Footings removal

[Hopper]

Hi all,

Were hoping to get some advice, we want to extend our California Bungalow on a sloping block to utilise the space under the house to create a split level at rear. (Current under house rear level height is 1.9m). In order to do this, we need to remove existing back wall and footing and remove 2m of the side walls and those footings (double brick), we then need to remove enough soil to create new floor level and put in new slab and footings. Has anyone done this, or does anyone know the best way to go about this? How do you protect existing footings when you removing soil all around it.

BTW - The 2m of side walls to be removed are only holding tin roof, rest of house is tiled and none of the supporting walls will be removed.

Does anyone also know how much Structural Engineers charge for this kind of planning advice?

Thanks

Hopper

[jatt]

Recon u r gonna need to post some fotos :)

Sounds like a pretty serious reno job.

[Hopper]

I have attached a photo of the wall we want to remove and I have tried to explain what we want to do with a very very basic and not to scale drawing in word. What were concerned about is we want to lower our bottom floor level past the level of the existing footing that is supporting the wall that will remain, were just not sure if we can do this, and if we can, what do we need to do to protect the footing as we will be removing the soil around it?

[Moondog55]

When you are demolishing so much why not just demolish completely and start again??
It may actually work out cheaper, although that is just a personal opinion

Pictures of the underneath would also help

[Hopper]

It is not more economical to demolish and rebuild, the interior is already renovated, we are just demolishing a small sunroom and kitchen at the rear of the house. We would leave the walls as they are if we were not excavating down to create a lower floor level, we would be digging below the existing footings.

[Bloss]

The answer is yes you can, but you will need engineering advice and plans and approvals as this is structural work and non-trivial. The existing footings will need to be underpinned - extended down at full width and length. There are a few ways this can be done - a construction engineer will offer options - and tell you the cheapest or easiest - and they might be different. :2tsup:

[Moondog55]

Hopper I think you have misinterpreted my reply, I did not mean to say that you should knock down the whole thing, just that part that would need to be underpinned.

Friend did it many years ago ( the underpinning thing ) and in their case demolition would have been much cheaper.
Bobcats etc are usually much cheaper than man labour

[jatt]

Does anyone also know how much Structural Engineers charge for this kind of planning advice?


No idea but if the engineer I employed to design a sewer main extension I had done is any indication, then be prepared for heaps.

Recon there would have to be a soil test report done on this too. But that's just my opinion.