Troubleshooting home movement

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Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

With winter coming, was just kinda looking around down under to make sure I have no surprises. And, I did.

On the northwest end of the house I have two ground spikes that are pulled up about 2-3 inches. After the "WTH" - I am trying to figure out how it happened, and then how to 'fix'

We had some wicked, wicked storms with 60-80 mph straight line winds, but the trees to my west usually somewhat protect me from any direct hit. I was at home during the storms - and just don't recall any 'jarring movement' of the house.

(Short blurb here- ATTENTION VETS! The VA requires the tie-downs to be encased in cement. First thing I noticed with the two pulled up tie-downs is NO concrete. I inspected only to find a puddle of concrete about 2" thick and 8-10" in diameter around where the top would have met the ground. My tie-downs were done before I could get VA financed - and the previous owner had to pay. And now I know the company that did falsified the docs about their work.)

In any case - I am completely puzzled as I can see an outdoor waterline that it is bent a couple inches but the main blocks down under the center of the house are straight up. A couple stacks along the perimeter are tilted a little this way or that - but it's not that they are 'leaning' the same direction.

So, how does one gently move a house a couple inches? All I could think of was small round lengths of rod (like the Egyptians used logs for moving stone blocks). I called around and so far have found no one who can move the house. They can re-level it after it is moved. I have no idea how to proceed.
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

I think I would jack the home up and reset the piers and relevel the home. As long as there are no leaks I don't think I would worry about the utilities. I would do a proper tie down system and call it good.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

Was all ready to head into town to pick up some extra blocks/pads and a couple of jacks. Wanted to check the local supply (online)...but find the largest pad is only 16x16.....which kinda/sorta doesn't make sense to me. If the pad is only 16x16, and the assembled blocks are 16x16 - I'm not seeing any tolerance to fidget to the left or right to get the blocks square under the beam. Granted the bottom of the i-beam has a 6" width...but am I over-perfecting this?? 16 x 16 just seems 'small' for the task.

Of course, I was thinking I could build a quick form and just pour new pads using the Maximizer mix for a 20x20 x 3.5 (or 5.5 thick) pad. Easy enough - but I hesitate to leave an area on jacks while it cures (7 days?). It would be some incredibly slow-going at one stack a week.

What am I missing here?
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

How about pouring a pad next to the piers and moving the piers 20"? Or make your own pads with a mold and then place it under the piers? If you are really feeling ambitious you can just dig down and pour piers, I have 18, 18" dia. 48" deep under ours.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

I guess I better be happy that the frost line is only about 6" down here in north Texas!! lol!

I've kind of settled on 21 x 21 x 5.5 poured pads (a 2x6 square form), with at least the bottom third of that below grade. I'll have to do some fidgeting at the ends of the i-beams as currently one end the blocks are set almost flush to the end of the beam, while the other end is set in about 24".

Did you dig your piers with the place already set? If so, manually or with some sort of power tool?

BTW - thanks for all the info - and experience share.
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

No, We moved the home out of the park after a neighbor pulled a gun on the wife and the owner would do nothing about it since his rent was always paid. We bought land and moved the home, I laid out the piers and used a skid steer with auger.
I was going to go 10 24" piers per side, but the engineer said 9 18" would be plenty. It's been 5 years now and it hasn't moved during the winter yet.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
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