Pole barn heaving

[Kpaige]

So My wife and I are looking at a new house built on a property with an existing pole barn. The barn itself is solid with a ok shape concrete floor. The issue is about 8 yrs ago the frost went way deeper then ever befor and it raised the posts up its about 10 to 12 inches up. It is a 36 X 38 building with at least 14 ft ceilings.
Any one out there dealt with this type of issue and how it could be repaired? I have been told that you need to dig down next to the posts to lower them then add a wide base to the bottom and one gravel around but how much $$$ am I looking at

 

[jevoy]

U need to dig around the posts themselves and get a backhoe or shovel and shove them back down. I just did this this past fall. I then proceeded to lay 2" styrofoam poly around the base of the post and then backfilled.This hopefully will prevent the frost from getting underneath and heaving it again. Layin some around the top of the post will also help and try to avoid any traffic around your posts in the cold weather to further drive the frost down.

John

 

[iagsxr]

The posts are up a foot? Uniformly, all of them?

How did this not do damage to the building?

I'd like to see pictures.

 

[914wilhelm]

Are you sure it wasn't fill around the barn that settled due to improper compaction?

 

[ForceFed70]

I'm also skeptical. 12" of heave is HUGE (2" or 3" is normal) and rarely is it uniform. I'd also like to see pictures.

 

[jevoy]

I back up Kpaige. My pole barn post heaved 10". It occured over a couple of yrs though. The trusses rest on the beams that are carriage bolted to the posts. 2-3 posts on either side came up as well. Frost is a very powerful force.

John

 

[astroracer]

It's not just the frost. Initially a small frost heave will raise a post "X" amount. Once that post is raised there is a void under it that immediately fills with ground water. That ground water will raise the post as it freezes and thraws, jacking the post out of the ground.
Mark

 

[Kpaige]

I do not own it yet so don't have a pics. Talked with the owner and it started with a bad frost year and the Hydrostatic pressure. It is not uniform it is the north wall the south wall looks to be fine give or take an inch. And yes it is 10-12 inches as the garage door is up that far from the concrete. Would still be good for storage as it sits I could build a shop easy enough.