bottom, add 1 X 6 vinyl lumber set in a bed of silcone caulking using trim head screws to attach it.
A piece of Z moulding then the siding, if it's wood siding you first install a kicker (a stip of wood or vinyl lattis, even a ripped piece of the siding, then the siding goes on. The kicker is to get the siding to sit out enough so it's behond the vinyl lumber.
If it's vinyl siding then you just use a piece of J moulding.

 

[Greg pa]

This is a temporary fix, but they can always become permanent as you know. I am going to be putting an addition on it in 3-4 years and prefer to not do anything with concrete I will have to get rid of in the future.
I am leaning towards lifting the roof slightly and replacing the rotted studs with Pressure treated. Then sheathing it with vinyl and putting the siding back on.
Good plan?

 

[joecaption]

Water will still get in under the wall, and the weed wacker will tare up the siding.

 

[joecaption]

It also should not be added on to.
Reason being it was not legal the way it was already built most likly.
No footing, not at least 6" up off the ground.

 

[Greg pa]

If I do add an addition I will be tearing this small addition down to build the new one.

Good point about the weedwacker but this is at the shore. The soil is sand and not much grows in this area so no maint needed.

I might just dig it out and put in bricks about a foot high, then have the siding come down to the bricks. I have a brick pile that needs to go anyway. Anyone see a problem with that?

 

[funfool]

I am with Joe on this, and would not be that hard to do a good fix.
Consider you need to cut out the rot any ways, you need a temp wall to support the weight while you cut out the rot. Regardless of how you fix, you need to do this much anyways.

My first thought is,
You support the wall and strip it to the studs and remove the bottom portion of rotted siding and expose the studs. Now how far up is the rot on the studs?
I would build a 2x6" x6" form and fill it with concrete. can buy bags and mix in a wheel barrow and pour into the forms ... is not that big 8'x8'
Put 2 bottom plates on it, first being pressure treated. You would need to shorten your studs 7" for them to fit the new foundation.
Question is, if you cut off 7", will that remove the rot?

About future remodel, I bet a cookie that is just a 4" slab and will all need to be broke out anyways. Adding the little footing to it will not matter.

If interested in this idea, we can help you with ways to do this approach.

 

[md2lgyk]

Do you know if the slab used to be a patio? If so, it probably has no footers. Probably no permit pulled either since the addition is obviously built wrong.

 

[Greg pa]

I want to do this right. I have a cement mixer and bags of cement that I was going to use for another project, but this is a priority. I am going to support the structure and lift it a little, then put in a new cinder row 12". Then build the walls back up from there. Any advise, as always, is welcome.

 

[md2lgyk]

Unless you can verify that the slab has a footer, you can't "do it right." And you'll likely need a permit.

 

[carpdad]

Don't "lift it a little". You are more likely to compromise other fasteners and structural parts. Work one wall at a time including the corners. Cut the studs 1/8" over what you'll need on paper, and when reattaching the studs, use metal shims and angles with deck screws.
Trenching and gravel fill around the slab will help. 12"?, this will also tell you how deep the sandy soil goes and drainage, and if drainage is not good you can add a trench that leads away from the house.