Concrete cutting?

[R7]

Spring project at my house, something I wanted when i built it, but didn't think i could do it. I want to make my basement more walk-out friendly, not only for bike access in and out, but for firewood. If I could just wheel in the firewood, it'd be a huge time savings for me. Now I carry it down a set a stairs, which sucks.
A full walkout is not an option as i don't have the grade to make it work. Cutting my current door 2' lower however, will work. I'll need to get a little creative for landscape to make it look nice, but there's no shortage of rocks on my property for that.

So i have a rather tricky project for someone that cuts concrete, or knows someone that cuts it?

Here's what i have, I want to lower the door 2' so i'd need to remove it and cut the foundation 2' lower. That would be pretty simple if that were all it was I guess? My current door is 4' wide, and measures 46 3/4" clear after the stops and weather strips. I can't even count how many times I've trashed the weather strips taking the quad in and out of the basement, the quad is 46 1/2" wide so there isn't much room for error. I want to replace this door with a 5' double door. the foundation is 6' wide outside to outside. So to do this, I'd not only have to cut 2' off the bottom of the foundation, i'd need to make a notch on both sides of the foundation walls to be able to fit the door frame in. I measured today and it'll work, it's just some tricky cutting. Doing this will give me 52" between the walls and the foundation walls will prevent me from ever ripping off the weather strips again



So if anyone has a cutter or knows someone that cuts it, let me know. I'll be looking to start this as soon as the ground thaws and the mud dries a bit

[FAST GSXR750]

Check with a concrete cutting co first. You may lose wall integrity by notching it out. Do the two walls on either side of door support the structure? You can rent concrete saws but i would have a pro look at it first. Weather stripping is a lot cheaper than a new foundation. Check the yellow pages for concrete cutters. There is a company in Agawam Ma that covers all of NE. Witch enter. 1-800-44-witch. Seen them work and their real pro's

[MysteriousR1]

R.I. Concrete Coring and Cutting. Bob is a great guy, used him a few times. For a small job like that im sure it will be the basic rate which i believe was around $300, aka under one hour. Office-295-7137 Cell-225-5604. Or you could rent the stuff(i think) considering that does not look to be one of the toughest cuts.

[Omahastylin16]

i have a saw but id be afraid to do that kind of a job myself, another vote for checkin with a pro

we use pro cut a lot, they do nice work, not sure about cost though

[R7]

Check with a concrete cutting co first. You may lose wall integrity by notching it out. Do the two walls on either side of door support the structure? You can rent concrete saws but i would have a pro look at it first. Weather stripping is a lot cheaper than a new foundation. Check the yellow pages for concrete cutters. There is a company in Agawam Ma that covers all of NE. Witch enter. 1-800-44-witch. Seen them work and their real pro's

It's a 10" wall and i'd need to notch out a 5"x5" corner to make it work. I'm not worried about the structure, it's only holding a small roof over the entrance. I couldn't find a good picture, but you can see it from this picture..

R.I. Concrete Coring and Cutting. Bob is a great guy, used him a few times. For a small job like that im sure it will be the basic rate which i believe was around $300, aka under one hour. Office-295-7137 Cell-225-5604. Or you could rent the stuff(i think) considering that does not look to be one of the toughest cuts.

Thanks Tom, I'll give him a call and see what he thinks.
I'd rent a saw but can you even rent one that cuts 10" in one cut? I never checked into it

[Omahastylin16]

It's a 10" wall and i'd need to notch out a 5"x5" corner to make it work. I'm not worried about the structure, it's only holding a small roof over the entrance. I couldn't find a good picture, but you can see it from this picture..





Thanks Tom, I'll give him a call and see what he thinks.
I'd rent a saw but can you even rent one that cuts 10" in one cut? I never checked into it

cut off saw im not sure if it can be done in one cut, rent the chainsaw style saw
Sunbelt Rentals

[Kitt]

My buddy josh has been cutting conrete for years, for Witch Enterprises.

He can get equip for weekend gigs, call him

cell 860-680-3513
work cell 413-436-1056

tell him kitt sent you.

[Eric Baker]

Only problem I see with that really is that after you cut it, the bottom of the opening will be below ground level, so water will most likely be an issue where it will pool up in the recess and come in around the bottom of the door.

[Paul_E_D]

I have a full walk out 8' below grade. It's a water disaster. That would definitely be my concern. Recently had to spend 10K to repair retaining wa/foundation damage due to water.

I'm sure going down 2 feet won't create as big an issue, but it's something to consider carefully. How about just widening it? Looks like you will still need stairs even with the door 2ft lower.

[MysteriousR1]

Only problem I see with that really is that after you cut it, the bottom of the opening will be below ground level, so water will most likely be an issue where it will pool up in the recess and come in around the bottom of the door.

This is Mark were talking about here, he has some master plan. But in all seriousness it is possible to have a window/door below ground level. A big enough recessed area of crushed stone/grass with retaining wall holding the yard back.
On a job we did the building inspector required us to put a big enough window in a basment to meet the egress(sp?) codes. Was the dumbest thing ever, the "pit" we had to have was about 5' deep and about 6' across. I was more worried about someone walking in the yard and falling in then having a full size window in a basment incase of a fire. But thats what the inspector wanted....

[mycirus]

You could do what this guy did. http://jalopnik.com/5065896/hand+mad...s-light-of-day

[R7]

Only problem I see with that really is that after you cut it, the bottom of the opening will be below ground level, so water will most likely be an issue where it will pool up in the recess and come in around the bottom of the door.

Like MysteriousR1 said, there's a plan with the madness...
The door bottom won't be below grade. If I do this project, I'll be digging back and creating a walk/driveway leading to the door and holding the yard back with stones. Whatever water is in the walkway will drain by inteself to the edge of the yard. It's hard to see in the pictures, but the yard pitches off pretty quick, in fact it's a foot just in the first 5' out. I would only have to go out about 25' into the yard to get a 2 1/2' drop in grade. That gives me the 2' needed for the door and another 6" grade pitch for water drainage.

I'm sure going down 2 feet won't create as big an issue, but it's something to consider carefully. How about just widening it? Looks like you will still need stairs even with the door 2ft lower.

The problem I have with a wheel barrow full of wood with the current ramps, they are to sharp of an angle and I can't slow it down, which leads to a mess at the bottom...trust me, i've tried 2' lower and using the same length ramps I can handle.

[beet]

Ive done shit like this Mark. Concrete chain saw 100cc .

[Eric Baker]

You could do what this guy did. http://jalopnik.com/5065896/hand+mad...s-light-of-day

Amazing job.

[theothersean]

short term simple fix for the rest of the fire wood season , build longer ramps with a support half way down to cut down on your angle for the wheel barrow.

[R7]

short term simple fix for the rest of the fire wood season , build longer ramps with a support half way down to cut down on your angle for the wheel barrow.

That's a good thought and would work perfect if I was only 3' tall Head room becomes an issue with longer ramps

[theothersean]

That's a good thought and would work perfect if I was only 3' tall Head room becomes an issue with longer ramps

sounds like you are going to have to lower the door 2', remove it and cut the foundation 2' lower so your angle isn't as steep .

[RandyO]

sounds like you are going to have to lower the door 2', remove it and cut the foundation 2' lower so your angle isn't as steep .

I think that's his plan, at least the way I understood from the op

[obsolete]

Would a concrete saw even fit in there. Looks a bit tight.

[Sheppo]

I say a little C4 and a couple o beers we'll be all set

[sandman]

sounds like you are going to have to lower the door 2', remove it and cut the foundation 2' lower so your angle isn't as steep .

use a window,build a chute and just chuck through the window.

iv'e been doing this at home for 5-6 years it works great!

[ssg]

sounds like you are going to have to lower the door 2', remove it and cut the foundation 2' lower so your angle isn't as steep .

Yeah thats the same math I am coming up with as well, I think you're onto something there.

[RandyO]

use a window,build a chute and just chuck through the window.

iv'e been doing this at home for 5-6 years it works great!

great for the wood, but iirc, he wants to make the grade easier to move his toys in and out as well

[R7]

sounds like you are going to have to lower the door 2', remove it and cut the foundation 2' lower so your angle isn't as steep .

I think you're onto something

Would a concrete saw even fit in there. Looks a bit tight.

I'd make, or have the cuts made from the outside, I'd excavate around it to give whatever room is needed (or until i hit the ledge) for the saw.

great for the wood, but iirc, he wants to make the grade easier to move his toys in and out as well

Not a good idea for wood at all IMO. Wood makes a
mess as it is being carefull with it, tossing it in a window or down a shoot will only create dust and disturb the bugs that rest in the bark. Pick it up, toss it down a window, go down in the basement, pick it back up again and stack it, then clean the mess? That's more work than I'm doing now

[R7]

Well i finally started this project. Minor change in plans and I am going to reuse the existing 4' double door rather than replace it with a 5' door.

The excavation is done, that was the easy part. Next weekend I plan to rent a concrete chainsaw to cut the foundation and lower the door down.
It's all landscaping after that...which i'm guessing will take me at least until late fall to complete. I have to gather all the stones from my property and try and make some retaining walls out of them.
While I'm there, I am adding a gutter drain for the rain water, and also adding an extra line for the sump pump in the basement that will get hooked into the same gutter drain.
Oh yeah, and electric power out to the shed