We want to make our basement floor deep, I believe 2 feet will be perfect.
Just to be on the safe side, my house is around 80 years old and is a brick wall construction. How can I find out about how deep is the foundation of the house?
Thanks for the info.:confused:

Dig, but very not a good idea. You could try ask some neighbors with the same age of the house and has basements too, maybe they could provide you info on methods used during the time. Unless the contractor is still alive. Hehe. Ussually, basements are already the foundation level of the house, but not all the time. What your steeping into the basement could already be the matt foundation of your house. Happy renovating have a nice day.

Thanks Nick, I have already talk to the neighbors and the oldest around he bought his house ten years ago. Now I think I will go to the city and see if I can get any information about the construction uses in those years and maybe that will clarify my questions. Thanks again

Depth depends on the soil conditions at the time the foundation was poured. Codes may not have been in place 80 years ago in many areas so digging a ditch to hardpan may not have been done, or may have. Normal stemwall foundation dimensions for a single story dwelling is 12" below grade, 12" wide footer, 6" wide stemwall. That was about normal to building construction at least 50 years ago that I know of. Dig down 12" and check it out.

Seems like I will have to dig in order to find out about the foundation.
The basement measures 70 feet by 23 (this will be a big job). The concrete slab is normally 4" right? That will leave at least 20 inches in order to get those 2 ft we want. Thanks mnwirez for the information. I will keep you posted

Nm:)

12'' plus a footer? Here in the north, we like to go below the frost line.

Hi labman, Those dimensions I originally quoted are UBC, IRC standards. Yes you are right in perm line conditions if hardpan is hit. Past stemwalls I have buried were as much as 4' deep to hard pan. The code depth is an ideal minimum.

Stepped footings must be in hardpan on hillside loading. The 12" figure is single story conventional light frame. Two story can be more than 15" depending on the load bearing requirements. A full grouted masonry wall for a 3 story requires a minimum 42" below grade footing. You are correct about being on top of the game. There will be someone who will come along and even give better information than what I gave here.

I am sure you know a lot and it is well appreciated but the data must originate from true experience and not just what is printed in books or on the internet. These companies will lie as close to the floor as rugs to sell something and that is unfortunate but reality. There are much better water demand units that cost less than the one's just named in this forum that mount under sinks and work fantastic.

The first ones on the market in the US actually came from Japan and were being installed in 1973 but the technology came from the US. So you see what my dialog is about. It is hard to believe anything unless I have experienced it myself. Trying to read someone else's mind over a forum is not easy. Giving accurate data is another thing. Put all our experiences into one group may be ideal but not reality. I wonder if anything I have said is well received let alone believed in any forum. So join my club please. Thanks for reading. Nm