AboutDavid Coil/C. R. Construction Expertise I can answer most any remodel and repair question. I have done almost everything...and done it well. From foundations to the roof. I have helped MANY from all experts.com recently.
Experience Most expertise is carpeting, flooring, tile, sheetrock, electrical and plumbing. 40 yrs of experience in all trades.
Organizations I am a licensed contractor in California and Nevada.
Question I recently purchased a home in Malden, MA, and the house has an unfinished basement with stone walls and is approximately 5 ft. in height. I haven't done much messing around down there, but the floor appears to be dirt with some areas of concrete, not sure though. I would like to dig a couple more feet down to make the basement more of a useable space, but I realize that this may not be possible for a number of reasons including water table, and foundation strength maybe. I am not sure how deep it is safe to dig without getting to water, or if there are solutions that would allow me to reach water and still seal it off, and I am not sure how deep the foundation extends beneath the floor that is there now. What are the relevant considerations with respect to the idea of digging deeper, and how can I go about each consideration?
Answer Sounds like a fun project. First, pick a point and dig to the bottom of the existing foundation. That is an import part. If it gets too close to where you want the floor to be...consider a 45 degree angle inward to get to a lower elevation. That keeps the foundation solid and moves the floor downward/inward. That will be alot...alot alot of dirt to remove is you find a deep footing.
