35x35 metal shop build

[sundevil64]

Thank you for posting this. I am looking at building an shop (40x50) and have inquired with several folks when researching someone to pour a slab what needs to be done to stabilize the foundation in this TX soil. I have already had to do this, although minor, to a portion off my house. I may have holes drilled to the lime rock and piers poured in addition to beams poured. I may want to bring in an engineer although costly it's either pay now or pay later and cheaper to do it now.

 

[bazzateer]

Great garage, shame about the foundation issues though.

Not a fan of the wainscot (pronounced 'waynes cot' not 'coat' btw). Mixing metal and brick seems weird to my eyes. Strange beasts these HOAs!

 

[my73ss350]

Thank you for posting this...I may want to bring in an engineer although costly it's either pay now or pay later and cheaper to do it now.

Your welcome sundevil. Texas soil is a tricky situation. Knowing what I know now, I would definately go the route you describe prior to work beginning. The disruption involved in fixing this is the frustrating part.

Great garage, shame about the foundation issues though.

Not a fan of the wainscot (pronounced 'waynes cot' not 'coat' btw). Mixing metal and brick seems weird to my eyes. Strange beasts these HOAs!

Thanks bazzater, I appreciate your feedback. It will eventually get resolved so I'm looking forward to that day getting here sooner than later. I can honestly say that my next property will not involve a HOA.

I'll post more shortly on shop progression.

 

[my73ss350]

Folks have been PM'ing with interest in my Van previously mentioned. Here is one of many reasons to get the foundation resolved so I can use my lift with absolutely no worries...Enjoy

 

[my73ss350]

After all the piers were set, the next step was for the crew to fill the holes. Here is the one interior which has a pier directly under the inner most post of the shop lift followed by the two that were cut in my driveway (the outer most post has a pier but they trenched to it as it was not too far away from the perimeter beam)...




The remaining holes were outside and just needed fill with dirt. I waited a few months for the outside back fill to settle, I then brought in a few loads of extra dirt, had it graded, and topped it off with a few pallets of sod.

Back to normal, or so I thought at the time.

 

[akcooper9]

Back to normal, or so I thought at the time.

What does that mean?

BTW small world. Have some friends that live in RC and we drove by your place this afternoon. Bum deal on the shop. Hope it all works out.

 

[my73ss350]

What does that mean?.

Unfortunately, after one year of having the work done I had to have the pier contractor come back out to adjust all the piers as everything moved. Got so bad in a relatively short amount of time that I could not open one of my roll up doors and the 2-post lift was no longer straight. I'll eventually document the baseline, pre, & post numbers.

I understand the shifting is not surprising as this happens due to when predominately clay soils are exposed to "drought" conditions and that the piers only go as far as the foundation allows before doing more damage to the issue trying to be fixed.

Fingers crossed that this adjustment stabilizes everything. Best advise I can give when facing this situation is to get a foundation repair company that has a industry leading warranty. The adjustments where covered under lifetime warranty.

 

[JordanFTW]

Sorry to hear about your foundation woes, I know that is everyone's worst nightmare!

 

[akcooper9]

The neighborhood the PO lives in is crazy. When builders build, they only scrape the grass off and start building. I've seen 5 or so house over the last two years built (neighborhood is almost done) never once have I seen soil removed and then back filled to create a base that is not clay. I hope over the long haul, none of the house have issues.

OP you do have a beautiful shop. Im curious to see what the guy to the north west of you that just built the shop on the 'hill' does. From what I've heard, he has told the HOA to pound sand on the brick skirt.

 

[JAckal]

That is a great looking shop you have. Sorry to hear about foundation troubles. Thanks for sharing all of this. You may have prevented others from having the same problem.

I am now starting to re-think the foundation on my new shop going up this spring.

Jack

 

[my73ss350]

Sorry to hear about your foundation woes, I know that is everyone's worst nightmare!

Thanks for stopping by Jordan. Nothing that a bit of attention and more $ can't fix.

OP you do have a beautiful shop. Im curious to see what the guy to the north west of you that just built the shop on the 'hill' does. From what I've heard, he has told the HOA to pound sand on the brick skirt.

Thanks ak. Thus the issues with improperly run HOA's. Overall intentions are good, but having no enforcement to obvious violations makes them useless. Funny thing is, all homeowners are made aware of and given a copy of the requirements upon closing. Give someone an inch and they take a mile.

That is a great looking shop you have. Sorry to hear about foundation troubles. Thanks for sharing all of this. You may have prevented others from having the same problem. I am now starting to re-think the foundation on my new shop going up this spring. Jack

Thank you too, JAckal. Your foundation plans are probably ok, but it does not hurt to take knowledge learned from others on this forum and ask some thought provoking questions to your eventual builder.

 

[my73ss350]

Pair of ridge vents finally installed. Hoping it will circulate air better, feel a bit less hot, and prevent significant moisture build up during weather transitions.

Have pics but got to figure out hosting options.