Hello everyone, I'm new here so hopefully this is the correct place for this post. Further, if this has been covered elsewhere a link would work well too.

Details of my situation: I have a 1.5 car garage that is studded walls sitting directly on top of a concrete pad. The footers in most places are pretty severely rotted and there appears to be water damage up approximately 2 feet in some places.

My thought on fixing it, which has been confirmed by a Handy-man branch of a contracting company: Support the garage, cut out some amount of the bottom of the wall, place cinder blocks on the pad, and build the wall back down on top of the blocks.

This will be by far my most ambitious home improvement project, but I am usually a fast learner.

Questions:
1) The overall idea is sound, correct?
2) Would 1 row of blocks be enough, or would I need 2?
3) With the walls sitting on them, would I need rebar or some sort of anchor for the blocks? I don't remember the contractor mentioning anchors, but maybe it's assumed. I wouldn't think it would be necessary, but obviously I am no expert.
4) I assume I'd need pictures here, but how many places would the rafters need support to do 1 wall at a time? (The garage is actually a 2 car footprint with a patio on the side, this is supported by four 4x4's) Or would I be better off doing it all in 1 shot?
5) To make it more water tight I was thinking I'd find some sort of roll on water barrier, any suggestions? I don't need waterproof, the project is simply to avert future damage to the garage.

Thanks in advance.

 

Welcome to the forums Andrew!

Pics are always nice - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

How high to lay the block depends on both the terrain and how much snow you get [or don't]
Supporting the structure so you can remove a portion of the bottom is no small task!!
Done correctly the block and siding should make the wall watertight.

 

1. Yes, your plan is one valid/good way to address the problem.

2. You say you have rot and water damage up to about 24". One row of block will give you about 8". If you only do one row of block you may need additional work to address the rotten or bad stuff above 8" high. Two rows would get you up 16" and more likely into good wood.

3. Yes, in my county anchoring the walls to the foundation is required. It's very important to prevent the building from being blown off it's foundation.

4. I would not do one wall at a time. I would raise the entire building and temporarily support it on cribbing. Cut off the bottom of the walls to a uniform dimension depending on how high you build your new block wall. Then set the entire building back down on top of the new walls.

5. I would only damp proof those parts of the wall below grade. If the new block walls will be above grade you can apply a damp proofing though it might be rather ugly. Maybe a skim coat of mortar to cover the block (my county does not approve visible CMU block, they must be covered somehow) which you could paint in the future if you want.

 

Thanks guys.

Pilot Dane: I was thinking I would cut up higher than I planned on doing the concrete and then building the wall back down to the new foundation by marrying (I think that's the right term) new 2x4's to the old ones. That way I wouldn't need to raise the whole building, there are supports on the patio portion that are in good shape still and will be untouched.

Raising the building seems more involved and somehow like there would be more chance for a terrible outcome, like me dying when the whole thing collapses on me.

Hopefully there is something anchoring the current walls, there isn't that I can see... but I haven't looked very closely yet.

Mark, as for how much snow... I am in Buffalo NY and my garage is only 2-3 feet from a fence where sometimes several feet of snow builds up. ...But like I said, there is no concrete now and 1 row of blocks definitely gets everything well above grade.

 

When jacking up a bldg the main thing is to go slow and provide enough support! Unless you intend to have a taller ceiling you only need to raise it an inch or so. When you cut the rotten end off of a stud it's common to install another stud along the patched stud.

 

I'm not sure I am following why there is a need to jack up the building? Other than saving on some lumber costs and a bit of work, which would likely be offset by the cost of buying or renting jacks.

Is there a reason I can't support the garage in the EXACT position that it sits now and cut 24 inches off the bottom. Then put down my row of cinder blocks and finish by extending new and longer 2x4's down to the blocks?

I found a picture of my garage from a real estate site... The patio portion shown I want to leave 100% untouched, those 4x4's are perfect.

 

It's just easier when you relieve some of the pressure but you could just support it as is and then lower the new onto your new stem wall.

 

Looked and there are anchors into the concrete. Also grabbed a picture where the damage is pretty bad. The good news about that bad spot is that it has looked pretty much exactly like that since I bought the house 5 years ago, so I don't think this is an emergency.