"JLagg" wrote in message
ups.com...
Just curious as to the probability of adding a basement to an existing
house. It was built in 55 and is a ranch style single story 3 bedroom
1000 sq. It has a 3 ft crawl space all the way around. I have a drywell
and well also, no city pumbing at all. Any thoughts on this? Thanks



We have a company that does business here in Western Massachusetts and
parts of New York that specializes in moving houses and installing
foundations under existing houses. They run several steel beams under the
house, extending beyond the house for jacking points. They even create
collars to support the chimney during the lift.
They use boxed timbers as safety supports and when the building is high
enough excavate the new cellar hole with a bobcat. They've done it often
enough to think through all the problems... hatchway to get the inside
concrete forms out of the building, notches which become window holes for
when they lower the building and remove the steel beams.
Locally there are a lot of summer homes that were originally set on
piers. Many from New York City are purchasing these and creating year round
homes, it's not cheap.. $30 to 50 grand and if it was me I would just build
somewhere else. But it's an interesting project and even more enjoyable
when they take these buildings to another location !

Happy modeming,
Bill