[paredown]

Hard to describe, so I've included pics and a sketch. I have two related problems.

The footing/piers in my crawl were poured on top of the material heaped up after the foundation was complete. So leveling and installing a vapor barrier is one project. (And don't get me started as to why the other piers under the "I" beam are not centered!)

The problem footer in the picture is at a critical transition in the house, carrying the end of the "I" beam that bisects the main living area. Two problems:

(1) because it is where the access to the crawl is, the soil has been excavated around it, down to the level of the foundation footers. Either because of this (or water damage) it has also started to tip towards the back of the house (away from the well tank you can see in the pictures)
So first question is how/what procedure I might use to stabilize this?

I had thought about pouring a small footer (level with the foundation wall footer), with vertical rebar embedded. Then use narrow CBU to build a low wall. Parge. Finish with vacuuming the fines off/around the rock & then a slurry coat of mortar to keep things from moving. Since I want to preserve that access area, I thought about building this as a "U" so I can stabilize all the sides & finish with a little floor.

For this project, I am interested in any suggestions--this is something of the likes I have never done, although I have mixed concrete by hand before, & dread carrying it down into the crawl...

(2) the second problem is what I started to try to solve in the first place. (Ain't it always the way!) I have a page of the original plans that show the "I" beam running to the end of that pier, and catching the last joist coming from the back of the house, & a double joist coming from the other side, both supported by the "I" beam.

For some reason, they left the joist ledger off the end wall, so although that last joist runs tight to wall, & although it does line up with where they ended the steel, it doesn't come far enough towards the access area. The 2x8 from the other direction is single & face nailed and not supported by the I beam. (there is an extra block--you can see the new wood--that is temporary until I can redo the floor in the furnace room above the access door)

The result of these two decisions leaves the wall above this area (a bearing wall--and in fact a post for the post & beam above--with not enough support below!

Unsurprisingly, this is a spot where the roof failed, and water has leaked, etc & there is evidence that the wall has dropped a little. I've fixed the rotted floor (partially) replaced the plate and blocking above. (Roof was redone before purchase, but water ponds in that area...)

So assuming I can come up with a reasonable plan for #1, & stabilize the pier and footing, can I get away with jacking on the edge of that footing--I thought right in the center of the nailed joists--and then place a couple of 6x6 fir blocks to raise that joist combination slightly. I'm not shooting for fully level, but would like the plate of the wall above to be tight, and have the bearing wall tight to the beam it is supporting...

(of course all the wiring in the house crosses that little section--I mean why wouldn't it be hard?)

Cheers,
Dean

 

[joasis]

The correct fix would be to jack the beam and support it while you dig and form a new footing pier, and then after 3 weeks or so, load it. The problem is of course, working space and the location of mechanicals under your home.

Do you know for a fact the pier is/has moved since the initial construction? Like what I am asking is, has it moved in the last few years? If not, leave well enough alone. To give you an idea of why some do footers or piers like this is all about stabilizing a floor system or take the bounce out of a long span. Estimate how much weight this pier is holding up in pounds, and then measure the base of the pier, and divide into the weight. You may be surprised that it is in fact, about 5 pounds per square inch. looks bad, but it works.

 

[paredown]

Do you know for a fact the pier is/has moved since the initial construction? Like what I am asking is, has it moved in the last few years?

Thanks for the quick response--I have been lurking for a while & thought this forum was a lively one!

No, don't know for a fact that it has moved, but it is definitely off-level, & the wall above has sagged. There was water leaking directly above this (staining on the face of the beam--and the rotted plate of the wall)

OTH, the water tank is right there by the access door, above this area & it leaked as well & destroyed the floor, so who knows???

As far as the decision to place those piers on top like that, excavation to the level of the foundation would have been no small job--they don't call this place Rockland county for nothing. It wouldn't have been my choice, had I built it initially.

I can deal with the results above by dealing with the sag in the floor, and I don't even think the beam above carries much weight.

I forgot to add this is a single story post and beam that was built c. 1963.

I'm pretty sure the joint/overlap in the beam was supposed to be supported by doubled 2x's in the wall, and underneath that was supposed to be a doubled joist supported by the end of the steel.

I'm a root cause kind of guy.

Can't make the "I" beam longer--but I did have the urge to tighten the everything up with a couple of props, and keep the pier in place while I'm down there doing everything else...:whistling2:

 

[joasis]

If it helps, jack and level, using steel shims. Leave the pier alone, and if you need added support, literally, blocks and caps will make footings for what you are doing, and if the soil is stable, no moisture, you should be good to go.