Where to find someone to reinforce floor

[bretts05jeep]

Im putting a 210 gallon tank with a 75 gallon sump. My estimate is that it will weigh somewhere between 3 and 4 thousand pounds. There is nothing under it in the basement where it want it to go and it has a drop ceiling.

Anyone have any recommendations where to find someone who could help with this in the area.

 

[jrpark22000]

There has been a couple previous threads looking for structural engineers, but they are a couple years old. With them being old I don't know if they can still help but

http://www.chicagoreefs.com/forums/search.php
and use the phrase "structrual engineer" There are only a couple results.

 

[bretts05jeep]

I actually called a structural engineer and was told it would probably cost around $1000 for a consultation and to have a plain drawn up. They don't do the work so I would have to then bring the plans to a contractor and have them preform the work.


Im guessing not many people have gone this route as it would be very expensive. I know there are a lot of people with big tanks in there house up stairs. Im was hoping to find someone in the area with structural experience who knew what they were doing. I don't think I could afford to an engineer and contractor. I would probably end up paying some movers to put my tank in the basement which I really really don't want to do. The tank is awesome and I would love to have it in my living room.

 

[bretts05jeep]

That's the old house. This is where I want it. It is a peninsula set up.

 

[kdog23]

My guess----a very top notch carpenter would be able to figure out your structural needs for reinforcement. Really just make sure he is licsenced or has done this kind of work and not just simple frame work. Talk to a union hall maybe. Might save some coin.

 

[Crued]

I used the place below.

Structural Dynamics, Inc.
Phone: (815) 899-2435
Fax: (815) 899-8961
www.structuraldynamics.com

Some pics here albeit a little hard to see.

http://www.chicagoreefs.com/forums/showthread.php/26414-Crued-s-WKHMG-Custom-(Pic-Heavy)

 

[bretts05jeep]

Ill give them a call. How much did it cost you.

 

[Crued]

$550 for the inspection, and engineering. Then you will need someone to do the work. I got lucky and got guys who were off work during winter and had leftover materials. The labor and materials were around $700. I was also lucky in the place I put my tank already had a few metal beams in the area. If you need a pad poured to support poles or other work your costs will skyrocket.

 

[IHaveCrabs]

Or you can sister the joists under the tank and immediate area and put some 4x4 posts in like I did. Make sure to cross brace and if you do the math on sistered 2x6's with 4x4 support across the span you need to support you'll be surprised how much it can actually hold. I'm definitely not an engineer but I know how to overbuild and over support! FYI mine was over a crawl space so i didn't care about random vertical supports in the way.

 

[bretts05jeep]

I found someone to come take a look at it and he said that a header and support post would be find for that load. My floor joist are 2x10. Im thinking about doing 2 headers and post supports.