replacing brick pier?

[Bleedin Thumb]

Hi all, I hope someone can help me .

I have a brick pier that is crumbling, its been that way for a few years and has been on the to do list
Recently I have a had 2 internal doors that have started to scrape so its time to deal with the pier.
My questions are
Do I jack up the house, rebuild the pier & then lower it down on the pier? or do I just prop it up and build to the bearer and chock/wedge top.

If I am to jack it up how is the best way to jack it up.

You may see from the photo that there is a steel support on top of the brick pier, has this contributed to its failure and should I replace it and with what?
Attachment 30262
Thanks in advance.

[OBBob]

Hi there, When the guys restumped my house they used a heap of hydraulic bottle jacks to lift it while they replaced the stumps. Then left it for a week for the concrete to set ... came back and took the jacks away.

I guess the theory is the same but I would er on the side of caution and xcessive supports because there have been a couple of DIYers crushed under their houses whilst trying to do their own stumps in recent years.

[Bleedin Thumb]

because there have been a couple of DIYers crushed under their houses whilst trying to do their own stumps in recent years.

Thanks OBBob,
I'll take care- doesn't sound like the way I'd like say goodbye

[OBBob]

Yeah ... tll me about it! I'd say there is a fair difference in risk from doing one pier to a whole house. Just use more than one jack for peice of mind!

[Bleedin Thumb]

Ok one more question if I do jack up the house at the point in question will I notice an immediate change in the catching doors (if this is indeed the problem) or would it take some time for the house to right itself to plumb?
The reason for the question is I need to rule this pier out as the culprit as I may have another problem elsewhere.
Once again any help would be appreciated.

[OBBob]

Someone out there may have done it ... but I would say it could go either way depending how long it has been that way? I know when you restump a house you often get plaster cracks immediately. My guess would be you'd see a change straight away.

[namtrak]

All care - no responsibility.

Be carefull mucking around under the house, however I would go to your local steel dealer, buy an "Adjustable Pier Connector" with about a metre of 90 by 90 duragal. After propping up the bearer, dig a hole about 600 deep (a bit of frigging around there - but our POW's used to do it so it can't be that tough), fix the adjustable pier onto the bottom of the beaer, and hang the 90 by 90 into the hole then fill wil concrete. Once the concrete has set you can remove your supports and adjust the height of the beaer. Easy as

[Bleedin Thumb]

Hi namtrak, thanks thats a good suggestion. I don't know the adjustable pier connector but I can imagine what your taking about. If I can get these in say 300mm long I might just rebuild the brick pier as its only cracked halfway down. I recon that it will be easier than digging under the house.
My rule is No excavator No dig.
Cheers

[namtrak]

The connector is basically 2 pieces of duragal which screw together. The height can be anything you like, depends on how much 90 by 90 duragal you get. Your local Metalland/Onesteel etc mob will show you how it works.

Either way you need to make sure your new pier is solid.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Yep, thats my moto
If its worth doing....