Looking for a contractor for floor

[Radiolotek]

I am about to move into a new house and need advice. I am looking for someone to come check the floor and let me know if it has to be reinforced and if so, do it.
Who should I be looking for? General contractor or engineer? Any tips to ask about while looking?
It's a waterbox 220.6 so about 214-220 gallons total depending on sump I'm using so it'll have some weight.
Thanks.

 

[Gtinnel]

It seems to me like the person who determines if it can hold the weight and the person who reinforces it are two seperate occupations. I think the correct answer is that a structural engineer determines if it needs reinforced and then a contractor would actually do the work. I'm sure hiring the engineer to look it over is beyond the price that the average person is willing to spend though, and a good contractor may be a sufficient substitution.

Or you could go the route that most hobbyist go and post pictures on here asking, so that anonymous, un qualified, strangers like myself could tell you that your floor won't collapse....probably.

 

[flagg37]

My SE usually charges about $1000 for basic calculations and it usually takes several weeks for him to do it. Sometimes the assurance and piece of mind is worth it; sometimes it’s not.

 

[J_Gard88]

I own a general contracting business here in Dayton, Ohio, and sold floor systems before that for 84 Lumber. If my opinion is worth anything to you, Your Fine.... I wouldn't waste the money on a contractor or engineer unless you think the joist system is rotted or missing in any locations you plan on setting up.

 

[Kayanarka]

I am about to move into a new house and need advice. I am looking for someone to come check the floor and let me know if it has to be reinforced and if so, do it.
Who should I be looking for? General contractor or engineer? Any tips to ask about while looking?
It's a waterbox 220.6 so about 214-220 gallons total depending on sump I'm using so it'll have some weight.
Thanks.

I hired a structural engineer when looking to expand a house I was working on. He said the beams are not to code for the span, but would probably hold forever. $600 for information I then never did anything with.

I am surprised on how hard it is to get a simple answer to this question. Injust spent too much time googling it.

Here is a link you may find helpful:

Aquariums Are Heavy, But How Much Do They Weigh? | The Beginners Reef

When I was in my teens and early into my aquarium journey I realized how much aquariums weigh through a near catastrophe!I had purchased a…

www.thebeginnersreef.com

Let me know what you do and how it works out. I now am wondering if I should empty my tank and go add some supports in the crawl space.

 

[Radiolotek]

I own a general contracting business here in Dayton, Ohio, and sold floor systems before that for 84 Lumber. If my opinion is worth anything to you, Your Fine.... I wouldn't waste the money on a contractor or engineer unless you think the joist system is rotted or missing in any locations you plan on setting up.

It's a newer (2004) house and I'm pretty sure the floor joists are parallel where I'm putting the tank unfortunately so I don't think I'd get away with it. It'll be against an outside wall but not near a corner. Actually, centered on the wall between the side walls. I know nothing about this type of stuff unfortunately. I built race car engines and now I fuel nuclear reactor cores at power plants. Structural building isn't in my vocabulary. lol
I also want to run some water lines from my garage to the tank for auto water changes and top off. It'll be in a crawl space and I'm not sure what's needed to do that.

 

[Radiolotek]

I hired a structural engineer when looking to expand a house I was working on. He said the beams are not to code for the span, but would probably hold forever. $600 for information I then never did anything with.

I am surprised on how hard it is to get a simple answer to this question. Injust spent too much time googling it.

Here is a link you may find helpful:

Aquariums Are Heavy, But How Much Do They Weigh? | The Beginners Reef

When I was in my teens and early into my aquarium journey I realized how much aquariums weigh through a near catastrophe!I had purchased a…

www.thebeginnersreef.com

Let me know what you do and how it works out. I now am wondering if I should empty my tank and go add some supports in the crawl space.

The weight of the tank would be somewhere around 2600-2900 lbs filled. I'd add supports myself but hate crawlspaces. Absolutely hate them. I'm trying to figure out my options now.
We are buying this house and would never hear the end of it if the floor started sagging or a tank fell through it.

 

[J_Gard88]

It's a newer (2004) house and I'm pretty sure the floor joists are parallel where I'm putting the tank unfortunately so I don't think I'd get away with it. It'll be against an outside wall but not near a corner. Actually, centered on the wall between the side walls. I know nothing about this type of stuff unfortunately. I built race car engines and now I fuel nuclear reactor cores at power plants. Structural building isn't in my vocabulary. lol
I also want to run some water lines from my garage to the tank for auto water changes and top off. It'll be in a crawl space and I'm not sure what's needed to do that.

I understand your concern. Simplest and cheapest fix would be to use Mono/Jack post and 4x4's to add extra bracing under where the tank will sit. Easy to set up and install and very efficient.

 

[Radiolotek]

It seems to me like the person who determines if it can hold the weight and the person who reinforces it are two seperate occupations. I think the correct answer is that a structural engineer determines if it needs reinforced and then a contractor would actually do the work. I'm sure hiring the engineer to look it over is beyond the price that the average person is willing to spend though, and a good contractor may be a sufficient substitution.

Or you could go the route that most hobbyist go and post pictures on here asking, so that anonymous, un qualified, strangers like myself could tell you that your floor won't collapse....probably.

I'm wondering if I just hire a contractor to put in supports anyway and go with it. I'm fairly certain I'll need them. Parallel joists and a crawl space underneath.

 

[Radiolotek]

I understand your concern. Simplest and cheapest fix would be to use Mono/Jack post and 4x4's to add extra bracing under where the tank will sit. Easy to set up and install and very efficient.

Where could I do some research on these? Pictures go a long way too. lol
What about the foot of the jack? It's a dirt floor in the crawl space.
Thank you

 

[J_Gard88]

Where could I do some research on these? Pictures go a long way too. lol
What about the foot of the jack? It's a dirt floor in the crawl space.
Thank you

Well if its a dirt floor you will need to pour a footer to support the post. Your best bet is to hire a contractor if you want this done for you. Id be happy to help but I bet your not down the street lol. The more expensive route that some contractors may lead you towards would be them wanting to split system to add perpendiculars or add custom steel beams. Just be aware and research your options. People try to make a lot of money off people not knowing what there buying or what its worth.

 

[Radiolotek]

Well if its a dirt floor you will need to pour a footer to support the post. Your best bet is to hire a contractor if you want this done for you. Id be happy to help but I bet your not down the street lol. The more expensive route that some contractors may lead you towards would be them wanting to split system to add perpendiculars or add custom steel beams. Just be aware and research your options. People try to make a lot of money off people not knowing what there buying or what its worth.

Lol yeah, I'm a bit more than down the street. I'm in Nevada. I'll have to keep that in mind.
Currently I'm just starting my research while away for work but I'll be home for Thanksgiving. I'll have to get some pictures under there and report back.

 

[J_Gard88]

 

[Gtinnel]

I'm wondering if I just hire a contractor to put in supports anyway and go with it. I'm fairly certain I'll need them. Parallel joists and a crawl space underneath.

That is the way I would go, although I'd personally just do the work myself to save some money. Since under that floor is a crawl space and not a finished room I can't image adding supports would cost too much.

 

[J_Gard88]

That is a job we did to support a 135 year old building. The exterior stone walls sank so the middle support of the building was bulging in the middle. Had to build these all around the exterior walls. We dug a hole and added a support footer into the dirt floor. Basically making a mushroom shape about 36" down.

 

[mdb_talon]

The weight of the tank would be somewhere around 2600-2900 lbs filled. I'd add supports myself but hate crawlspaces. Absolutely hate them. I'm trying to figure out my options now.
We are buying this house and would never hear the end of it if the floor started sagging or a tank fell through it.

With a crawlspace underneath this should be fairly straightforward to add some supports. Even if you pay someone to do it it is probably not much more than the cost of an engineer. Obviously I am guessing as to the specifics of your crawlspace and joist and if it turns out there is a huge hvac trunk in the way or something like that then it can get pricey quick.

 

[J_Gard88]

Here in Ohio, to have what you "most likely need done" should cost you no more then $800 and that's with materials included.

 

[J_Gard88]

Out West, That job is probably going to run you 3-4k. lol

 

[Gtinnel]

Out West, That job is probably going to run you 3-4k. lol

If you go slightly east to my state of WV there is always someone who is willing to do some work for beer. It may not be the best work but it's affordable.
The sad part is I'm only half joking.

 

[Gtinnel]