Hi

We are in the process of arranging for a wall with a door way in it to be
taken down to open up the whole area. I have had a report done by a
structural engineer to determine what steels need using and checking
foundations and so on.

However, in the calculations he makes assumptions about the foundations and
says that if these factors are not true then the pillar at one end will need
underpinning to support the new RSJ.

I dont understand any of hte calculations about the foundations, but it says
that if the parameters are not met then local underpinning of the pier to a
size of 600 x 1100 x 200 DP is required.

Is it possible to give any indication of what this is likely to cost ?

Thanks

Tim

On Wed, 25 May 2005 16:36:26 +0100, "Tim Smith"
wrote:

Hi

We are in the process of arranging for a wall with a door way in it to be
taken down to open up the whole area. I have had a report done by a
structural engineer to determine what steels need using and checking
foundations and so on.

However, in the calculations he makes assumptions about the foundations and
says that if these factors are not true then the pillar at one end will need
underpinning to support the new RSJ.

I dont understand any of hte calculations about the foundations, but it says
that if the parameters are not met then local underpinning of the pier to a
size of 600 x 1100 x 200 DP is required.

Is it possible to give any indication of what this is likely to cost ?

Thanks

Tim


1 dig hole - difficulty depends upon your situation
2 fill with concrete - ditto

say 15 quid an hour for a man + skip + concrete, its not much
concrete.

Compared to the rest of the work, its not going to be much.

Rick

This is becoming a nightmare now.

I spoke to one Underpinning company who said on the figures I quoted, the
guessed around £1500+VAT.

The Structural Engineer has said it shouldnt cost more than £600-£700 and
that any builder should be able to do it (maybe with some of his advise).

Another underpinner has started to tell me how diffiucult it is to underpin
piers.

Any helpful suggestions ????

Thanks

Tim


"Rick" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 May 2005 16:36:26 +0100, "Tim Smith"
wrote:

Hi

We are in the process of arranging for a wall with a door way in it to be
taken down to open up the whole area. I have had a report done by a
structural engineer to determine what steels need using and checking
foundations and so on.

However, in the calculations he makes assumptions about the foundations
and
says that if these factors are not true then the pillar at one end will
need
underpinning to support the new RSJ.

I dont understand any of hte calculations about the foundations, but it
says
that if the parameters are not met then local underpinning of the pier to
a
size of 600 x 1100 x 200 DP is required.

Is it possible to give any indication of what this is likely to cost ?

Thanks

Tim


1 dig hole - difficulty depends upon your situation
2 fill with concrete - ditto

say 15 quid an hour for a man + skip + concrete, its not much
concrete.

Compared to the rest of the work, its not going to be much.

Rick

"Tim Smith" wrote in message
...
This is becoming a nightmare now.

I spoke to one Underpinning company who said on the figures I quoted, the
guessed around £1500+VAT.

The Structural Engineer has said it shouldnt cost more than £600-£700 and
that any builder should be able to do it (maybe with some of his advise).

Another underpinner has started to tell me how diffiucult it is to
underpin
piers.

Any helpful suggestions ????

Thanks

Tim

snipped

Knock it down and start again, mate. That might work out the easiest you
know. It is "quite" difficult to underpin piers, but not that difficult for
a good builder. The piers have to be bound to keep them from falling apart
while the footing is renovated, but that isn't to bad a job for a good'un.
Each pillar needs to be done individually to stop splitting occurring in
their supported structure, this should also be well considered by a good
professional builder.

Not actually being able to see the whole job is a bugger, but your
description tells of an regular sort of re-enforcement to an existing build.
Nothing you say tells of it being a real ******* of a job to a good building
company. You should also make really good use of your Engineer on this, and
let him tell the builder what he wants done, and not the other way round.

Thanks for the advice.

I did acutally have antoehr builder around last night who seemed to know
more about what was going on.

This is the currently sitation

==DOOR=============OPENING ====
|
|
|
|
|

and we were hoping to change to

kitchen

==DOOR=== OPENING ====
|
|
utility | Stud Wall breakfast room
|
|

Obviously the bit between hte door and the opening is the wall which might
have needed underpinning.

What hte builder has suggested, is to brick up the door way into the utility
room (using sufficient foundations) and use this new brickwork to support
the steel, We can then knock down the old brickwork completely. A new
doorway would then be put into hte utility through the studwall.

The builder said it is a lot easier to build a new wall in the doorway with
decent foundations than it is to underping the "pier" under the floor. I
guess this is pretty much in line with what you were saying. It also has the
advantage the opening is bigger because there is no stub sticking out into
hwat was the breakfast room.

any thoughts? many thanks for the advise.

Tim



"BigWallop" wrote in message
k...

"Tim Smith" wrote in message
...
This is becoming a nightmare now.

I spoke to one Underpinning company who said on the figures I quoted, the
guessed around £1500+VAT.

The Structural Engineer has said it shouldnt cost more than £600-£700 and
that any builder should be able to do it (maybe with some of his advise).

Another underpinner has started to tell me how diffiucult it is to
underpin
piers.

Any helpful suggestions ????

Thanks

Tim

snipped

Knock it down and start again, mate. That might work out the easiest you
know. It is "quite" difficult to underpin piers, but not that difficult
for
a good builder. The piers have to be bound to keep them from falling
apart
while the footing is renovated, but that isn't to bad a job for a good'un.
Each pillar needs to be done individually to stop splitting occurring in
their supported structure, this should also be well considered by a good
professional builder.

Not actually being able to see the whole job is a bugger, but your
description tells of an regular sort of re-enforcement to an existing
build.
Nothing you say tells of it being a real ******* of a job to a good
building
company. You should also make really good use of your Engineer on this,
and
let him tell the builder what he wants done, and not the other way round.

"Tim Smith" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the advice.

I did acutally have antoehr builder around last night who seemed to know
more about what was going on.

This is the currently sitation

==DOOR=============OPENING ====
|
|
|
|
|

and we were hoping to change to

kitchen

==DOOR=== OPENING ====
|
|
utility | Stud Wall breakfast room
|
|

Obviously the bit between hte door and the opening is the wall which might
have needed underpinning.

What hte builder has suggested, is to brick up the door way into the
utility
room (using sufficient foundations) and use this new brickwork to support
the steel, We can then knock down the old brickwork completely. A new
doorway would then be put into hte utility through the studwall.

The builder said it is a lot easier to build a new wall in the doorway
with
decent foundations than it is to underping the "pier" under the floor. I
guess this is pretty much in line with what you were saying. It also has
the
advantage the opening is bigger because there is no stub sticking out into
hwat was the breakfast room.

any thoughts? many thanks for the advise.

Tim

snipped

What the builder says, sounds good to me as well. In an opening the size of
a doorway, it's far easier to make a solid footing and build new above. If
the new build an then be utilised to support the rest of the needed works,
then by all means do it that way.

Me thinks this builder is the one for this job, but make sure your
structural engineer is also in on what's being done here, and take his
advice on how to begin and complete all the works. The builder sounds as
though he knows what's what, but the engineer is the one who signs it all
off in the end.

Thanks for that.

I must admit, he seems by far the most knowledgeable so far.

We'd had two quotes for the original plans of £1500 + plus an estimated £700
from the engineer for the underpinning. One guy quoted £600 but didnt know
anything about foundations ! This bloke quoted £2300 but he is removing the
need for underpinning and he is also building a new doorway in the stud
wall....

All in all, it seems a reasonable price and a far better solution.

Tim

"BigWallop" wrote in message
k...

"Tim Smith" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the advice.

I did acutally have antoehr builder around last night who seemed to know
more about what was going on.

This is the currently sitation

==DOOR=============OPENING ====
|
|
|
|
|

and we were hoping to change to

kitchen

==DOOR=== OPENING ====
|
|
utility | Stud Wall breakfast room
|
|

Obviously the bit between hte door and the opening is the wall which
might
have needed underpinning.

What hte builder has suggested, is to brick up the door way into the
utility
room (using sufficient foundations) and use this new brickwork to support
the steel, We can then knock down the old brickwork completely. A new
doorway would then be put into hte utility through the studwall.

The builder said it is a lot easier to build a new wall in the doorway
with
decent foundations than it is to underping the "pier" under the floor. I
guess this is pretty much in line with what you were saying. It also has
the
advantage the opening is bigger because there is no stub sticking out
into
hwat was the breakfast room.

any thoughts? many thanks for the advise.

Tim

snipped

What the builder says, sounds good to me as well. In an opening the size
of
a doorway, it's far easier to make a solid footing and build new above.
If
the new build an then be utilised to support the rest of the needed works,
then by all means do it that way.

Me thinks this builder is the one for this job, but make sure your
structural engineer is also in on what's being done here, and take his
advice on how to begin and complete all the works. The builder sounds as
though he knows what's what, but the engineer is the one who signs it all
off in the end.