Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 11/25/2008

Question
I recently bought a house built in the 1940s. One of the first things I wanted to take care of was getting a termite bond. However, a portion of the house did not have enough clearence. So, I need to dig it out. The house has been remodeled and there is no real access to this area in the crawl space. So my next move was to create an access way in the area I need to dig out. This foundation wall does not support any joists and would be under a window. There are a few things I am unsure about.
- The wall is made out of brick. What is the best way of cutting through brick
- The distance between grade and the top of the wall is about 17". Do i need to dig out from to make enough room. I do not know how deep the foundation is.
- What is your recommendation as far as the construction of the door itself. Does it need supports?

Answer
Hi Chris, a standard crawl space is normally 24" high from grade to bottom of joist.  

The best way to cut brick or masonry is with a concrete cutting saw.  It can be rented from a tool rental place. A 14" saw will give you a cutting depth of 6", a 12" saw will give you a cut of 5" more or less.  If there isn't much bearing on this opening you may not need to reinforce it.   I hope this information helps feel free to write again regarding this or other matters sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com