Below grade garage repair

[tarnishd]

Hi All,

Just bought my first house and my only requirement was that it came with a garage. So I have this great 2 car detached garage that needs a bit of TLC (pictures coming). Currently it has two problems, it has a lean and it leaks.

The lean isn't severe and it leaks because it is below grade and my backyard slopes towards it. So the plan of attack is as follows,

• fix the lean using a winch like on Hammerzone
• do something similar to what Hagg did on his thread Adding a cinder block foundation to existing shop

I have a few questions though I was hoping to get some clarification on.

• Can I add multiple rows of blocks to raise the wall above grade?
• My slab is pitted, cracked a bit and old, can this be repaired later to save some money?
• Does it matter if I have footings - how can I tell if I do?

 

[AZ Pete]

Along with adding block, I would suggest that you fix the drainage problem, so that the slab is not below grade.

 

[Always_Thinkin]

Can you redirect the drainage away from the garage by digging wider shallow swale? Another option is to install a french drain. This would be a lot cheaper/easier than raising the garage to add a row of blocks.

 

[Gary S]

Along with adding block, I would suggest that you fix the drainage problem, so that the slab is not below grade.

I agree. Step 1 is to redo the grade so the water drains away from the building instead into it. Once you do that, you don't need to add blocks. Blocks will likely leak in a few years anyway, and draining the water away fixes it right.

 

[tarnishd]

I would suggest that you fix the drainage problem, so that the slab is not below grade.

Are you suggesting I lift the slab or do some grading work? Lifting is probably out of my budget and would cause trouble with the neighbours,

Can you redirect the drainage away from the garage by digging wider shallow swale? Another option is to install a french drain.

There is little room around the garage itself for any grading magic, the swale may not be an option.

• West side has ~3 feet before the neighbours' garage
• North side has ~2 feet before the neighbours' fence
• East side is my backyard so lots of room
• South side is the driveway

Would a swale fit into this? I looked at the French drain last night and think that is a great option to try first. Does the drain need to be below the slab?

This weekend I'll put up some pictures, it doesn't stay light long enough around here for me to take any during the winter months.

Thanks

 

[stonewellmark]

We NEED photos !!

 

[theoldwizard1]

As other have said, fix the grade OR provide drainage, FIRST !

I have a tiny backyard and the area directly behind the garage is almost 6" higher. I dug a 2' deep trench, laid in landscape cloth and a couple of inches of 3/4" crush limestone, drainage pipe, more 3/4" limestone and then 2" of finely crushed stone.

The real trick is finding a place for the water to go !! The other corner of the yard is a natural low spot. I dug a 6' hole 4' deep. Lined it with landscape cloth, place a plastic dry well in the center, back filled with 3' of 3/4" crushed limestone and then 1' of top soil.

Np more water in the garage, but I do have to occasionally pump the dry well during heavy spring rains.

I did have to replace the bottom plate in the garage with a pressure treated 2x4.

Simply building up with block, no matter what you treat it with, will slow down the water infiltration, but never cure it !

 

[Hagg]

I do agree that you need to fix the drainage issues you have. The main reason I put block on my shop is that the rot was so bad that I had lost almost 4" of wood in some places. I'm digging out and leveling the area around my shop to stop the water intrusion. I have 30+ years of blow-sand that has to be removed.

Simply building up with block, no matter what you treat it with, will slow down the water infiltration, but never cure it !

My basement is all blocks and never leaks, so I can't agree with this statement.

 

[tarnishd]

GREAT information. Nice to hear that it can be done, your situation sounds similar to mine. I'm going to think on this - thank you.

 

[Always_Thinkin]

Are you suggesting I lift the slab or do some grading work? Lifting is probably out of my budget and would cause trouble with the neighbours,


There is little room around the garage itself for any grading magic, the swale may not be an option.

• West side has ~3 feet before the neighbours' garage
• North side has ~2 feet before the neighbours' fence
• East side is my backyard so lots of room
• South side is the driveway

Would a swale fit into this? I looked at the French drain last night and think that is a great option to try first. Does the drain need to be below the slab?

This weekend I'll put up some pictures, it doesn't stay light long enough around here for me to take any during the winter months.

Thanks

No the drain does not have to be below the slab.

 

[tarnishd]

Photos as promised,

Front of garage:

Notice the slight lean:

Front East side of garage showing the grade with the garden:

Closer look:

Step coming into the garage from the East side where the backyard is, you can see the ice on the ground from the leaking water:

Coming through the East door showing how much room is in the backyard:

Looking from the East beside the North side of the garage:

Moving back a bit to show the whole garage from the East:


A final shot down the West side of the garage, beside my neighbour: