Slab poured incorrectly

[firebirdparts]

Their engineer came out. He says it is structurally sound, a light building. He proposed a fix of digging down around perimeter and pouring concrete to extend the perimeter vertically down below grade.

I like this guy. It's such a tiny building, this is gracious plenty in my opinion. if it breaks down in the front, from traffic, then you'll have to fix it after it happens. That's my opinion. It's a reversible risk that doesn't get harder if you have to do it later.

I will say there is a great lesson in this; from your first post it's been 7 months. You got into this because you "wanted it now". A risk with professionals.

 

[firebirdparts]

Also:

Comparing your photos, it looks like the forms were actually okay, but the front form is missing. The worst section of the building is in fact the front, and so the building is primarily messed up on one side, the side that we didn't get a look at. Unfortunately that is the side you are driving on.

There's not much building on the door side. A possible solution, subject to approval, would be to remove the ledge from the front with a saw (remove yes from under the building) and pour an apron that supports the building on that side. No real weight, and I think there's plenty of reason to think you can get a stable footer under that side of the building pouring an apron with an integral footer. This is the sort of thing I would do, but I am the professional engineer here at my house and I would not have any significant worries about the AHJ disagreeing with me.

 

[rzims]

Wow, I'm sorry you're going through this! Although this story, and this forum as a whole, have been very helpful for me as I begin my barn build.
Note to self... pictures, discussion, inspection, more discussion, and being present through the process are critical to getting the results we want.

 

[Messedupgarage]

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[Messedupgarage]

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[rzims]

Thanks. Yep. It's tough though to know what you need to know beforehand. Most of us can't learn everything about every project. I thought putting a prefab building on a slab was a pretty simple job. Not for these guys I guess!

Yeah, we built a large storage building at work a couple of year ago (75x140 red iron) and I learned a ton going through that process. Thankfully, our concrete contractor at work was also a GC in a previous life and was really helpful as I worked with the engineer and building supplier.

Like you, I assume this small metal barn I'll be having put up will be pretty straight forward. I think the advantage I have is that the concrete contractor is a referral from a good friend and I know he does good work as he's done several projects among our group of friends. Not the lowest bid, but the comfort level is high.
Hopefully you can come to some sort of resolution

 

[Half-fast eddie]

4 inches off grade, plus 4 to meet plans, plus drainage means we will have a 6 to 8 inch or more trench around it. That won't work. Not what we contracted for and will harm trees and create ongoing drainage issues.

Your comment doesn’t make sense. The engineer wants you to go deeper. So? And even if he wants you to add a foot wider all around … you should not have any tree roots that close to the building anyway.

 

[Messedupgarage]

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[mepstein]

Another problem is, when you sell, you will have to disclose this issue.

 

[andyvh1959]

Good that the inspector was realistic about it. I agree the building load on the slab is within the capacity of the slab, but the apron side at the OH door could be improved if the "overhang" were supported by pouring the apron thicker to support that overhang, for when a vehicle rolls into the garage.

Big thing is for all of us, when we pay for any work it is imperative to be involved in the process at all steps and not just take whatever the contractor gives us. When I hired contractors for the site prep, slab and masonry work on my shop build I didn't just hire them and pay them for whatever they gave me. Before the slab was pored I found one corner that was less than 4" minimum thickness, and the slab contractor corrected it. One thing I did not check before the pour was if the forms were square. After the slab pour, after the mason had laid two rows of 8" block, after the walls were up and I took over to build/finish the roof, I found the west wall was 1.5" longer than the east wall, and the front wall was not plumb at the NW corner.