SLTA
Structural
- Aug 11, 2008
- 1,641
ok, folks.
I was asked to look at options to "repair" the sag in the floors and walls of a 100-yr old house. The house itself is rock-solid structurally, but the potential buyers don't like the sag in the floors that comes from 100 years of vertically-offset bearing walls. The non-bearing and exterior walls have also settled to match the floor sag, mostly due to some not-well-thought-out original construction. Windows have been modified to close properly, and the built-in cabinets have drawer openings that work but clearly show the sag.
Just to make it more fun, the buyer doesn't want to consider plywood shims etc, because it would mean he has to remove the original hardwood flooring. He's suggested jacking the floors, but I have troubles with that for two reasons: a) it seems to create LOTS of extra problems and b) the offset in the bearing walls would mean having shores down the middle of two rooms. Moving the bearing walls to line up vertically would also mean replacing some existing joists, as the overlap would no longer be over the existing offset wall.
And also, as a thought - does jacking slowly (like over a course of a few years) actually work? But that would mean having jacks running along the middle of their living room for years.
Any help? Any good ideas?
Please remember: we're not all guys!
I was asked to look at options to "repair" the sag in the floors and walls of a 100-yr old house. The house itself is rock-solid structurally, but the potential buyers don't like the sag in the floors that comes from 100 years of vertically-offset bearing walls. The non-bearing and exterior walls have also settled to match the floor sag, mostly due to some not-well-thought-out original construction. Windows have been modified to close properly, and the built-in cabinets have drawer openings that work but clearly show the sag.
Just to make it more fun, the buyer doesn't want to consider plywood shims etc, because it would mean he has to remove the original hardwood flooring. He's suggested jacking the floors, but I have troubles with that for two reasons: a) it seems to create LOTS of extra problems and b) the offset in the bearing walls would mean having shores down the middle of two rooms. Moving the bearing walls to line up vertically would also mean replacing some existing joists, as the overlap would no longer be over the existing offset wall.
And also, as a thought - does jacking slowly (like over a course of a few years) actually work? But that would mean having jacks running along the middle of their living room for years.
Any help? Any good ideas?
Please remember: we're not all guys!