Hello everyone,
Our house is partially basemented and was built in 1965. My mother’s house dates from 1985 and was added to our house at that time.
We are considering demolishing our house, including the basement, and then building a new house on the same site.
I would like to get an initial opinion here from the forum on whether the demolition of the old house can be carried out without issues, or if there could be any damage to my mother’s house, and what should be taken into account.
Attached is an elevation drawing to give you an idea. Thanks in advance for your help!
Our house is partially basemented and was built in 1965. My mother’s house dates from 1985 and was added to our house at that time.
We are considering demolishing our house, including the basement, and then building a new house on the same site.
I would like to get an initial opinion here from the forum on whether the demolition of the old house can be carried out without issues, or if there could be any damage to my mother’s house, and what should be taken into account.
Attached is an elevation drawing to give you an idea. Thanks in advance for your help!
B
Bauexperte13 Nov 2015 20:34When your mother built the extension, did she attach it directly to the existing building or did she have a separate party wall constructed? I assume she supported the old house during construction.
Where is the house located?
Regards, Bauexperte
Bauexperte
Where is the house located?
Regards, Bauexperte
Bauexperte
Hello building expert,
The house is located in Lower Saxony.
There is a fire protection wall between the buildings. It should also be noted that the lower part of the extension is used by our house (attachment marked in green as "House 1"), while the upper floor (attachment marked in blue as "House 2") is used by my mother. However, this part is to remain in place! For better clarity, please see the attached marked overview again.
The house is located in Lower Saxony.
There is a fire protection wall between the buildings. It should also be noted that the lower part of the extension is used by our house (attachment marked in green as "House 1"), while the upper floor (attachment marked in blue as "House 2") is used by my mother. However, this part is to remain in place! For better clarity, please see the attached marked overview again.
Demolishing a house directly adjacent to neighboring structures is never a straightforward task and should be approached with great caution. Existing foundations must not be undermined without proper building or excavation support. If the demolition of basement walls reduces the minimum clearance of 2 meters (6.5 feet) plus an excavation slope with a gradient of 2:1 (slope base / slope height) to the firewall foundation, protective measures must be implemented. Settlement cracks should be avoided.
After demolishing the old building, the firewall foundation may be subjected to uneven loads from the remaining existing wall. This can cause deformations and should be verified through structural analysis.
When backfilling old basement spaces or foundation trenches, approved materials (no construction debris) must be used. This material must be properly defined, installed, and compacted to ensure a load-bearing and verifiable subsoil for structural purposes.
In your case, I recommend having an architect, structural engineer, or engineer first inspect and measure the existing components at the demolition site (foundation/firewall) through a site survey. The firewall may need reinforcement. If the planned new building will have a full basement, the firewall foundation must be underpinned in sections and extended down to the new foundation level.
Depending on regional building regulations, the demolition may also require a building permit or planning permission; for example, in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), this applies starting at a volume of 300 cubic meters (10,594 cubic feet) of enclosed space.
After demolishing the old building, the firewall foundation may be subjected to uneven loads from the remaining existing wall. This can cause deformations and should be verified through structural analysis.
When backfilling old basement spaces or foundation trenches, approved materials (no construction debris) must be used. This material must be properly defined, installed, and compacted to ensure a load-bearing and verifiable subsoil for structural purposes.
In your case, I recommend having an architect, structural engineer, or engineer first inspect and measure the existing components at the demolition site (foundation/firewall) through a site survey. The firewall may need reinforcement. If the planned new building will have a full basement, the firewall foundation must be underpinned in sections and extended down to the new foundation level.
Depending on regional building regulations, the demolition may also require a building permit or planning permission; for example, in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), this applies starting at a volume of 300 cubic meters (10,594 cubic feet) of enclosed space.
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