ADU Construction in San Marino
San Marino ADU construction that protects the house foundation while the new footings go in, with separation details drawn for the plan check.
"Will digging the new footing hurt our house's foundation?" A San Marino owner may raise that on our first visit, and it is a fair worry when the unit will sit close to the house. Digging beside an existing footing can take away the soil it bears on. We keep new trenches outside that zone, or the engineer details underpinning, so the old foundation keeps its support while the new one goes in.
Building beside an old foundation
Every footing spreads its load into the soil under it at an angle. Excavating inside that wedge takes away support, and the old wall can settle or crack. When the new unit is attached or sits close, the engineer sets a minimum gap between trench and existing footing, or calls for new footings at matching depth with a separation joint between old and new. Where they meet, a seismic gap or flexible connection lets each structure move on its own in an earthquake. We check the existing footing's depth by hand before laying out the new one.
The set for a San Marino unit
The set we submit for a San Marino unit shows that joint as its own detail, with the footing depths of both structures, the engineer's calculations and the setbacks, and it goes to the city's building department. Bearing values come from a soils report when the ground leaves doubt. On an inland lot the roof gets a light, reflective covering and solid insulation. Inspections start at the open footing trench, which is also when the inspector can see that the old foundation was left undisturbed.
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ADU Construction in San Marino: questions
On a concrete foundation drawn by the engineer: a slab with a deepened perimeter for firm ground, and for weak soil or an attached plan, a raised floor on stem walls that can match the depth of the house footing. Whichever is chosen, anchor bolts and hold-downs lock the frame onto it.
If the slab edge has a proper footing and the concrete is sound, yes. A garage attached to the house also brings a rated separation wall between the unit and the home, and a check of the footing the two share, since that footing now carries walls for both.
It is drawn for a unit on one floor with up to 500 square feet, and a two-story or bigger plan gets a price after we review the lot. For San Marino we detail the foundation sheet and the site plan together, so the gap between unit and house and the footing relationship read the same on both.
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Book an inspection in San Marino
Describe the house and what it needs. We look at the structure first and send the quote in writing.