Energy and Construction - Clima2007

Danny Said:

NEW HOUSE! Need help with something with the foundation?

We Answered:

A crack in the floor below grade will lead to water intrusion through the crack. I have never seen control joints cut into a basement floor so I'm a little perplexed at what the engineer told you. You don't say where you live but even simple heavy rains can cause seepage around the outer walls of a basement if the block are not filled and a water-proofer applied as the basement walls are built. Even with both of those done a simple crack along the block joint could allow water to seep in. The footer where the wall should have been placed should be a minimum of 16" but the floor where the wall was placed is 4" or less. There is NO way a 4" floor will support even the wall let alone be able to carry the load from above. You may want to DEMAND the builder get an x-ray or sounding of the floor because you may not even have a footer in the floor. Your only other option would be to have the builder cut out a 2 or 3-foot section of the floor the length of the bearing wall and pour a new pier/floor foundation. After it has FULLY cured he could build a new bearing wall and demo the old one. He would then have to come back and grind off the floor to remove the excess mortar. My problem with this fix is WHERE the heck is the floor joists sitting on the existing wall??? They should be evenly spaced across the top of the wall with an even amount protruding from each side of the wall. If this is the case then the floor above the wall was also laid out wrong and moving the wall isn't an option. My recommendation to you would be RUN not WALK away from this house. If you decide to buy another house in this subdivision or another make sure your available to view the layout and the concrete pour the next time. It's sad to see the cruddy workmanship of today’s builders. This is but another reason to buy an older home that was more than likely built by men that were craftsmen that took pride in what they built.

Kevin Said:

I need some advice. Please read.?

We Answered:

READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!READ!!!!!…
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>…
>>>>>>>>>Wow, that's a bad situation...
Well there's not much you can do but here it goes...

You can stick around with you're grand parents. Try and earn some money (if you can) and get yourself something you'd want to play with a lot so you don't get that bored all the time. In bed, start thinking about what to do. Don't give up! Do what ever it takes to have more ways for you! NOT ANYONE ELSE! Don't be all selfish there and all that but try to make things revolve around you a little more. Don't go with your mom unless you really want to. Which one do you think you'll have more fun and more you time with? Do better in school and get a good job. Then you'll be able to move out the house in a few years and forget about all this! You can try get yourself a girlfriends and more friends to accompany you! DON'T GIVE UP! IT'S YOUR LIFE!
Don't skip school like your parents to... Whatever you where trying to say... Instead do well in school! MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck man.

-Sean. (pronounced like shawn or shaun).

Julia Said:

it's about construction engineering..?

We Answered:

First of all, you have to consider all the new loads the existing structure will be carrying while the construction is being done and after finishing.

First of all, connecting a new RC col to an existing RC col would be better than the RC beam, unless the RC col is smaller or can be carried structurally by the RC beam!

Say, you have considered all the stresses the new structure would impose upon the existing one, the first step is to expose the steel bars. [It is like exposing the steel bars of a driven RC pile for proper welding connection with the steel bars of the would be concrete foundation.] However, proper welding technique is strictly observed to protect the properties of steel bars. Exposing the steel bars means chipping the concrete. It may seem impossible, but slowly the concrete can be chipped to expose the steel bars. When the connection is done, a form or forms are placed based on the shape or size of the structure. Concrete is at its strength at 28 days. If there are scaffoldings supporting the structures, the scaffoldings have specific number of days before removal, otherwise, a collapse is imminent.

Experience to tell:
I once had a condo project where the upper and the lower floors are owned by one person. The owner wanted a staircase joining the lower and the upper floors.So, we opened up the floor slab (carefully planned the location of the position of the desired stairwell.) by chipping the concrete and leaving the steel bars exposed for proper welding connection to the new stairwell support or steel girder. Then, a concrete mix was poured to the desired strength.

Rene Said:

Construction question!!!?

We Answered:

Well the actual length of a CMU block is 15-5/8"

So I believe it is 351-5/8" (29' 3-5/8")

Lisa Said:

what is the specification of a concrete basket ball court?

We Answered:

your really making more complicated than it needs to be if this is for personal use

Lois Said:

Can I cut new expansion joints in a year-old concrete driveway?

We Answered:

You do realize that every new cut you make in this slab will give it a weaker place to crack. Control joints are made to crack, however I would not suggest you cut in additional joints just for decoration.
You also need to look at the joints that were cut in on the slab. If they in fact have cracked you now need to install caulk to fill that crack. If not the freeze/thaw cycle will open these cracks up further. Use a product called (NP1) in the limestone color.
If you decide to go ahead and cut more joints, you will get the best results with a walk behind concrete saw. You can rent them and you want a diamond blade for this cutting.
Snap lines on the concrete and then seal these lines with a clear laquer line saver upside down marking sealer. This should be available from a contractor type store. This keeps the line protected so when you cut the joints with the walk behind concrete saw (has water running on the blade while you cut), the water will not wash away the chalkline. Wash off the residue after cutting the joints.
Some may suggest a hand held concrete saw, however you will end up with non-straight cut lines and your back will suffer greatly if you have a lot of lineal feet of lines to cut.