Structural Engineer

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I met a Structural Engineer today.  We had a look at various parts of the house to determine why there is such a slope in the east half of the structure.  We have determined:

  1. Concrete footings in the crawlspace had broken apart due to slumping in the soil.
  2. Upright supports have moved due to soil slumping, and 6×6 notched support beams have split and come away from the house.
  3. The living room and bathroom addition to the structure was done poorly.  They cut through many of the framing members (balloon frame studs) to open up the walls.  (See diagram below.)

So, to correct this, most likely:

  1. Screw piling will be put in the front and rear of the property.
  2. A beam will span this length under the house.
  3. An LVL bulkhead will be added to the living room / bathroom span.

I will open up the floor in the 2nd storey to expose more of those cut-through timbers and email him pictures.

I did a brief laser level check.  (The laser should be 1-5/8″ above the floor, from my measurements.  Funny – nothing in the manual stating this.)  This shows that, in about 4 feet, the floor dips down about 2-1/16 inches.  Wow!

 

proposed explanations on bricks in balloon framing wall cavities

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I have searched online for a while and, up to now, came up short, until now.

3 Reasons Old Houses May Have Stones Between The Studs 

I was searching for a reason 1403 was built with bricks inside the wall cavities.  Built in 1906, the original (first phase, so to speak) of the house was balloon framed, meaning the wall studs go from bottom to top, unlike modern style platform framing.

About 80 or so years ago, people started abandoning balloon framing.  Why?

  1. The price and availability of long timber, some as long as 35 feet.
  2. The lack of fire block in this type of building, with fire being able to lick up the entire wall without breaks.
  3. The skill required for balloon framing, compared to the simplicity of platform framing.

But, up to now, I couldn’t figure out why there are bricks in the wall cavities.  Are they structural?  Were they pretty good insulation back in 1906?  Facade?  Was it the original exterior?  Why bricks?  I don’t have a final, definitive answer, but this is really close.

half-inch ply

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I’ve changed my mind.  I decided to go with 1/2″ plywood rather than 5/8″ for several reasons.

1. The house has to be jacked up on one side.  It’s drooping.  If I use 5/8″ ply, it won’t bend over top the ‘hump’ in the floor.

2. The house has to be jacked up on one side.  When it is, I need a little more flexibility in the structure of the flooring.

3. 5/8″ is too dang heavy.  I have to cart it all up to the 2nd floor!

 

Logic Lumber was good about exchanging it.  And there it sits, wait to be used.

Also, the furring continues.

proboard, plywood, flooring

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First comes the proboard (a type of medium density particle board) and 5/8″ plywood from Logic Lumber.

 

Next, the flooring from End Of the Roll.

That’s the easy part.  Now I have to try to jamb it all up in the top floor of the house.  Yay.

finally – bare walls

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So I finally have the plaster, lath boards, panelling, etc. off the walls in the kitchen.  <phew>

Next:  Kitchen wiring, insulation, vapour barrier, drywall.

After that:  Flooring.  Then kitchen cabinets.

In the mean time, …

… a lot of cleanup.  So far, 29 contractor bags of plaster, lath, insulation, etc.

first insulation furring boards

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I’ve cleaned up as much as I have to to start insulating the walls and ceilings.  I’m adding 2×2 and 2×3 furring strips to the studs to increase the wall volume for insulation.  In one wall with plumbing along it, however, I have to furrow out 2.5″ (2×3) to accommodate a 2″ pipe.

The first furring strip was put up, and the second followed.