We are planning to build our new home on our existing foundation with an ICF addition. It's 8" thick poured in 1965 and I've had an engineer look at it and he says it's good to use. The floor joists are 2x8 Douglas fir cast in place. Originally we were going to try and use the original joists and flooring but since then we have found someone that will buy the house and pay to move it. This seems as green as I could get for not putting an entire home in the landfill. I realize we will have to get a cutting company in to cut the foundation in order to lift the house.

My question, finally, is my architect says not to do this as the foundation will no longer be usable. Is this right?? I have no confidence in him anymore and if I wasn't so close to having the drawings approved I'd have fired him for many reasons. Please give me some input, thanks,

Sean

Hire an engineer for a 2nd opinion. If you can use the foundation you will likely need an engineered letter anyway covering the repair after the move. Are you going to convert it to an insulated sealed crawl?

Thanks, I never thought of just calling my engineer, sometimes the obvious escapes me.

Actually it would be a full basement. We have about 1400sq feet of living space down there that I will be adding radiant heat to. I was wondering if we could tie in an ICF ridge across the top just to get an extra 8-10 inches giving us a true 8' ceiling once the joists are in.

Thanks,
Sean

I'm not sure why it wouldn't be useable, what's his reason?
We can cut egress windows into foundations with no problems and the house remains standing after it's done, I dont know why you couldn't patch holes back up with some doweled rebar unless there is some strange circumstance with your new homes design.
By the way the term "cast in place" in used in the concrete industry, not for wood floor joists; wouldnt want you to make a faux pas in front of your contractor.

Sean,

I agree with the below comments. There should be no reason the foundation could not be re-used, unless it is not structurally sound. Get a second option from a structural engineer. They will be able to take one look at it and tell you if it is safe to reuse or what needs to be done to make it safe. They will also be able to provide an engineered stamped letter that will allow you to get your building permits. At least that is how it works in my area.

I am sure you will find someone to work with you, instead of against you.

Best of luck!

I think his reason for not wanting to do this is he doesn't want to draw up all new plans. He screwed up the originals by not knowing how to figure out the reference points to measure from. I had no problem and I'm a pilot, we're not very smart people. Also he made a mess of mistakes, the list goes on and on. So he tells me he wants another $1000 to fix his mistake and that way he will work for a whole month for that fixed cost, well then......he wanted to screw me, he's gonna earn it. Anything that we have decided we might want changed is gonna get changed.


Sorry about the rant, I need a break. I just feel he has us trapped now cause we need it by the 22nd or it gets denied. I should have gone directly to someone else to get it fixed.

 On a good note, my engineer that checked it out says no problem don't worry and he'll work out the details for me.

Sean