Steel I Beams

[keyboard150]

A related question to my last one:


I need to install several steel I-beams against my foundation to shore it up from hydrostatic pressure.

Anyone have an estimate how much a beam costs? (It needs to reach the floor joists, so it has to be around 8 ft per beam. (That doesn't include the underground portion....I'm going to assume each beam will need to have an actual length of around 10-12 ft.)

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

A related question to my last one:


I need to install several steel I-beams against my foundation to shore it up from hydrostatic pressure.

Anyone have an estimate how much a beam costs? (It needs to reach the floor joists, so it has to be around 8 ft per beam. (That doesn't include the underground portion....I'm going to assume each beam will need to have an actual length of around 12-14 ft.)

Is there a reason you are going with Steel? There are some great structural wood beams out there.

[granpabob]

how deep do they have to be below your foundation and do you have to hire a pile driver to install them. are cross ties required to hold the foundation between the piles. just curious I might have need in the future as one of my walls has already moved one inch

[HipKat]

Yeah, I'm a little confused about how much actual construction there is. Are you going under the foundation or shoring it up? Are you doing the work yourself? Because the cost of the materials should be negligable vs. the cost of labor, etc, if you're hiring someone to do the work.

Other than that, some scrap yards may have stock steel you can buy, but you'll have to transport it.
A builder's supply probably won't have waht you need, and to go to a manufacturer, you may be able to include delivery in the cost.

[keyboard150]

I'm really not sure, this isn't something I'm going to even think about attempting to do myself.

I have to use wood beams because it's going to be used against concrete to hold the foundations. You can't place wood against concrete...especially not wood you're going to use to support structure.

When you Pylaster a foundation with Ibeams....you're basically building a new foundation. The ibeams become your foundation...it takes the weight of the house off the foundation so it stops collapsing.


Bob, I'm really not sure how they do it. I would assume that since they become a structural element...they have to be driven at least 4 feet into the ground...or maybe even down to bedrock. (I doubt a house is heavy enough to warrant that!)

Then they have to be attached to the floor joists to transfer the load from the foundation to the beams.

[keyboard150]

Yeah, I'm a little confused about how much actual construction there is. Are you going under the foundation or shoring it up? Are you doing the work yourself? Because the cost of the materials should be negligable vs. the cost of labor, etc, if you're hiring someone to do the work.

Other than that, some scrap yards may have stock steel you can buy, but you'll have to transport it.
A builder's supply probably won't have waht you need, and to go to a manufacturer, you may be able to include delivery in the cost.

I'm not sure, I haven't thought about the project because I was going to hire someone to do it. I was just trying to get an actual estimate as far as materials cost.

[Effigy]

You need to know the cross sectional size of the beam before you can find out how much they cost...

[LHardy]

You should hire a structural engineer. Expect this project to run in the thousands.
For steel cost; call any of the local steel companies in the phone book.

[Enough]

I had to have this done 5 years ago.

They came in and drilled out the concrete in about 18" squares around where each pylaster was going. They then dug down 2' deep for each hole. They actually brought the concrete/dirt up stairs in 5 gallon pails. They then installed each pylaster and brought down concrete in 5 gallon pails to refill each hole.

They did 11 pylasters for $3,000. I moved from the home last year and to be honest, the wall never moved after the the pylasters were done so it did actually work.

I guess their are other ways to correct the problem too. My old neighbor had someone come in that dug holes in his yard about 20' away from his house. They then went into his basement and drilled holes into his basement walls all the way out to where the holes were dug in the yard. They put 24" steel plates on his basement walls that were connected to a threaded rod that extended out to another plate in the yard. Every month he has to go downstairs and turn a big nut on the threaded rod with a torque wrench to adjust the pressure on the wall.

[wheresthesun]

Enough's info is pretty close. Expect a spike in steel prices this year (China's buying up all the scrap iron), so if you are going to get the work done, try to do it soon.

[keyboard150]

Wow Enough.... thanks for telling me that.

The contractor I had in last year gave me a 7,000 dollar estimate for 10 pylasters.

I'm definitely going to have to do more shopping around.

3,000 I would be more willing to take out a loan for right now....

[Linda_D]

I agree with LHardy about getting a structural engineer in there first to tell you what you exactly what you need. I had this done on a house that I was considering buying that had some foundation issues, and it was worth the money. He gave me a written spec sheet that I could take to contractors so that I was getting estimates based on the same process and specs -- the proverbial comparing apples to apples not apples to oranges.

[keyboard150]

I agree with LHardy about getting a structural engineer in there first to tell you what you exactly what you need. I had this done on a house that I was considering buying that had some foundation issues, and it was worth the money. He gave me a written spec sheet that I could take to contractors so that I was getting estimates based on the same process and specs -- the proverbial comparing apples to apples not apples to oranges.

That's a good idea, and that way I'm aware of what is needed so the contractor can't try to screw me over with "You need this and that" garbage.

[HipKat]

Definitely know every aspect of the job and what's needed to complete it, before you make a move.

And, get a few estimates, not just one company.

[keyboard150]

Well, absolutely. I watch "Holmes on Homes" all the time...I really can't afford to be screwed over like those people get.