I have this old and crumbling tiered stone wall in the back of my property. My deck sits on top the wall. There is a covered porch next to the deck, that’s built on top of block walls (not part of the foundation or basement walls of house.
I want to tear down the stone wall, remove the dirt under the deck so I have space under there for my lawn equipment (and reclaim space in the garage).
Is there any potential issues with stability to the foundation of the house if I do this? My yard slopes away from the house, and I will ensure proper grade under the deck so rainwater continues to flow downhill.
Also I’m assuming the deck footings will need to be replaced once the dirt is gone, any tips for temporary supports for the deck while the dirt is being removed?
I plan to also remove the concrete blocking under the porch and replace with footings similar to the deck. Any recommendation on safely removing the blocks and supporting the porch in the process?
Best Answer
I would probably remove the deck first.
After the deck is disassembled, then start the excavation, it will be much easier and safer.
You might find out it is less work to remove the deck compared to trying to work under it with limited space and temporary supports. Temp supports sounds like a catastrophe waiting to happen.
Removing the block wall that is under the porch should be a totally different question as it is also involved because it carries the porch decking and the roof.