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tomstar2823 Apr 2012 14:17Good day!
As a new member of this forum, I have a detailed question for the community. We (my wife and young child) recently purchased a south-facing 980sqm (0.24 acres) plot of land with an existing timber and utility shed. After spending last year mainly renovating and clearing out the house itself (timber construction, built around 1900), the house can now be described as a nice summer retreat. While the electrical wiring (including high-voltage supply) and sewage drainage have been renewed, the house has no heating apart from an electric heater. It definitely cannot be lived in year-round at the moment. I can provide photos of the house’s condition if needed.
For our future life in the countryside, the retreat is intended to be upgraded and used as the main residence. We have already had preliminary plans and cross-sections drawn up by an architect to get a rough estimate of costs. This would mean 160sqm (1,722 sq ft) of living space in a low-energy house (timber frame construction) partly using the existing foundation (strip foundation). Initial quotes vary between 160,000 and 320,000 Euros depending on the finish level. Without going into the details of these offers at this point, we do not plan to build at this scale initially but rather want to make only a small extension to the existing foundation and then build a nice timber frame (panel) house on it.
According to the structural engineer, the existing strip foundation (with wall thickness of about 30cm (12 inches)) should be reinforced with side supports and a slab floor. This would make the foundation structurally suitable for a timber frame house. Additionally, we want to extend the foundation by adding another section to increase the current floor area from 40sqm (430 sq ft) to approximately 60sqm (645 sq ft). My question to the experts here: Is such a foundation extension generally reasonable and technically feasible? There is a partial basement under the old foundation that will remain in place. This could become a wine cellar in the future. Although the existing foundation is old, it is dry. Note: Last year, I fully exposed and sanded the wooden floorboards inside (which were covered by carpet). There was no rot or dampness.
For the planned foundation extension, it will be necessary to demolish the old house and expose the foundation. When extending the foundation, is it required to build a complete or supplementary strip foundation, or are there possible alternatives? I understand that these technical questions can be difficult for non-specialists – if additional information is needed, I can of course provide it. I am interested in fundamental approaches that do not require completely demolishing the entire existing structure.
Thank you in advance for any advice and help!
Best regards,
Thomas
As a new member of this forum, I have a detailed question for the community. We (my wife and young child) recently purchased a south-facing 980sqm (0.24 acres) plot of land with an existing timber and utility shed. After spending last year mainly renovating and clearing out the house itself (timber construction, built around 1900), the house can now be described as a nice summer retreat. While the electrical wiring (including high-voltage supply) and sewage drainage have been renewed, the house has no heating apart from an electric heater. It definitely cannot be lived in year-round at the moment. I can provide photos of the house’s condition if needed.
For our future life in the countryside, the retreat is intended to be upgraded and used as the main residence. We have already had preliminary plans and cross-sections drawn up by an architect to get a rough estimate of costs. This would mean 160sqm (1,722 sq ft) of living space in a low-energy house (timber frame construction) partly using the existing foundation (strip foundation). Initial quotes vary between 160,000 and 320,000 Euros depending on the finish level. Without going into the details of these offers at this point, we do not plan to build at this scale initially but rather want to make only a small extension to the existing foundation and then build a nice timber frame (panel) house on it.
According to the structural engineer, the existing strip foundation (with wall thickness of about 30cm (12 inches)) should be reinforced with side supports and a slab floor. This would make the foundation structurally suitable for a timber frame house. Additionally, we want to extend the foundation by adding another section to increase the current floor area from 40sqm (430 sq ft) to approximately 60sqm (645 sq ft). My question to the experts here: Is such a foundation extension generally reasonable and technically feasible? There is a partial basement under the old foundation that will remain in place. This could become a wine cellar in the future. Although the existing foundation is old, it is dry. Note: Last year, I fully exposed and sanded the wooden floorboards inside (which were covered by carpet). There was no rot or dampness.
For the planned foundation extension, it will be necessary to demolish the old house and expose the foundation. When extending the foundation, is it required to build a complete or supplementary strip foundation, or are there possible alternatives? I understand that these technical questions can be difficult for non-specialists – if additional information is needed, I can of course provide it. I am interested in fundamental approaches that do not require completely demolishing the entire existing structure.
Thank you in advance for any advice and help!
Best regards,
Thomas
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Bauexperte23 Apr 2012 17:03Hello Thomas,
Whatever answers you expect or receive here in the international house building forum, do not rely on their accuracy under any circumstances!
You have correctly hired an architect – if they have not already told you, they certainly will – for your own safety, invest additional funds and engage, in this order, a geotechnical engineer and then a structural engineer. Based on the geotechnical report, the structural engineer will precisely advise how the extension can be carried out and, if it is feasible, how to execute it.
Kind regards
tomstar28 schrieb:
For the planned foundation extension, it will be necessary to demolish the old house and expose the foundation. When extending the foundation, is it required to install a complete or supplementary strip footing, or are there alternative options? I understand that such questions can be difficult for non-experts to resolve – if additional information is needed, I can of course provide it. I am interested in general solution approaches that do not require demolishing the entire existing structure.
Whatever answers you expect or receive here in the international house building forum, do not rely on their accuracy under any circumstances!
You have correctly hired an architect – if they have not already told you, they certainly will – for your own safety, invest additional funds and engage, in this order, a geotechnical engineer and then a structural engineer. Based on the geotechnical report, the structural engineer will precisely advise how the extension can be carried out and, if it is feasible, how to execute it.
Kind regards
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