Barn remodel into apartment

Posted by Jennifer Gomez on July 30, 2008, 6:38 pm

I am in the design part of my barn remodel.

I have a few problems:

1. current uneven interior cement slab
2. cracked foundation in places, moving out about 2 inches along with
West wall.
How do I stabilize this?? It has been recommended that I pull out
the current 4 inch slab and redo the cement slab in the whole barn and
stabilize the foundation with rebar.

I'd like to go as cheap as possible and I am totally in love with the
idea of laying an earthen/adobe floor.
This would be fine with the uneven foundation as I can just lay it
level with crushed rock and tamp it down and then lay my cob/adobe
mixture over the top. But then, the question comes up; how will I
build stable interior walls? Can you screw treated lumber into the
current cement and then shim it straight and build the interior walls
on that?

Do I need to stabilize my foundation? any other ideas besides pulling
the current slab and stabilizing with rebar and a fresh coat of
concrete?

Thanks for any ideas,
Jennifer

Posted by dpb on July 30, 2008, 6:41 pm

Jennifer Gomez wrote:
...

> Do I need to stabilize my foundation? any other ideas besides pulling
> the current slab and stabilizing with rebar and a fresh coat of
> concrete?

Can you say "house built on sand"?

You can "be in love" w/ cheap 'n easy, but it's money down the drain
that will come back to haunt and likely cost twice as much in the end as
it would have to have done it correctly the first time.

Get a foundation expert or civil engineer to inspect the site and the
structure and design a remediation plan.

Or, just forget about whatever is going to happen and do it cheap and
don't bother asking...but don't come back in a few years complaining
about failures and how to fix them... :(

--

Posted by jloomis on July 30, 2008, 7:47 pm

Inexpensive fix, and repairs....
Save the old barn.
Yes, you can screw down pressure treated sills to the existing concrete.
Use 3x materials.....Use 1/4 inch.........concrete screws......
Epoxy and dowels may hold concrete together......on the west end.
That is steel dowels........that is "may"
If you love the old barn, then you either do it right the first time.
Take out the slab and put in a nice foundation.......
If you love the old barn and have not much finance.....
Repair it.
You can pour some concrete foundation around the barn like retaining walls
to stop the concrete movement.......
Use rebar and make a nice foundation......
Lots of repairs can be done to the worst structure....
I have saved many 1800's and newer old buildings......
Some with finance and some without....
jloomis

>I am in the design part of my barn remodel.
> I have a few problems:
> 1. current uneven interior cement slab
> 2. cracked foundation in places, moving out about 2 inches along with
> West wall.
> How do I stabilize this?? It has been recommended that I pull out
> the current 4 inch slab and redo the cement slab in the whole barn and
> stabilize the foundation with rebar.
> I'd like to go as cheap as possible and I am totally in love with the
> idea of laying an earthen/adobe floor.
> This would be fine with the uneven foundation as I can just lay it
> level with crushed rock and tamp it down and then lay my cob/adobe
> mixture over the top. But then, the question comes up; how will I
> build stable interior walls? Can you screw treated lumber into the
> current cement and then shim it straight and build the interior walls
> on that?
> Do I need to stabilize my foundation? any other ideas besides pulling
> the current slab and stabilizing with rebar and a fresh coat of
> concrete?
> Thanks for any ideas,
> Jennifer

Posted by John Grabowski on July 30, 2008, 9:24 pm

The foundation supports the entire structure. If that is not stable than
nothing else will be either. You are better off putting the money into the
foundation now before you remodel otherwise you may lose your investment.
Continue with the repairs and upgrades as money becomes available. Think in
terms of resale value. Will other buyers want a mud floor and a loose
foundation? If you want mud floors you can pour footings for the interior
walls so that they are solid.

You can save money by being your own general contractor if you have the
time. Shop around for subcontractors. Cheap foreign labor is usually
available for day work and some of them are quite skilled though you may
need to supply tools as well as meals and beverages.

Posted by TonyG on July 30, 2008, 10:33 pm

Jennifer Gomez wrote:

> I am in the design part of my barn remodel.
>
> I have a few problems:
>
> 1. current uneven interior cement slab
> 2. cracked foundation in places, moving out about 2 inches along with
> West wall.
> How do I stabilize this?? It has been recommended that I pull out
> the current 4 inch slab and redo the cement slab in the whole barn and
> stabilize the foundation with rebar.
>
> I'd like to go as cheap as possible and I am totally in love with the
> idea of laying an earthen/adobe floor.
> This would be fine with the uneven foundation as I can just lay it
> level with crushed rock and tamp it down and then lay my cob/adobe
> mixture over the top. But then, the question comes up; how will I
> build stable interior walls? Can you screw treated lumber into the
> current cement and then shim it straight and build the interior walls
> on that?
>
> Do I need to stabilize my foundation? any other ideas besides pulling
> the current slab and stabilizing with rebar and a fresh coat of
> concrete?
>
> Thanks for any ideas,
> Jennifer

What part of the country are you in? TonyG W.Wash.

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