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Replacing Old Slab?

eskimotom

New member
Joined
May 29, 2007
Messages
1
Greetings Eskimotom here from Elk River, MN, new to this excellent Board with some major decisions ahead.

We have salvageable 16 x 24 wood garage on a badly frost heaved slab.

An old timer friend of ours told a story of how they lifted/moved a garage and repoured a new slab and put the garage back on top. Is this affordable option today? Any idea of the cost? Any suggestions on the smoothing out the situation?

Could more cement simply be poured until in reaches level even if it creeps into the edges the walls as a less invasive stop gap solution? Should I build up a subfloor with OSB all leveled out so the table saw doesn't have to fall into a gully?

The cracks are significant with large missing chunks and there are noticable slants in two walls. The floor weeps moisture in the spring untill the slab's temperature levels out. Looking at the side the slab appears to be about 6 to 8".

Last summer I put insulation and 3/4" Floor grade OSB on the walls and a wood stove to heat the space to get me through the winter. In anticipation of the new space I have held off on further work, but it will need some roofing and soffits replaced the windows and doors replaced. I also want to insulate the roof and open up the ceiling so I can store more stuff up there.

We also happen to be shopping for a modest new garage. I design and build wood canoes and sea kayaks in addition to owning two old VW busses ready to fix up and have acquired a 60's era fiberglass outboard runabout in need of a renovation. My wife wants to make sure we can get the Prius and Dodge Ram under cover in the event of hail and sever winter snow/ice accumulations.

Before our marriage I had a dandy garage/shop and was promised we (I)would have a dandy garage again. We are finally collecting bids on a pole barn type building in the 40 x 40 foot range. It's hard to get people to call back with bids here, everyone must be busy and don't need the work. (any help here would be welcome! excavation, cement, building, etc.)

Is pole barn construction a significant savings over traditional slab and frame construction? Are there durability concerns? Does one cost more to insure than the other? If I keep the shop in the old space would that keep the insurance rate down on the new space - i.e. less fire hazard? I've been pouring over the Board and had yet not found answers to these concerns.

I wanted to move my workshop into the new building and enclose a 16' wide space along one wall so it can be heated without heating the whole building not to mention managing the wood and epoxy dust. I figured propane heat with wood stove assist for heat in the winter.

Considering the cost of new construction should I just fix up the old garage for the shop and use the new space for vehicle storage? We figured for what it would cost to add a wall, ceiling, heat and electric in the new building we could practically build a whole new 16 x 24 ft garage.

I REALLY wanted new shop space but perhaps my wife has a point. It may cost too much money to equip the new building with shop space.

She is also concerned with dividing the space in the new building which makes little sense to me. I will want to fix up the VW Busses in the new space. I feel like I'm asking Tom and Ray the car guys who's right, my wife or me on "Garage Talk" instead of Car Talk.

We're looking forward to your helpful suggestions!

Eskimo Tom

finewoodwatercraft(dot)com
 
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rodnok1

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
Messages
853
Location
NC
Your best bet for that old garage is having proper footer below frost line and having a floating slab put in, lots of work to pick up/move a building. It would do no good to just pour more concrete, it won't last, save your money. I think the only way I would replace the concrete is if you have room to build directly behind/off to side, then build new foundation and slide garage onto it.
For a 40x40 building I do believe costs are less going pole barn style, I couldn't see insurance being much more since it's a detached building and actually has less to burn than a standard garage.
For the money to fix up the old garage, you could get rid of old garage or just leave it alone(can you say lawn mower storage) and build a bigger pole barn instead.
 

Der Bugmeister

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Messages
445
I seem to recall another board member that jacked the complete garage up, then rebuilt the foundation walls before lowering the structure back down. I think he also used that as an opportunity to gain some extra headroom in there. Check out the older posts in the Garage Gallery, and you may stumble onto that project.

It's certainly do-able, just need to think things through and take them in logical, safe steps.

I would think that replacing the slab (after doing the foundation) would make more sense than trying to patch together the frostheaved pieces.

What years are the buses?
 
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1320stang

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Messages
4,586
Location
Edmond, OK
As I recall, the member that did this jacked up the building and supported it on the inside, at the corners and at the door openings. He then had appropriate footings dug and put cinder block stemwall and raised it up some because he wanted to put in a lift as I recall. He then sat the building back down on the stem wall and poured the slab after that.
 

RickP330

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
831
Location
Middle Island, NY
He then sat the building back down on the stem wall and poured the slab after that.


Don't you have to pour the slab over the top of the stem wall? So that the concrete pours into the cinderblocks as well?

also, while we are on the subject, the stem wall should be sat on a footing poured into the trench is this right?

Rick
 
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