Well all the bricks fell down... so what next.

[doogyscoot]

Our rear doorsteps had a brick surround which extended up to form a wall. As we are going to build some decking which will start off from the back of the steps, the upper wall part had to come down. Unfortunately, as I was taking the top section down I found that the bottom section which surrounded the steps themselves was all loose and the brickwork was unsound (lots of water ingress as the render is all blown),it all just pulled away. So now I've basically taken it all down and the rubble used to fill under where the steps have been laid can come away. What's the best way to make it all sound? Rebuild the brickwork up to the steps and fill behind it with more rubble and concrete as I go? Or can I just put up some well braced shuttering and fill behind it with concrete? It's all getting rendered over anyway so finish isn't too big a deal. Any advice would be very much appreciated... thanks.View media item 98009View media item 98008View media item 98007

 

[vinn]

I'd hesitate to give advice for how much to demolish and how to re-build without a site view or understanding of what you want the finished steps and deck to look like?
One possibility is that the landing pulls away and/or collapses. I dont think its a big risk but its worth keeping in mind.
The landing should have been shuttered to overlap the side walls not to be formed inside them.

Briefly, remove the loose rubble with a rake, clear everything away, and then move the plastic container, and post some more photos of the void and the side walls in more detail.

Its possible that the top step/landing is introducing moisture into the wall(s)?
I guess that you have a suspended floor so it would pay you to go under it and inspect the joists & woodwork in that corner.

Steps 1 & 2 are obviously one piece items, the slab was poured in-situ.

 

[tomfe]

My guess is there was originally a porch on the back and had a retaining wall up past the steps, you've removed the wall and the infill has just dropped down. So you'll need to rebuild the wall and then get some sloppy concrete in to try and support the slab.
Or rip it all out and start again.

 

[doogyscoot]

Thanks guys, yes, there was a wall that went to the height of the remaining brickwork on the wall, it had started leaning and a lot of the bricks at the bottom were crumbling. Wanted a normal handrail to replace it anyway. I'd hoped I might get away with building up some shuttering and just concreting it all in without rebuilding a retaining wall but if that's what it needs them that's what I'll do.
There's no suspended floor behind it, the door goes into the kitchen and it's a concrete floor.

 

[vinn]

With new info (but no photos) about it being a one piece slab floor projecting out as a landing then you could probably get away with shuttering up and pumping in concrete.
Thats after clearing out the rubble.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

Your original retaining wall lean't over because of the weight of the loose infill leaning on one side and insubstantial foundations. The infill will be sitting on earth so adding more weight in the form of concrete to it will only slightly improve things. Could be OK for a year or 20, don't know.
I think it need all taking down and rebuilding properly, but as you are going to be fiddling around with decking, rebuild the steps in decking wood ( on decent concrete pads with bits of plastic under where the wood touches the concrete).
Frank

 

[doogyscoot]

Thanks for all the replies. I've been distracted with some other jobs recently but will get into this over the coming week. Hoping to avoid taking it all down and starting again but will prop it well and remove the loose infill.

 

[doogyscoot]

So just a wee update, I've pulled out all the loose stuff and cleared the dirt out at the bottom then dug away to the bottom course of bricks which seems sound. Shuttered it with some scrap that I had lying around (no prizes for beauty but it does the job). Poured in two stages, built a little hopper/slide at the edge to run it up to the top of the gap and rammed it all in with some small bits of broken brick to bulk it up. This is really just temporary to support what's there. Will finish laying a concrete pad at the side then upon that, build a block retaining wall to about 5" above the current landing and set about 4" away from the current side of the steps. This will allow me to re-lay new steps across the top and backfill down the side with reinforcing mesh to encase the whole lot. At least that's the plan... thanks again for the advice.

 

[vinn]

Thanks for coming back - its nice to know what happened next.