Sometimes an old house needs a new foundation. Poor water management around a house is the most common cause of foundation failure. Water needs to be directed away from the foundation with grading, gutters, French drains, or similar measures to ensure the foundation isn’t undermined by subsidence of the soil.
Sometimes a foundation can be replaced without lifting the house, doing a small section at a time. But often the best approach is to pick up the house, slide it to the side, excavate as needed, form and pour a new concrete foundation, and slide the house back and set it down on the new foundation.
Forms can be made to leave a “shelf” to face the concrete above grade with brick or 2″ stone facing to maintain the appearance of the historic foundation being replaced. The original cap stones can be sliced by a local stone shop to create the 2″ veneer. With careful detailing of the corners, it is possible to make the new foundation indistinguishable from the original from the exterior.
Foundations and other structural matters are covered in Chapter 7 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Select preservation titles by other authors, including “A Field Guide to American Houses” by Virginia McAlester, are also available in our shop! Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book Combo Packs!
“Restoring Your Historic House is also available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
© Scott T. Hanson 2024.
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