old house

hashey

just want to find out the best way to put a proper foundation in an old house without knocking any walls down- room by room so to speak- its an old house (1930's) and it basically has a skim of concrete on stones. I would like to put some sort of proper foundation and insulation in the floors without tearing the house apart- if it can be done as there is someone living in it- i know it would be messy but better than shifting that person out. any info would be appreciated

boatbuilder

That sounds like underpinning? Thats where you do a section at a time, dig down under the wall and pour in concrete foundations...then move along and repeat for another section until it is all done......very messy.

Prenderb

You might be able to get something done with minipiles, but it's likely to be expensive.

Carlow52

why do u need new foundations?
the floor insulation I can understand

the reason I ask is that, as noted by the others, its serious mula what ever way its done.
In passing, it there a viable dpc in the walls?

Prenderb

On reading the OP again - do you mean to install a concrete floor, or to install a foundation beneath the walls? Foundation is strange if the house is there since the 30s, unless there's some sort of cracking or settlement noticed.

I think the flooring would be messy - you're talking about digging out the stones and skim, excavating down to suitable founding formation and then laying hardcore and concrete, all whilst someone is living in the next room. Expensive and awkward.

Is it the floors? Is there a particular reason you want to fix the floors, e.g. (and I'm only guessing) accessibility for an older person? Or do you suspect the floor as being a means of damp getting in?

hashey

the damp is definitely getting in- i know a traditional foundation would have to go pretty deep but just want to know if there would be any way to suitably insulate it to stop this- there is no dpc atm and there are some cracks in the walls outside- i dont think the house is gonna fall down but would like to future proof it and renovate from the ground up- its a two story- basically 4 stone outer walls divided into 3 by two interior stone walls

Carlow52

not being smart here but u need to bone up on the terminology here to get the best advice, at least here we only smile or laugh or maybe wtf :eek: at your thoughts but unless u get the right plan u will get ripped off $$$ wise big time by builders and other sellers of 'snake oil' solutions.

reinforcing the foundations is not the same as insulation.

Theree are chemicals that can be injected into the walls to try stop the damp rising but its hit and miss and mega $$$.

You need to take a good hard look at whats what here: what state is the roof/ roof timbers etc in

what aree the windows doors like?

how long is it plumbed wired.

If you get your thoughts and the terminology sorted then a post up in C and P might get a better answer.

If it were my gaff I would doze and rebuild: planners are now allowing people do this for eco/energy efficiency reasons

wayoutwest

A new floor would normally comprise of roughly 6" hardcore,damproof membrane,5" concrete,2" insulation,3" screed,i" flooring.So,to maintain your existing floor levels,you will probably have to remove around 17" of material-which is a lot of wheelbarrow loads in and out[how this will disturb living conditions would depend on the access to each room.The problem with doing one room at a time would be the continuity of the membrane and the plumbing[in the insulation layer]You could leave a flap of excess membrane around the doorways,ready to tape to the next rooms membrane later on and the plumbing coiled up with enough length to continue its course.All possible, but awkward-also,unless you are doing the mixing yourself,it will work out more expensive as you wont be having the concrete and screed delivered readymixed with such small volumes.Good luck with it.

brendankelly

There is a company that has been working on old buildings for years and he will give you proper advice. I can PM his web page if you wish. Also look at the building lime forum of Ireland just Google BLFI

Spread

Surely cheaper to blackjack the existing floor and 4" up the walls AND THEN lay a wooden floor on 2X2s. The skirting will cover the bj on the walls. Even with removing the door frames and raising the heads, it will be a lot cheaper, less messy and less time consuming. Underpinning a small house would start at well over €10k

wayoutwest

I do not think Hashy has any intention of underpinning the walls of his house-that would only be necessary if there was evidence of subsidence and so has nothing to do with putting down a proper floor.Spreads suggestion of using 2x2 to come up from the exsisting floor is a cheap option but not without problems.Hashy-how many rooms are there,are there stairs,are the doorways set into loadbearing walls,what are the hieghts of doorways and ceilings,are the walls made of solid stone,are you in a radon area,are you proposing to do the work yourself or paying for it all to be done?

hashey

there are two big rooms downstairs with a hallway through the middle- its divided into 3 nearly equal sections except the hall which is a bit smaller-both walls are solid stone- there is a stairs from the hallway up- the front door is in the exact centre which leads into the hall and the stairs right in front of you with one room to the right and one to the left- both doorways on loadbearing walls -the ceilings are roughly 71/2 ft with normal doorway height- raising the floor level from its existing level would be a problem there- i would like to do it myself if i could or most of the donkey work anyway- the mixing of concrete i could do and the digging out - i am in a radon area

hashey

i was thinking as well of putting block walls inside and maybe take down the stone walls after to maybe divide up rooms or whatever- havent really decided on that yet but i guess the new floor would have to be pretty good to bear that weight

Buford T Justice

Like as been suggested earlier, you'd nearly be better off to doze and rebuild. What you want to do to that house is going to cost mega bucks.

wayoutwest

I think destroying an old house and building a new one would cost a LOT more money than putting down new floor slabs!-especially if Hashey is prepared to do the digging out ,mixing etc.Any chance of a few photos?

hashey

yes- i would prefer to demolish it but there has been some work done 3 years ago and my mother who lives in it would have to move in with me:eek: she would go bananas- i agree i think it would be much more expensive which is why i was looking for a cheaper alternative