/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>566798
Yeah, first, build somewhere for you to live while you've got the roof ripped off your larger house.

Ie : Start by building a guest house.

>>566806
the large house is pic related, the roof can easilly be removed

basically i wanna build something like this

>>566832
That's not a house, that's a pile of shit.

>>566832
there are easier ways to kill yourself op

>>566798
>replace the wooden parts with strong materials, like brick
I'm not a construction guy, but you don't sound like you know the first thing about what you're doing.

Brick isn't "strong", it's brittle, there's a difference.

Wood is pretty damned strong in part because it can *flex* rather than just shatter.

If you want "stronger" then I'd think you'd have to go with something like steel I-beams.

Also I think if you want to put a 2nd story on a house that wasn't designed for it in the first place, you'd have to beef up the entire 1st floor's load-carrying members, since all loads are carried *downward* (gravity and all that).

Sounds like you need to consult with an architect.

What you're considering is far harder than you think, and you need to rework everything to do it. You'd have to tear the whole house down to the foundation to prepare it for a second floor. Don't do it without professional advice please.

>Sounds like you need to consult with an architect.

I thought that's what I was doing by asking /diy/ how to build entire house.

Hey, OP, which city is closest to you?

I want to know which newspaper to watch for a story about some retard who had the second story of his ramshackle house collapse on his face.

It's not as hard as these guys say. If that is the actual house, you can get by with upgraded corner posts and a structural pony wall down the middle. You probably won't have to tear the walls down, but it will involve some structure - beams and columns. You also don't nee a fucking architect or a fucking engineer to design it. A good framing carpenter can do the calculations, or you can find them on the net.

>>566798
Don't build up, OP. Build to the side. If you build up, you'll waste a whole hell of a lot of space building in a staircase (and given how small that house is, it would either take up a third of the first floor or would be too small to take any furniture up it) and will probably have a lot of trouble reinforcing the structure to withstand the load of a second floor. Building an add on will be infinitely easier, faster, and cheaper.

I'm a professional framing contractor in Washington and there is no way in hell that I'd even bother to bid a job like this. Check that...here's my bid for a half million dollars for wasting so much of my time. First off, the cost alone of brick is reason not to use it. Second, the footprint of the foundation leaves almost no usable after you throw in a set a stairs. Third, I'm gonna bet that those are 2x4 walls, while any multi level building is required to be framed with 2x6 at least. Seriously OP take that measly bankroll you have set aside for this place, invest it and put this dream (or nightmare) house on hold for a few years.

Ah shit, that's a beautiful foundation you have there!! You should be thinking horizontally not vertically. A couple thousand dollars for an expanded foundation and a few more for the trusses and studs could easily triple the usable living space. And my advice is to go with 2x6 walls to get a decent r-value. And if you can splurge at all go with spray foam insulation which has an r-value of 6.2 per inch compared to 3.0-4.1 for FG insulation. Get your permits in order and throw an engineer some money under the table to get a rubber stamp on your design. I was a little harsh before because your original plan is so goddamn asinine but not nearly the worst thing i've ever seen. Good Luck!!

If you want to build a house, get help from the amish. They've been doing it for hundreds of years. If that's not an option, look up wikihouse.

>>566798
Another issue not brought up, other than slightly by >>567143
is building code issues. If you live in the U.S., you will absolutely have to have an architect involved with a second story, or an unsupported span over 20 ft. Otherwise, the city/county/state can force you to remove any and all "un-approved improvements" made to the house.

Second storeys are stupid except in cities where there is no room for horizontal growth. Stairs are evil and interfere with efficient movement. Shit will cost more than going horizontally.

Brick is decorative, not structural. Needs a concrete foundation to support it. That smart play is to drop a slab foundation next to that house and extend it. Don't forget plumbing, and any freeze considerations if you live where that matters. When doing the concrete consider a large garage-sized "patio" incidentally poured with foundation specs so if you want you can grow it again should you decide to live there. You can finish out most of the structure then move in to build the rest if saving money matters.

>>566798

Download The Hand Sculpted House by Ianto Evans. All information you need in there.

>>566852
This guy is a fucking idiot, I work commercial masonry and Brick and block are some of the strongest building materials you can use. Why do you think schools, Government buildings and the like are all made out of 90% Masonry? It's strong and low maintenance, a properly build wall will last for 100's of year while alot of these newer Timber houses are going to last at most 100. But be fore warned, it's tough to lay brick block or what ever the hell you want to use on your house. It's a trade that takes a few years to get the hang of. My .02

>>569269
its only strong because of the steel supports and concrete you pour in it (if you're using construction units) ifnyourbusing old red brick... Its decorative. Can't really fix that. You can't literally can't build a wall out of it in california

>>569283
Laughing My Fucking Ass Off

It appears to me that you have never traveled outside of your hood, let alone outside of your country.
>> red brick = decorative
get a load of this guy.

Did you know many countries construct buildings exclusively with bricks/blocks? Vertical concrete beams with steel "skeletons" are used instead of a simple wood beam to support a structure.

>>569269
this guys knows whats up.

>>568782
>> brick is decorative
and then there is this asshole

>>566798
Hey
Hey
OP
Here's what you do:

Dig a large tunnel under the house. Hollow it out underneath while strengthening with wood beams to keep ground from collapsing.
Install four large hydraulic lifts, one per corner of the house, like the kind you would find in an auto shop. Then you can lift the house 15 feet in the air and build a stronger structure underneath while raised. Then you can lower the lifts, install onto corners of lower unit, and repeat.

Next thing you know, you've got a super strong 5 story skyscraper with a winding staircase on the outside.

You're welcome!

>>569283
>... You can't literally can't build a wall out of it in california
california is an earthquake zone, remember. a lot of stuff that is allowed nearly everywhere else in the USA doesn't go there.

I know this because I live near the New Madrid fault--in the midwest US. the other high-earthquake spot in the lower-48-states.

>>569283
I never thought I'd be able to say this but
Damn do you have a provincial outlook on the world.

>>569283
Damn son, someone should tell the Victorians and Edwardians who build most of the houses in my areas that their structures will fall down.


Oh, wait, nope. It's still standing!

>>569283 >>566852 >>568782
the best examples of:
>The stories and information posted here are artistic works of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact.

>>569283
There are different grade/types of bricks. Engineering bricks are load supporting; they're used to build bridges, train stations etc in the UK. The one you're talking about is facing brick which is used to build outer walls.

OPs house in pic isn't going to be replaced with STRUCTURAL brick/block. If dumping that much money, just knock the little thing down and replace the whole structure while building a new foundation. A cosmetic facing brick exterior will require considerable work. (Ya can't just stick 'em to the framing with Velcro.)
I'd increase the size, if I expected to live in it I'd keep the metal roof, but if it was for flipping I'd shingle it because customers don't like metal roofing due to "not being shingles". Metal is superbly durable though. My roofs were repurposed off some barn about 45 years ago and survived Hurrican Hugo while shingled homes nearby got trashed.
Just expand it into a very conventional ranch and don't spend too much money so you don't go too far beyond neighborhood standards and not be able to eventually sell for a good profit.
I lived in and renovated a home that size and you can certainly make them cozy and energy efficient. Use that one for "practice" and spend wisely.

>>566923
I wish you the best, OP, but I snort-laughed when I read this.

>>566798
OP look up AAC, if you can find a supplier you can make a great home

Brick isn't as easy as you think it is. it's also extremely expensive. Don't bother.

Why do you need a brick house anyway? You're not going to live there in 100 years, you'll be dead.