Any advice on my falling cottage would be helpful...

[Whalen]

Hi! Thanks for taking a look at my post. I have a cottage next to a lake (in NY) and it is from 1920. It is 864 Sq Ft. When I bought it it was on jacks (see images) then I had this contractor say I should put these cement pilons under it, because it is very hard to access behind the cottage due to erosion, (all the other houses on the street were moved back by 1 street back in the 70's except mine) but as you can see there has been shifting. I am trying to find the least costly solution to keep the house upright and I wondered if maybe I were to add a cinder block wall just underneath it? Or just add numerous jacks, might that work?
Just wondered if someone here might have some suggestions. I am handicapped, so unfortunately havent a lot of money which I can throw at it.
Thanks so much!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Try a US forum old bean, care for a cup of tea?

 

[martygturner]

Has the erosion been stopped if not whatever you do will be just temporary...so acrow props and some railway sleepers to spread the load might be the best you can do. If it helps I bought a house to renovate in 2016 and when we exposed the two columns either side of a room we found two 1970's acrow props that had been holding up the first floor... Then had just been boxed in with plasterboard.

 

[RandomGrinch]

acrow props and some railway sleepers

Shoring Posts and Wooden Railroad Ties?

 

[martygturner]

Shoring Posts and Wooden Railroad Ties?

yep spread the load on the ground and underneath the cottage

 

[DiyNutJob]

To stop the erosion, you need big boulders and concrete. You seem to have some up front. Get more from where they came from. You need the equivalent of a sea wall.

 

[tell80]

Whalen Hi,
Sorry to hear of your troubles but do feel free to post on diynot - forums. Last I heard gravity works the same on both sides of the Atlantic.
I would imagine that your cottage was built as a fishing/vacation cabin, and perhaps sited on made-up ground.
The posts and pilings & foundations of the sub-structure seem bound to fail in such soil?
The back of the house looks frail and at risk of slipping down the slope.
Erosion along the lake frontage maybe accounted for the shifting back of the other cottages?

It would be a simple process to "Lift & Shift, House-move" your cottage back to a more secure/firmer ground lot.
But even "House-moving" a few yards could be pretty expensive?
If you've not already arranged them then its time for an Engineer's view on site, and you getting some quotes for House-Moving.

 

[Whalen]

Has the erosion been stopped if not whatever you do will be just temporary...so acrow props and some railway sleepers to spread the load might be the best you can do. If it helps I bought a house to renovate in 2016 and when we exposed the two columns either side of a room we found two 1970's acrow props that had been holding up the first floor... Then had just been boxed in with plasterboard.

Thank you so much! That does help!

 

[Whalen]

To stop the erosion, you need big boulders and concrete. You seem to have some up front. Get more from where they came from. You need the equivalent of a sea wall.

Yes but now I am maore focused on the stabilizing of the cottage. The state of NY may add more boulders below. Thanks

 

[Whalen]

Whalen Hi,
Sorry to hear of your troubles but do feel free to post on diynot - forums. Last I heard gravity works the same on both sides of the Atlantic.
I would imagine that your cottage was built as a fishing/vacation cabin, and perhaps sited on made-up ground.
The posts and pilings & foundations of the sub-structure seem bound to fail in such soil?
The back of the house looks frail and at risk of slipping down the slope.
Erosion along the lake frontage maybe accounted for the shifting back of the other cottages?

It would be a simple process to "Lift & Shift, House-move" your cottage back to a more secure/firmer ground lot.
But even "House-moving" a few yards could be pretty expensive?
If you've not already arranged them then its time for an Engineer's view on site, and you getting some quotes for House-Moving.

Hi, Thanks so much and I LOLed at

Last I heard gravity works the same on both sides of the Atlantic.

That is a good idea but I have no where I can move it forward. I will add a pic.
When I bought it it was resting on jacks so I was hoping maybe to find someone to add jacks back under it but I cant seem to find someone to do that. I called a place and was told that I should call the FIREMEN?! But I dont want it getting condemned or anything. There is still a fair amount of land between the cottage and the lake and I dont need it to last forever. When I bought it back in 2010 I got a structural engineer and he said that erosion will occur but not bad enough to effect me "in my life time".
I dont have money I can throw at it so I was just hoping to get someone who would feel comfortable adding more jacks I guess.
Thank you!

 

[Notch7]

I suggest you get some mesh and spikes for that exposed soil, then plant something suitable with nice strong roots that will bind the soil together

as for the cabin, maybe you could get some body to put in some ground screws, connect them together with a beam and use acrow props off them

 

[kp00110]

Would anyone be comfortable actually sitting in that cabin? Looks like its about to be swallowed up. I fear you are only delaying the inevitable and best use the money towards the next place?

 

[martygturner]

You could sow with ground stabilizing plants to prevent washout from rain eg California brome, needlegrass, California barley and ryegrass, the are all cheap as seeds, grow quickly and have a good fibrous root . You can also add reeds at the water's edge, they can be harvested from any reed bed, they pull up easily, these add a buffer to waves.

 

[Whalen]

I suggest you get some mesh and spikes for that exposed soil, then plant something suitable with nice strong roots that will bind the soil together

as for the cabin, maybe you could get some body to put in some ground screws, connect them together with a beam and use acrow props off them

Thanks so much. Im more worried about the cabin so

put in some ground screws, connect them together with a beam

Is very helpful advice. Thank you so much!

 

[Whalen]

You could sow with ground stabilizing plants to prevent washout from rain eg California brome, needlegrass, California barley and ryegrass, the are all cheap as seeds, grow quickly and have a good fibrous root . You can also add reeds at the water's edge, they can be harvested from any reed bed, they pull up easily, these add a buffer to waves.

Thanks very much