homeowner seeks *experienced* pier / foundation help

3000 California Ave. SW, Seattle WA

Description

Hi and thanks for reading, I just bought a 1907 bungalow on a hillside here in West Seattle (near junction). There are serious drainage issues which need to be addressed here but my primary goal is to fortify/ replace / rebuild some piers underneath the house. Essentially, the house is sinking and many of the piers are literally not even supporting the house anymore. I had a foundation specialist/ company come over, and after telling me the house is a "tear down" (uh, I know this..), they quoted me an astronomically high price for replacing some piers. It was clear to me the job was just not big enough to capture their interest. So, I'm looking for help. I spent my life savings on this house and even though I realize it's not worth restoring, I need it to last me another 5-10 years. I am relatively handy and ultimately want to do most of the work myself (to save $), but my experience with structural (concrete and piers) is very limited. What I'm hoping for is to find someone here (someone experienced) who I can trust to "show me the ropes" for a day or two (to get me up and running on my own). Essentially, I want you to mentor me on how to replace a pier or two WELL. Yes, I can pour concrete and I can swing a hammer. But I want to be taught the BEST WAY to do this and I want to be EDUCATED ON THE POTENTIAL PITFALLS (so I can avoid them). The house is sagging everywhere and I don't really need to address that now (or ever). I am not trying to restore my house. I just want to add some robust support so that I can be confident that if I put 1000 lbs in a room, the house will stand. The crawlspace is easily accessible and tall enough to work in somewhat comfortably. I have basic tools (I also have a wheelbarrow and a 3 ton jack) and I will buy anything else needed to get the job done, at your direction. If you are interested, please get back to me with a proposal / quote for this job. I want to pay you well for your time and energy and I have no problem doing that if you are the right person for the job. As I am new to Seattle, I am also looking for someone for near -future projects (french drain, porch rebuild, etc.) so please keep in mind this could lead to other smaller jobs if we sync well. Thank You, Dan