# Cinder block foundations



## cb104 (May 10, 2017)

Any idea why the builder has these first blocks offset??View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1494473730.008215.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1494473745.039363.jpg


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## Chris (May 10, 2017)

I've never seen anything like it


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## nealtw (May 10, 2017)

The footing is always wider than the, so that might be the footing.
Just a guess as we seldom see a block foundation and always have the footing well below ground level. But the depth is dictated by frost depth.


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## bud16415 (May 11, 2017)

Looks like he came up with wider blocks and then switched to 8&#8221; block with the intention of bricking the face and never got around to it. 

If it is truly offset on the inside as well I have no clue.


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## johnjh2o (May 11, 2017)

I have seen that done to run up a brick or stone venire.


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## Sparky617 (May 11, 2017)

johnjh2o said:


> I have seen that done to run up a brick or stone venire.



If they were going to do that, they would have built the house over the brick facing.  I've seen it done in a crawlspace but the bigger blocks were put with the extra width of the block inside the structure.  I think the mason was using up some extra block, in this case, it wasn't needed structurally. 

I would fill in the holes with concrete or possibly mortar and slope it away from the foundation.  Then since you have space above the ground add dirt to slope the yard away from the foundation.  I'd fill it in to keep ground water out of the wall.  If you have a basement, filling the webbing up with water is a sure-fire way to get water into your basement.  If you have a crawlspace and are in an area subject to freezing water could collect in the block and freeze.


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## Sparky617 (May 11, 2017)

With the foundation vents, I assume you have a crawlspace.  Where is the floor of the crawlspace in relation to the wider blocks?


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## bud16415 (May 11, 2017)

Sparky617 said:


> If they were going to do that, they would have built the house over the brick facing.  I've seen it done in a crawlspace but the bigger blocks were put with the extra width of the block inside the structure.  I think the mason was using up some extra block, in this case, it wasn't needed structurally.
> 
> I would fill in the holes with concrete or possibly mortar and slope it away from the foundation.  Then since you have space above the ground add dirt to slope the yard away from the foundation.  I'd fill it in to keep ground water out of the wall.  If you have a basement, filling the webbing up with water is a sure-fire way to get water into your basement.  If you have a crawlspace and are in an area subject to freezing water could collect in the block and freeze.



I have seen brick both ways flush with the building and also away with a sloping brick cap. 

I agree fill the cores and slope the cap away from the wall.


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## Sparky617 (May 11, 2017)

bud16415 said:


> I have seen brick both ways flush with the building and also away with a sloping brick cap.



Given that there doesn't appear to wider blocks with the ledge all the way around the house I don't think a brick veneer face was ever part of the plan.  I suspect the mason had some 12" blocks left over and used them on this project until he ran out.


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## nealtw (May 11, 2017)

Sparky617 said:


> Given that there doesn't appear to wider blocks with the ledge all the way around the house I don't think a brick veneer face was ever part of the plan.  I suspect the mason had some 12" blocks left over and used them on this project until he ran out.



As the ground level comes up around the house, I don't think you can say it doesn't continue. The house in the back ground it brick so it could be the builder went for a cheaper option.


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## Sparky617 (May 11, 2017)

nealtw said:


> As the ground level comes up around the house, I don't think you can say it doesn't continue. The house in the back ground it brick so it could be the builder went for a cheaper option.



I was going by the second picture where the OP put the little white L on the diagram to indicate that the wider block stopped.  An assumption on my part.

Regardless, I doubt the OP is going to tear off the siding and brick the house, so I'd fill in the block holes, slope it away from the house and cover it with soil and landscape it.  As it is varmints could go up inside the wall above by going into the open webbing below and working their way up through the webbing in the block above.  Stuff crumpled up newspaper into the bottom holes to keep the mortar from falling all the way down and fill away.


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## bud16415 (May 11, 2017)

My guess is Neal is correct. Could have been a spec house. Around here they would offer full brick or just a brick front or just brick up about 4 foot as an accent. These folks wanted the basic finish and opted for the siding only. Nonetheless the builder should have capped the blocks .


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## bud16415 (May 11, 2017)

Sparky617 said:


> I was going by the second picture where the OP put the little white L on the diagram to indicate that the wider block stopped.  An assumption on my part.



I think that little L is a piece of PVC sticking out of the wall.


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## nealtw (May 11, 2017)

bud16415 said:


> I think that little L is a piece of PVC sticking out of the wall.



AC drain///////


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## Sparky617 (May 11, 2017)

nealtw said:


> AC drain///////



Yeah, now that I look closer I think you're right.   So without digging we have no idea if it continues.  That said, I'll stick with my original advice to fill it in to keep water and varmints out of the walls.


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## cb104 (May 11, 2017)

It is not offset on the inside, its flush. Once the crawl space door is removed, there is about a 3-4" drop then your on the crawl space ground. I'm sure it was built that way all the way around, but the topsoil covers it up except for the posted pics. The insides of the holes of the exposed blocks do have some concrete already in them. I think the idea of filling the holes with concrete then raising the soil about 6-8" sloped away from the house seems like a good idea.


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## Sparky617 (May 11, 2017)

Is the crawlspace ground covered with plastic?  If not it should be.


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## nealtw (May 11, 2017)

cb104 said:


> It is not offset on the inside, its flush. Once the crawl space door is removed, there is about a 3-4" drop then your on the crawl space ground. I'm sure it was built that way all the way around, but the topsoil covers it up except for the posted pics. The insides of the holes of the exposed blocks do have some concrete already in them. I think the idea of filling the holes with concrete then raising the soil about 6-8" sloped away from the house seems like a good idea.



If you fill the landfill first build a well to access the door and below the well install a drain and pipe it over to the downspout drain.:thbup:


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## cb104 (May 11, 2017)

Sparky617 said:


> Is the crawlspace ground covered with plastic?  If not it should be.




Yes. Covered in 6mm clear plastic, 6" up on the inside walls and all overlapping.


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## cb104 (May 11, 2017)

So, what do you mean by sloping the cement  that will fill the blocks? How would I do that?


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## Sparky617 (May 11, 2017)

Fill the holes with crumpled up newspapers to keep the mortar from falling down deep inside.  The trowel on a layer of mortar over the blocks, filling in the holes and forming a slope away from the house. So at the narrower blocks have it come up an inch or so and taper it down to nothing at the edge of the lower blocks.  That way it will shed water away from the house.

You can also build up the earth around your house with it sloping away from the house to keep rainwater out of your crawlspace.


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## nealtw (May 11, 2017)

everything below ground level should have been waterproofed.


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## cb104 (May 11, 2017)

Well, like I said there is some concrete in the holes. There has never been any water under the house as of yet.


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## nealtw (May 11, 2017)

cb104 said:


> Well, like I said there is some concrete in the holes. There has never been any water under the house as of yet.



As long as you have good drainage. Sloping away from the house is a good idea.


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## Mastercarpenty (May 13, 2017)

nealtw said:


> Sloping away from the house is a good idea.



Not just that, it's now code-required for new construction here in 3/5 of the jurisdictions I work in. IIRC you must have at least 4" continuous fall away from the house in every direction over a  6' distance. Doesn't always look good on hilly sites, but it works good with our sometimes super-heavy summer storms.

Phil


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## nealtw (May 13, 2017)

Mastercarpenty said:


> Not just that, it's now code-required for new construction here in 3/5 of the jurisdictions I work in. IIRC you must have at least 4" continuous fall away from the house in every direction over a  6' distance. Doesn't always look good on hilly sites, but it works good with our sometimes super-heavy summer storms.
> 
> Phil



Most of our new houses are mountain side now so it is near impossible but is always a good idea.

For sure on a house like this where you don't know what they did for drainage and no water proofing.


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