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Hi everybody! I decided to join this tribe since I just became a home owner.
My place has a liveable house (built in 1904) with some repairs needed but nothing really major....However, there is also an old cabin built in 1895 in the back. It is roughly 500 square feet, and I am trying to make it liveable. Still in the initial planning process. Ideally I would add a bedroom upstairs (it has to be built it is only one story now),
I just got a large dumpster already half full with layers and layers of paneling, old carpets/rugs, linoleum, rotting wood and dry wall (OK, but why paneling on the ceilings though?) Now the structure is exposed. It is pretty scary. I think it was being held together with all this inside paneling....The cabin was not built on a foundation (so I already know I have to reinforce that) and the roof is caving in some. The rafters look like they are 2x4 instead of 2x6. The whole structure needs to be seriously reinforced, and I plan to do it little by little myself and with maybe some friend's help. I am not against hiring a carpenter for some of the major jobs either. Any idea how I can find information on such old structures? and how to retrofit them? do any of you know of good web sites for fixing dilapidated old cabins over a hundred years old?
Thanks for any advice you might be able to throw my way....Cabrita
My place has a liveable house (built in 1904) with some repairs needed but nothing really major....However, there is also an old cabin built in 1895 in the back. It is roughly 500 square feet, and I am trying to make it liveable. Still in the initial planning process. Ideally I would add a bedroom upstairs (it has to be built it is only one story now),
I just got a large dumpster already half full with layers and layers of paneling, old carpets/rugs, linoleum, rotting wood and dry wall (OK, but why paneling on the ceilings though?) Now the structure is exposed. It is pretty scary. I think it was being held together with all this inside paneling....The cabin was not built on a foundation (so I already know I have to reinforce that) and the roof is caving in some. The rafters look like they are 2x4 instead of 2x6. The whole structure needs to be seriously reinforced, and I plan to do it little by little myself and with maybe some friend's help. I am not against hiring a carpenter for some of the major jobs either. Any idea how I can find information on such old structures? and how to retrofit them? do any of you know of good web sites for fixing dilapidated old cabins over a hundred years old?
Thanks for any advice you might be able to throw my way....Cabrita
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Los Angeles
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Re: reinforcing a very old cabin - how do I get information?
Sat, January 12, 2008 - 4:42 AMMorning Cabrita,
Sounds like a small enough structure (and one that has had most of the weight removed from it) for you to effectively use concrete piers, 4x4 posts and building jacks to temp raise house (check local codes for requirements on foundations) to build foundation columns under it. This won't be easy. I imagine you will find that you will need to dig down at least two feet under grade to pour concrete before setting your supports. It may have to be deeper if you are in a colder climate (due to frost heaving).
The concern, however, is that this structure sounds like it was never designed to support a second story, and no matter what type of foundation you put under it, it is not likely that the original framing is up to spec for making that sort of addition. It might be easiest to start from scratch. Take apart the framing as carefully as you can, recycle what you can and have a clean slate to build a craftsman type structure. It will be MUCH easier to get the foundation in and you will be more certain of the structural integrity of your building. Sounds like you have a skeleton back there and were prepared to spend the money on it anyway, so having a new 2-story 1000 sq ft place to potentially rent out rather than a 500 sq ft cabin with a upstairs you are not sure will eventually collapse would be more lucrative in both the financial and peace of mind departments.
Having recommended a tear-down, it is important that you are sure to also check your zoning and verify you can build a new living structure on your property. If you find that you can't, you may be stuck with remodeling, as an existing structure is "grandfathered" in most areas. If your existing sills are less that 2"x10", I would forget about trying to get a second story on.
In RE: <<<Now the structure is exposed. It is pretty scary. I think it was being held together with all this inside paneling....>>>
Wood framing is designed to handle downward forces and is vulnerable to lateral forces unless braced in the framing or, in smaller structures, the paneling. Often on smaller structures, the paneling IS holding it together. :-)
After all that, I would verify with your local government (planning and building inspection) what your options are before embarking on anything.
Please post some pictures if you can, sounds like an interesting building.
Good luck.
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Re: reinforcing a very old cabin - how do I get information?
Tue, January 15, 2008 - 9:06 AMThanks Xander! Yes, i realize the foundation needs to be done and this will be hard. (lucky me a mason friend owes me some money/work ;-))
My partner suggested doing something similar to what many folks do in New Orleans
french quarter have done. They re-do the foundation, but then they continue building with concrete blocks or whatever (rebared for me in earthquake country) and make a first story. So the existing cabin would then become the second story. I like this idea, I would still want to reinforce it but the existing framing would not need to suport any additional load. Also, it would look the same! We removed the rotting front porch and the cabin original exterior is exposed. It could be made to look pretty cute in a rustic type of way. Will post pictures soon. Wow, the dumpster will go away this week, and it is really about 80-90% full! never thought this would happen.
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