I just bought a house (well, not JUST) in Southern Louisiana with the
foundation piers requiring some maintenance and repair. Almost all of
them (8" x 24", all brick, approx 18" tall) will require some tuck-
pointing of the mortar, and the remaining ones are in bad enough shape
or are leaning far enough that they will need to be demo'd and
rebuilt. I also need to sister a couple of floor joists and replace
one 6x6 sill beam. The house is still fairly level, with about a
3-1/2" height differential in the floors (which is considered
borderline for needing leveling for these parts). While I'm at it,
I'd like to level the house again, but I'm unsure of the following
things:

1. What should my order of operations be? It seems that I should
start from the ground up--piers, sill, joists, leveling everything as
I go.

2. My plan to re-lay a pier is as follows: Jack and block the sill
on either side of the pier, twice (the first time will likely settle a
bit), until the sill is at whatever arbitrary elevation I decide it
should be, knock down the existing brick, use some Type M mortar
(adding a little extra cement), re-lay the brick right up to about
1/8" below the jacked-up sill (after double-checking the elevation)
and let it sit that way for 5 days or so, then remove the blocks and
let the jacks down slowly onto the new pier. Does this sound like the
right way to go?

3. To tuck-point, dig out the mortar until I get to good, hard stuff
in the center 12" of the pier (enough that I have some bearing on of
both of the sill beams), squeeze new mortar in with a grout bag, let
it sit for 5 days, then do the outsides the same way. If the
elevation at that point needs to be raised, jack and block, then use
some non-shrink grout to fill in the last little bit, unless there's
enough room for another brick.

4. For leveling purposes, is it ever a good idea to go DOWN? I'm
thinking I can minimize plaster damage and whatnot by choosing the
elevation in the center, thereby moving a maximum of 1-3/4", rather
than 3-1/2". The house is 80 years old, so I'm thinking that any
further movement will be cyclical in nature, and just about all of the
settlement has already occurred. Famous last words, right?

I know that's quite a mouthful. Thanks in advance, guys and gals.

Phil

Phil, I think I would plan on using solid concrete/haydite patio
blocks with no mortar. These blocks come in 8x16 units in nominal
1, 1 1/2, 2, and 4" units depending on manufacturer. An
assortment of cedar shingles and treated lumber can make up
anything finer. I would plan on a copper flash between the house
and the piers to prevent termites. If the original footings are
OK, this should allow you to load the piers immediately. The
other advantage is that if the building re-settles, it will be
much easier to monitor and adjust.

I would be concerned about lowering the house subject to plumbing
and other utilities. I would think it would be best to average
the 4 corners. Use a laser level that can shoot under all the
obstacles (a rotating laser or "follow me" type would be ideal).
If the center is down as much as you indicate, you may want to
jack until you hear the structure really groan and quit. Over a
period of weeks, slowly raise the worst areas giving them a bit of
time to adjust. The center girder caries a lot more of the load
than the outside walls, so you may need additional piers, larger
bearing pads, or both.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




wrote in message
...
I just bought a house (well, not JUST) in Southern Louisiana with
the
foundation piers requiring some maintenance and repair. Almost
all of
them (8" x 24", all brick, approx 18" tall) will require some
tuck-
pointing of the mortar, and the remaining ones are in bad enough
shape
or are leaning far enough that they will need to be demo'd and
rebuilt. I also need to sister a couple of floor joists and
replace
one 6x6 sill beam. The house is still fairly level, with about
a
3-1/2" height differential in the floors (which is considered
borderline for needing leveling for these parts). While I'm at
it,
I'd like to level the house again, but I'm unsure of the
following
things:

1. What should my order of operations be? It seems that I
should
start from the ground up--piers, sill, joists, leveling
everything as
I go.

2. My plan to re-lay a pier is as follows: Jack and block the
sill
on either side of the pier, twice (the first time will likely
settle a
bit), until the sill is at whatever arbitrary elevation I decide
it
should be, knock down the existing brick, use some Type M mortar
(adding a little extra cement), re-lay the brick right up to
about
1/8" below the jacked-up sill (after double-checking the
elevation)
and let it sit that way for 5 days or so, then remove the blocks
and
let the jacks down slowly onto the new pier. Does this sound
like the
right way to go?

3. To tuck-point, dig out the mortar until I get to good, hard
stuff
in the center 12" of the pier (enough that I have some bearing
on of
both of the sill beams), squeeze new mortar in with a grout bag,
let
it sit for 5 days, then do the outsides the same way. If the
elevation at that point needs to be raised, jack and block, then
use
some non-shrink grout to fill in the last little bit, unless
there's
enough room for another brick.

4. For leveling purposes, is it ever a good idea to go DOWN?
I'm
thinking I can minimize plaster damage and whatnot by choosing
the
elevation in the center, thereby moving a maximum of 1-3/4",
rather
than 3-1/2". The house is 80 years old, so I'm thinking that
any
further movement will be cyclical in nature, and just about all
of the
settlement has already occurred. Famous last words, right?

I know that's quite a mouthful. Thanks in advance, guys and
gals.

Phil

wrote:
I just bought a house (well, not JUST) in Southern Louisiana with the
foundation piers requiring some maintenance and repair. Almost all of
them (8" x 24", all brick, approx 18" tall) will require some tuck-
pointing of the mortar, and the remaining ones are in bad enough shape
or are leaning far enough that they will need to be demo'd and
rebuilt. I also need to sister a couple of floor joists and replace
one 6x6 sill beam. The house is still fairly level, with about a
3-1/2" height differential in the floors (which is considered
borderline for needing leveling for these parts). While I'm at it,
I'd like to level the house again, but I'm unsure of the following
things:

1. What should my order of operations be? It seems that I should
start from the ground up--piers, sill, joists, leveling everything as
I go.

2. My plan to re-lay a pier is as follows: Jack and block the sill
on either side of the pier, twice (the first time will likely settle a
bit), until the sill is at whatever arbitrary elevation I decide it
should be, knock down the existing brick, use some Type M mortar
(adding a little extra cement), re-lay the brick right up to about
1/8" below the jacked-up sill (after double-checking the elevation)
and let it sit that way for 5 days or so, then remove the blocks and
let the jacks down slowly onto the new pier. Does this sound like the
right way to go?

3. To tuck-point, dig out the mortar until I get to good, hard stuff
in the center 12" of the pier (enough that I have some bearing on of
both of the sill beams), squeeze new mortar in with a grout bag, let
it sit for 5 days, then do the outsides the same way. If the
elevation at that point needs to be raised, jack and block, then use
some non-shrink grout to fill in the last little bit, unless there's
enough room for another brick.

4. For leveling purposes, is it ever a good idea to go DOWN? I'm
thinking I can minimize plaster damage and whatnot by choosing the
elevation in the center, thereby moving a maximum of 1-3/4", rather
than 3-1/2". The house is 80 years old, so I'm thinking that any
further movement will be cyclical in nature, and just about all of the
settlement has already occurred. Famous last words, right?

I know that's quite a mouthful. Thanks in advance, guys and gals.

Phil

I would question the piers being only 8" wide, not very stable. How deep
into the soil do they go. If you are in a no-frost area, it is possible the
footing, if there is one, is only on or close to ground level. If there is
any organic soil under them, they will continue to sink as it decomposes.
All footings should be on solid virgin subsoil. Personally, I would jack up
the building, tear out the piers, dig down deeper, pour a 24" x 24" x 12"
footing, then build up the pier(s) with concrete blocks, 2 wide, to give a
16" x 16" pier, using techniques described in another posting to achieve the
level needed.

wrote:
I just bought a house (well, not JUST) in Southern Louisiana with the
foundation piers requiring some maintenance and repair. Almost all of
them (8" x 24", all brick, approx 18" tall) will require some tuck-
pointing of the mortar, and the remaining ones are in bad enough shape
or are leaning far enough that they will need to be demo'd and
rebuilt. I also need to sister a couple of floor joists and replace
one 6x6 sill beam. The house is still fairly level, with about a
3-1/2" height differential in the floors (which is considered
borderline for needing leveling for these parts). While I'm at it,
I'd like to level the house again, but I'm unsure of the following
things:

1. What should my order of operations be? It seems that I should
start from the ground up--piers, sill, joists, leveling everything as
I go.

2. My plan to re-lay a pier is as follows: Jack and block the sill
on either side of the pier, twice (the first time will likely settle a
bit), until the sill is at whatever arbitrary elevation I decide it
should be, knock down the existing brick, use some Type M mortar
(adding a little extra cement), re-lay the brick right up to about
1/8" below the jacked-up sill (after double-checking the elevation)
and let it sit that way for 5 days or so, then remove the blocks and
let the jacks down slowly onto the new pier. Does this sound like the
right way to go?

3. To tuck-point, dig out the mortar until I get to good, hard stuff
in the center 12" of the pier (enough that I have some bearing on of
both of the sill beams), squeeze new mortar in with a grout bag, let
it sit for 5 days, then do the outsides the same way. If the
elevation at that point needs to be raised, jack and block, then use
some non-shrink grout to fill in the last little bit, unless there's
enough room for another brick.

4. For leveling purposes, is it ever a good idea to go DOWN? I'm
thinking I can minimize plaster damage and whatnot by choosing the
elevation in the center, thereby moving a maximum of 1-3/4", rather
than 3-1/2". The house is 80 years old, so I'm thinking that any
further movement will be cyclical in nature, and just about all of the
settlement has already occurred. Famous last words, right?

I know that's quite a mouthful. Thanks in advance, guys and gals.

Phil

Is the Thrifty Nickel ad paper distributed in your town? I own a house
in Lake Charles (first solid ground north of the Gulf), and there are
always half-a-dozen house leveling companies running ads. With the soil
around there, crooked houses are an ongoing problem. Just for giggles,
I'd call a couple of them out for the free estimates before I did
anything. Considering that you will have to rent or buy jacks and
cribbing (unless you already have them), and if your town has actual
inspections get a permit, having a pro do it may be worth looking at.
The right tools and the experience helps. This is especially true if,as
I suspect, you will need new footers under the piers. The ground down
there EATS things. Note that this is an advanced DIY project, more so
than it looks like. If you screw up, and one of the solid-looking piers
you aren't fussing with at the moment decides to fail, the house CAN
fall on you and kill you. The times I have seen it done, they jacked and
cribbed at least half the house at once.


--
aem sends...