What holds up the second floor?

8 years ago

The back corner of my house jogs in about 5' x 11'. Years ago someone squared off the corner by adding a cinder block foundation, 2 walls and very old wavy glass windows. Nothing seems to be supporting the second floor corner but the windows and a 1x3 in the corner. The interior walls of the room are sided just like the house and appear to be original so I assume the room was not in the original design and there was a second floor overhang. The exterior walls now match the house but are not original. Any ideas on what the original design would have been, what's holding up the second floor corner? I would love to rip it out and make a three season room / deck. Under this space is just a dirt floor. The cinder blocks are starting to rot.

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Comments (3)

worthy
8 years ago
The flooring/roof may have cantilevered framing. A few minutes with a crowbar and you may be reassured. Or horrified.
fredsoldhouse thanked worthy
fredsoldhouse
Original Author
8 years ago
I should probably open the ceiling as suggested. If I'm lucky maybe someone has the same house and will know the answer.

The cinder blocks are not rotting like wood (poor choice of words). They are failing and crumbling. I can access the area under the small room in the back thru a very small door at ground level. I can see into some of the cinder blocks along the bottom course as the cement has crumbled away on the sides of the block. The joint did not fail it is the block itself. The room has a dirt floor and always seems very humid. They have been in place for at least 70 years and I guess due to the exposure to New England weather they are failing.
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User
8 years ago
As much as I love DIY, sounds like it's time to have a professional (experienced in older homes) look at that foundation. It took me a year to find one with the proper skill level so don't give up searching for an answer. So many "pros" today are of the "granite counter-top, open floor-plan and stainless appliance" genre, skip them they don't understand old houses.
fredsoldhouse thanked User