Home Improvement Today?

The first step off the doorway on the landing has to be 7", by code. I have to figure out what to use under the door, and length of the porch. If snow sits there for awhile.

The frost guard is it the same as roofing ice membrane?

 

That works. I assume from the pictures this is a smaller porch like 4'x4'?

Eh...not sure about that.

 

The length is 7ft and the depth is about 4ft. With 3 steps.

The 1st masonry contractor told me since it's a step it's has to be 7"

If it's true I don't know, but if it snows it will take 7" before it hit the door opening.

The old porch has 7 1/2" height stairs and from the landing to the door is 8" before sagging. Going by the vinyl cut out.

 

If it's clog, how would you clean it out?

Would you use a pressure washer, or plumbing snake?

 

My plan all along was to take it apart in a couple minutes and clean it manually. Caulk joints that I can, etc.

My question was not specific enough.

IS there an alternative to shitty bellows/flex? (I bet that has holes too)

 

I had one house like that. Stupid terrible practice - dunno about code. I had to re-engineer and redo. PITA

 

Ah, that makes more sense.

Normal downspout elbows won't work?

 

If the clog isn't in reach, then how would you clean it?

My friend had a clog pipe, couldn't figure it out. We then decided to dig it up. There was a tree root growing through the pipe.

 

I am going to find out. MAYBE.

 

Need to find the "root" cause first..........hose works for gutter drains, most of the time............

 

The 2nd masonry contractor says it in good shape. He wants to brace back into place. I don't think this is a good idea. There no concrete slab under the porch. The ground is not stable. I think it will be a nightmare to lift back into position.

 

Some might use that spray foam they inject to lift side walks and such

 

We had no idea how the root of that size got there considering there no trees around. If it was a tree there before the house was built over 100 years ago, it amazes him how the root was still in good shape, all these years.

 

He did mentioned something about foam. I just didn't know how it works.

Someone mention a bobcat to lift and push back.

Without lifting the whole porch, How can it be brace from underneath?

 

They drill holes in the concrete and calculate how much they need to lift it. Not sure on the longevity of it. But its becoming more common

 

We doweled into the concrete foundation with rebar. The rebar stuck out at the mortar level, then poured concrete into the cores. Again, I’m in Illinois.

 

I used to see the guy down the street use a hydraulic car jack to jack his porch, then brace it. He has to jack the porch every coupe of years. Then he got sick of jacking the porch up, and jackhammer the porch and installed a wood porch. A decision he never look back on. Beside clearing the snow off.

 

The 2nd contractor suggest drilling the foundation, install Rebar then pour the concrete pad. He also suggest a pre-cast porch. I figure the cinder block porch will be lighter, and less weight to prevent shifting.

 

Sometimes easier to rip it all out and start over

 

If weight because of soft substrate is your main concern, why not fix the rot issue on your house and put a wood deck back instead of concrete?