Foundations

Question: Dear Mr Marantz I have come across your Winnipeg Free Press articles in the Homes Section and find them very interesting. I am asking some questions below because I'm still not sure what would be best to do in my case. I will be building a log cottage with a ground level crawl … [Read more...] about Log Cottage Crawlspace

Question: I would appreciate your advice on the following.  I have a 25-year-old bungalow that has experienced some shifting on both sides of the house. This has caused a number of visible cracks throughout the house.  I have had 4 estimates, which all are recommending putting piles … [Read more...] about House Shifting & Underpinning

Question: Dear Inspector: I am writing to you regarding my garage floor. I live in a 35 year-old house with a single attached garage. Over the years, the garage floor has cracked and heaved. Having had a neighbour’s Cottonwood tree close to the garage, that has since been removed, didn’t … [Read more...] about Heaving Garage Floor

Question: Our house was moved onto a new concrete basement in 1990. The basement was dug in an area where there were maple trees that were cut down. The house is an older bungalow built in 1957. We are experiencing heaving in the middle of the basement floor, to the extent that the main floor is … [Read more...] about Heaving Basement Floor

Question: We have a bungalow that has a 30ft width with a beam down the middle. The floor joists are 7 1/2 inch fir. I suspect that if a larger floor joist had been used this would have eliminated the bounce that we experience when we walk across the floor. Is there any simple strapping, etc., … [Read more...] about Floor Bounce

Question: Hi Ari. I have a question regarding erecting a beam where a partition wall had previously been torn down. This was done by the previous owner, I might add.  As a result, the joists on the second floor are spanning about 22 feet and the ceiling is starting to sag.  I … [Read more...] about Fixing Sagging Floor

Question: We live in an 83 year old, 2-story home in River Heights and before the snow flew this past winter, there was approximately a 4 inch gap/space between my foundation and the soil on three sides of my home. The one side without a gap is where the sidewalk is. With the dry conditions last … [Read more...] about Filling Gap Around Foundation

Question: You recently did a home inspection for me on an older bungalow in East Kildonan and I have now taken possession of the house. It has funny floor structure with steel trusses under small wooden floor joists. I have heating ducts that hang down so low that I constantly bump my head on … [Read more...] about Cutting Floor Trusses

Question: Hi! I have owned a 50 year old summer cottage in northern Ontario (Sault Ste Marie) and it is approximately 24 ft by 30 ft, and is sitting on a very gradual slope with the rear of the cottage sitting on the ground or rocks and the front section on concrete blocks and 4x4 posts. Due … [Read more...] about Cottage Support

Question: We recently purchased a forty-plus year old cottage on a Lake in Ontario. It has evolved from a single cabin to include additions and is now 24 by 30. It sits on large beams that are resting on the ground. Only half the area under the floor has ventilation, as the ground drops to the … [Read more...] about Cottage on Ground