I am having an extension built and the S.E has suggested a support column due to the size of beams being installed. This support column however needs to rest on its own padstone which is to sit on top of the existing foundation. We have a beam and block floor currently and my concern is that whole floor will need to be replaced - or can a hole be cut into a block and beam floor for the steel to pass through? The alternative is to have a brick column, but this will project into the room by 600mm. Any guidance or experience in this scenario would be appreciated. Thanks.
Ask the SE: you're paying him to do a job!! Yes you can go through a beam and block floor by taking out blocks but cutting beams is a whole new can of worms. Be fun digging a pad through a narrow gap but not impossible. Brick pier will have to sit on something.
Been there done it, was a nightmare job, BCO wanted four concrete pads each about 762mm square & a metre deep,was hell of a job digging them by hand. And that was just to support the beams, foundations for piers were larger & even deeper,all dug by hand.
Appreciate the reply, thankyou. Just wanted to make sure my understanding of the floor set up was correct, and that I wasn’t missing a simpler alternative, or easier way to completed the job. I will go back to the SE as you suggest. Thanks again
You're taking about an extension, so is this column in line with the existing outside wall? Hence that's why you say it can sit on the existing foundation? Next question, does the beam and block run parallel to the wall you are taking down or towards that wall?
Hi Richard, yes it is an extension - and the column will sit on what is currently the corner of the house - but will bid mid wall one the works are complete. We haven’t taken the floor up / wall down yet - so am unsure which way the wall runs. Based on the works to the garage floor which sits in the same place on the other side of the house - I think it may run towards the wall. Thinking out loud, if the column will be on the what is the corner of the house, I don’t suppose it will make a difference which way the floor runs will it?
I did barn/out building in Somerset back in the early 80's where the front of it was sinking, due to bottom of the upright posts had rotted away,so we proped up front of bays with acrows, removed posts,put in large concrete pads (SE's do over engineer things), over a metre deep & built block piers.
If people seeking answers to questions used google they could find the answer to what they require by themselves, this doesn't cover every aspect as experience and knowledge often carry more weight than Google can provide. With KIAB providing a link is a good way of helping people with an answer to a specific product or products available.