Asking a question I might not want the answer to, but I guess I should be prepared for it anyway.
I have a summer house on piers. I felt it had sunk in one corner and thought about lifting it. But after checking and since the walls are still relatively straight, I started to think it's the floor that has sunk. There's been a bit of a bounce in one place, so I assume it's simply moisture there that now may be starting to give way.
As this house is on a slope on piers and you can get under the house, I'm wondering if it's possible to replace beams from underneath without having to open the floor from above?
A bit tricky, probably, but I'm really not keen on opening from above.
A follow-up question is if anyone knows whether repair can be covered by insurance?
I have a summer house on piers. I felt it had sunk in one corner and thought about lifting it. But after checking and since the walls are still relatively straight, I started to think it's the floor that has sunk. There's been a bit of a bounce in one place, so I assume it's simply moisture there that now may be starting to give way.
As this house is on a slope on piers and you can get under the house, I'm wondering if it's possible to replace beams from underneath without having to open the floor from above?
A bit tricky, probably, but I'm really not keen on opening from above.
A follow-up question is if anyone knows whether repair can be covered by insurance?
It entirely depends on how the construction looks. If it is a blindbotten with ströbräda, and it's attached with balkskor, then it’s somewhat doable with a good dose of swear words at your disposal. In that case, you need to relieve the beam. Cut it into smaller pieces and remove them. Then insert a new beam. Then you need to angle the screws into the subfloor/the solid floor. If the floor is sealed with plastic, you'll need to repair the plastic before the insulation goes in. The opposite principle applies.
I'll pass the insurance question on to someone else.
I'll pass the insurance question on to someone else.
Easy and easy is relative. Probably requires quite a bit of hand digging first, as the "soft" part is closest to the ground and almost on the ground. It's likely where any moisture has crept up into the construction.Centano said:
Okay, I interpreted it as being airy underneath the entire cabin. It spontaneously sounds like it might be easier to work from above. On the part where it's "soft," can you see any visible moisture impact there? Discolorations on the floor or similar?
No, I can't see it, due to 2 reasons. There is a plastic mat on the floor when I bought the cabin, and then I laid click flooring on that, so I would have to get down under these to see. That's why I was wondering if I could replace from underneath to avoid tearing up too much. I have a small kitchen area there as well, so there will be impact on the walls too if I tear it up. My thought was that I would build/built new, but I haven't gotten that far because a lot of life has gotten in the way. However, the plans remain. So I'm very reluctant to a big job on something that might possibly be removed later.
If it is so wet that the floor has become soft, there is a high risk that it is damp all the way up to the plastic mat, as it does not allow much moisture to pass through.
As you say, it will probably be quite an extensive job if you start tearing it apart, so you need to consider how much time you want to invest now and think about when you might carry out a larger renovation. If you plan to use the cabin often, it might be worth moving up the renovation plans instead of just patching and repairing the damage.
As you say, it will probably be quite an extensive job if you start tearing it apart, so you need to consider how much time you want to invest now and think about when you might carry out a larger renovation. If you plan to use the cabin often, it might be worth moving up the renovation plans instead of just patching and repairing the damage.
That's exactly it. We live there throughout the whole summer season. However, it is divided into several small cabins, so this one is mostly used for cooking and eating. So certainly, one could find another solution for that if you don't want to spend time/money on the old one. It seems I need to think about which path to take.
It is quite unusual for only floor joists to give way like that, but if it happens, there will be a gap between the floor and the floor molding.
Yes, that is what puzzles me, because that hasn't happened. The floor trim is level with the floor as when I installed the trims. So that suggests that the whole house would have sunk instead, but the walls are still relatively plumb.S Spikrätaren said:
Upon closer inspection, I see that the floor has sunk a bit and there is a gap between the molding and the floor. An idea I had is whether one could initially do a "quick fix" (since the plan is for the house to be removed) and place crossbeams UNDER the house attached to the sill? This way, "locking" the construction so it can't sink completely?
I don't see any moisture damage underneath that would cause the sinking, so it hasn't sunk below, and it looks like solid planks at the bottom of the cottage, so I thought the floor would at least remain up. (It now seems likely that the previous owner had some kind of water damage that was addressed and left to smolder)
I don't see any moisture damage underneath that would cause the sinking, so it hasn't sunk below, and it looks like solid planks at the bottom of the cottage, so I thought the floor would at least remain up. (It now seems likely that the previous owner had some kind of water damage that was addressed and left to smolder)
Very possible from previous owners. But not as long as I've had it.
I've previously felt that there was something with the floor at that point, but I haven't really cared much since a new build was planned. But now life has gotten a bit in the way, which makes it so that I haven't yet started/will not start the new build, and therefore I'm a bit stuck with this. (funny how bad decisions always come back to bite you in the ars**t =)
So where this cabin stands today, I had envisioned a future sunroom that connects with the new build, so I don't want to build new on that spot, even a small cabin. I have another spot where I could build where I also have water/sewage drawn, but I would prefer not to have a cabin there in the future. So it's all about finding what's the least destructive to capital in this situation.
It also feels like opening the floor, which would mean I have to straighten/pour new footings for the existing house, even if it would cost less, would take just as long with all the hassle (footings, replacing the floor, fixing the interior again) as starting a new cabin from scratch and getting right angles etc. to work with and getting a new fresh house. Where you could build a lot in advance and then just erect it. But maybe I'm seeing this in a rosy light because the old one feels like a burdensome project =)