# Forum Home Renovation Sub Flooring  Replacing brick piers

## bigGayAl

Hi, 
I want to build a workshop/storage area under the house. I have dug down about half a metre to provide enough head room and I will need to replace some piers to extend them down to the new floor level. I like the idea of replacing the brick piers with thinner steel ones but can't work out how to do this when the pier is holding up two beams ( see photos ). The steel piers I have seen seem to be designed to hold up a single beam. 
I would appreciate any advice. 
Al

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## Oldneweng

Professional advice required for this I think. If the piers are made higher they need to be stronger and need to be properly footed with foundations etc. Pictures are too small to see any detail but to support both beams make a bracket to accomodate both or fill gap with hardwood block suitably attached, but proffessional advice is needed to determine material sizes etc. 
Dean

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## bigGayAl

Thanks Dean, 
It's looking pretty complex. Maybe I'll just put one steel pier under each beam. Not as neat but easy to do and I don't have to worry about it being strong enough. 
The new foundations will be on bedrock so will be stronger than the old ones that sat on clay. 
Al

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## Bloss

Looks to me like someone has already bodgied the pier to put that deeper beam in - I don't want to believe that's original by a licensed builder! As said - unless you really know what you are doing this is not a DIY job IMO. It ought not to be that hard to devise steel posts to support - but those supports needs also sit on a suitably designed base (footing) not simply to a new 100mm slab. You could replace the single pier with two (or more) posts - again with proper support at the base and bolted through the bearers.

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## bigGayAl

It is worrying that this may not have been done by a competent, licensed builder. 
There are a number of deeper beams and steel I-beams that appear to have been placed to support the extra weight when the second storey was added to the house. The previous owner was not a DIY person, but even so, adding a second storey surely couldn't have been done without employing a builder. 
Al

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## PaulDM

> Hi, 
> I want to build a workshop/storage area under the house. I have dug down about half a metre to provide enough head room and I will need to replace some piers to extend them down to the new floor level. I like the idea of replacing the brick piers with thinner steel ones but can't work out how to do this when the pier is holding up two beams ( see photos ). The steel piers I have seen seem to be designed to hold up a single beam. 
> I would appreciate any advice. 
> Al

  How about welding a bigger plate and building up one side to meet the smaller bearer!

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## bigGayAl

> How about welding a bigger plate and building up one side to meet the smaller bearer!

  Might work but how can I be sure? If there isn't a standard solution to do this, I'll play it safe and stick in two piers, one under each bearer.

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## Hoppy

The replies above are all on the mark, professional advice will be worth every dollar. The timber bearers small and large, what are they carrying in addition to the floor loads? The bearers could also be supporting upper wall and even roof loads tranferring down through the main dwelling. If there are any point loads that will place additional loading. Personally I would be looking to provide one steel column with a fixing plate on top under each bearer, but the size and footing needs to be designed by a structural engineer.

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## bigGayAl

I am getting a builder in to have a look. Will only cost me a steak and a couple of beers. 
I still don't understand how a new footing might not be suitable when it is the same size as the one that has held up the pier for 20 years.

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