# New extension footing off square by 50-60mm



## kpbryww (26 Feb 2014)

*Is it is easy to recover 50-60mm? *
Solid block footing 320mm wide just went in on new house extension and they are off  square by 50-60mm 

Foundation is 900mm wide -footing are solid block (215x440x100mm)
next part of build is cavity wall on top of footings = 2 x 100mm blocks.
cavity = 120mm.


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## lowCO2design (28 Feb 2014)

what did your engineer say?


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## seantheman (28 Feb 2014)

lowCO2design said:


> what did your engineer say?


 
That's a nothing kind of answer.Maybe as it's Friday the engineer isn't going to answer their phone until Monday, maybe the OP has been trying to get the Engineer to do a site visit all week but they're snowed under with work from the impending new regs.Either way i don't think your contribution adds much


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## Brendan Burgess (1 Mar 2014)

Hi Sean

I don't agree that Low co2 design's answer/question doesn't add much.

I often ask someone "what does your solicitor say?" 

Brendan


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## seantheman (1 Mar 2014)

Brendan Burgess said:


> Hi Sean
> 
> I don't agree that Low co2 design's answer/question doesn't add much.
> 
> ...


 
I know,but what does it add? I'ts like somebody saying have you tried Google?I figure when someone takes to askaboutmoney to ask a question,I feel that they're looking for answers from contributors that may have been in similar situations to their own.


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## Brendan Burgess (1 Mar 2014)

Hi Sean

It adds a reminder to some posters that their first port of call should be to their professional advisor be it a solicitor or an engineer.  

I don't fully understand the question, but it seems as if it's important that they get  professional advice on it from someone on the ground. 

Maybe it's possible to give general advice on an issue like this, but reminding people to ask their engineer is worthwhile also.


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## threebedsemi (1 Mar 2014)

seantheman
Asking for advice from 'someone else who has been in their situation' is not in any way helpful in this context. If someone said 'well ours was out by 65mm, and its up 5 years and its grand' does this mean that the OP's situation will be grand? 
No, because the ground conditions, concrete grade in the strip foundations, reinforcement in the foundations, size of extension, etc etc are all different. 

I usually ask lowco2design's kind of question when I assume that no engineer has been appointed at all - if there was one I suspect that the OP might not have posted on here. I am not of course assuming to speak for LowCo2Design here.

In any case, it is a very difficult question to answer in the abstract.

In my opinion, the OP has a very poor builder (being able to set out a right angle is ImABuilder 101) and anyone who can't get this level of detail right can hardly be expected to come up trumps when things get somewhat more intricate. In other words, at the very least get a new blocklayer. 

www.studioplustwo.com


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## seantheman (2 Mar 2014)

threebedsemi said:


> seantheman
> Asking for advice from 'someone else who has been in their situation' is not in any way helpful in this context. If someone said 'well ours was out by 65mm, and its up 5 years and its grand' does this mean that the OP's situation will be grand?
> No, because the ground conditions, concrete grade in the strip foundations, reinforcement in the foundations, size of extension, etc etc are all different.


 
I take your point fully, add to that the fact that they could be building on a flood plain or laying their foundation on a pyrite filled area and i can see where a good engineer would come in handy


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## kpbryww (2 Mar 2014)

I posted to forum to get other people opinions and to see if anybody had similar experience and how they dealt with it.   
Seems  to have gone off topic a little - but thanks for all the input! I have  posted to a few other forums and spoke to a few others about "the  problem". In the interest of helping anybody in a similar situation I  have added the info I have so far below.  The extension is off square  and not being a builder I wanted to have as many options and opinions as  possible so I could bounce them off the engineer and make the right  decision for me.  Anyway I have spoke by phone with an engineer and he  says structurally the building will still work but its not the ideal and  he will have to look at it.   Somebody else has since advised that it  might be possible to add an additional block to increase the width of  the foundation in the area it is off.   Which is something I will ask  the engineer about when he visits site.  I am okay to add another block  or remove all blocks and start again but I am not happy to continue  building with the footing off square even if its "structurally" sound. 



JSON


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## lowCO2design (2 Mar 2014)

kpbryww said:


> I am not happy to continue  building with the footing off square even if its "structurally" sound.


looks like you made up your mind 


> remove all blocks and start again but





kpbryww said:


> Somebody else has since advised


Yes, Sydthebeat was gracious enough to make that suggestion on another forum.  more internet advise on a site specific structural concern 

If i may address seantheman 





> That's a nothing kind of answer.


Sean that was a loaded question and one answered by the OP when he said 





> I have spoke by phone with an engineer


'an' engineer as opposed to 'his' eng who is was employed to manage the OP's project. if the OP didn't need this project managed the OP wouldn't be on a public forum asking such a  question, would s/he?

Sean I like you are happy to help any OP, but when it comes to structural matters i strongly believe NO one should comment on such things unless qualified, with PI, and having seen the actual situation. 

the op then goes on to explain how the eng: 


> says structurally  the building will still work but its not the ideal and  he will have to  look at it.


Op i wish you all the best & apologies if my post seems harsh or has taken your thread of track

thanks Brendan & threebedsemi


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## kpbryww (2 Mar 2014)

Thanks for the reply. Just to be clear I use forums to discuss seek opinions and get details of what other people have experienced in similar situations ,  not as an alternative to seeking professional advice. (don't most people??)

Would you or anybody have a conversation with complete strangers and then act on their opinion or experience.  That's not to say it not useful and interesting to get other peoples opinions and ideas. 

Sorry, but my answer to your question was also loaded (chuckle) "an engineer" was referring to my engineer employed on this job whom I spoke with on the phone as he had not visited site to inspect the footing yet.  (chuckle)

So probably best not to read between the lines or make too many presumptions until you have asked the right questions or understand what is being said. 

Just to 100% clear I am building a small one story extension (self-build) I am employing professionals directly based on recommendations and I have an engineer employed and who inspects every phase of the job.  The time I have with my engineer is limited so I like to have my questions for him fully thought out and reasoned before I meet him.   To this end I have conversations with everybody I think might have some valuable input.  

This is not my first self-build and in my experience its always best to have as much information and as many opinions as possible.  Professionals don't always know everything and usually value good input and discussion. For fleshing out my ideas and finding the right questions I find most forums brilliant. 

I don't consider your opinion hash or you answers in anyway helpful to a good discussion.  If you are not interested in helping or have nothing useful to add to the discussion or conversion probably best not to take part in the discussion or conversation. 

IMHO I don't see the point in having a forum or a discussion where questions are answered with questions or shot down as the conversation doesn't begin and nothing useful is gained. In short it wastes everybody's time. 

"An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations"

Sorry if I my reply seems harsh its not meant to be, its just my opinion based on my experience.


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## seantheman (2 Mar 2014)

lowCO2design said:


> what did your engineer say?


 


threebedsemi said:


> I usually ask lowco2design's kind of question when I assume that no engineer has been appointed at all
> 
> 
> www.studioplustwo.com


 


lowCO2design said:


> If i may address seantheman Sean that was a loaded question


 
Believe me,I realise the question was loaded i'ts not the first time i've seen it asked by the structural profession, a fact borne out by your buddy's contribution


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