Old Home. East-West Floor Joist Resting on East-West Foundation Wall with Significant Settling on East and West Corners.

[Brodie M]

There is a span in the joist across the bottom of a stairway running perpendicular to the joist. The joist has been nailed to two 2x4s, one on either end. I thought to shim the joist under the gaps on either end in between the joist and the sill, but I don’t think that would work. I think I need to replace the joist. I would encounter the same problem of having gaps under either end. I could jack those east and west corners of the sill up to meet the joist and crib under those jacked corners. I could also jack the tops of new the joist down so the bottom meets the sill and nail it. What should I do?

 

[Mark K]

Based on the information provided it is not clear what your problem is.

Hire an engineer to visit the house and understand your concerns. I suspect that relatively inexpensive fixes can be developed.

You need to recognize that existing buildings are less than perfect and the cost to make them perfect can be expensive. The focus should be on understanding the safety issues and on understanding those non safety issues that concern you. Understand the cost to make the repairs. When you understand the cost to address the issues that bother you, you might find that you can live with less than perfection.

Do not contact the building department until you have met with your engineer. This approach plays into the strengths of your engineer and the different strengths of the building department.

 

[ICE]

Well hiring an engineer is almost always the answer you'll get from an engineer. It appears that the foundation has subsided. Look for water accumulation around the perimeter of the building. If you find a downspout or a drainage pattern that is keeping the soil wet, you may want to mitigate that. It appears to be old concrete and perhaps the sinking took place over a long period of time.

Now that the foundation has sunk shims will fix the current issue. Shim between the foundation and the sill and between the sill and the joist. There's just so much that one can do to improve on really old buildings.

The engineer mentioned the building department and if you go anywhere near the building department they will mention an engineer. You don't need either one.

 

[Brodie M]

Based on the information provided it is not clear what your problem is.

Hire an engineer to visit the house and understand your concerns. I suspect that relatively inexpensive fixes can be developed.

You need to recognize that existing buildings are less than perfect and the cost to make them perfect can be expensive. The focus should be on understanding the safety issues and on understanding those non safety issues that concern you. Understand the cost to make the repairs. When you understand the cost to address the issues that bother you, you might find that you can live with less than perfection.

Do not contact the building department until you have met with your engineer. This approach plays into the strengths of your engineer and the different strengths of the building department.

Based on the information provided it is not clear what your problem is.

Hire an engineer to visit the house and understand your concerns. I suspect that relatively inexpensive fixes can be developed.

You need to recognize that existing buildings are less than perfect and the cost to make them perfect can be expensive. The focus should be on understanding the safety issues and on understanding those non safety issues that concern you. Understand the cost to make the repairs. When you understand the cost to address the issues that bother you, you might find that you can live with less than perfection.

Do not contact the building department until you have met with your engineer. This approach plays into the strengths of your engineer and the different strengths of the building department.

Are you implying there is a solution in my original post?

 

[Mark K]

There is always a solution. The question is what the best solution that will meet your needs.

I do not believe we really understand the problem. Are you concerned about safety, the fact that it is not level, or the fact that there is non-conventional construction?

I do not believe that an on-line forum is the best way to answer your concerns.

It appears that this is a mature building and that the distress is not new. I would be more concerned if the distress is continuing to get worse.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

There is always a solution. The question is what the best solution that will meet your needs.

And how much $$ is available.