# Cutting out a garage door in a cinder block foundation?



## mattech (Dec 7, 2013)

My house sits on a cinder block foundaion, It is technically a crawl space, but only because the builder was going bankrupt and tried to save money. The crawl space is about 10 feet high, so it is pretty much a basement with no foundation. In a few years we plan to have it poured and made into a true basement, and yes we know it will be espensive. anyway I have also planned to have a garage door cut in the back side of the house. Just a single door for maybe a boat or project car. Anyway I am really wanting to go ahead and get the wall cut out and put in a small garage door so I can store my lawnmower and other landscaping supplies so I can have mu garage just for vehicles.

This is all stuff I have planned in my head and have very little knowledge about foundation work. First of all is this even possible without the house caving in? Second what you would be an estimated cost for someone qualified to come out and cut it out and reinforce it charge. I plan to install the gargae door myself. Also what kind of company do I need to contact for this kind of work, a foundation company, concrete cutting, etc?


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## T.P. (Dec 7, 2013)

We do it all the time in commercial buildings. Thru-bolt a horizontal channel or plate on both sides of the wall at header height, remove door and plate the bottom.

Another option would be to shore up the floor, cut out wall and frame in with wood.


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## mattech (Dec 7, 2013)

What kind of cost would you think?

Here is where I would want to do it.


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## T.P. (Dec 7, 2013)

Are the floor joist parallel or perpendicular to that wall?


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## mattech (Dec 7, 2013)

Parallel


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## jimbo4116 (Dec 7, 2013)

Is it a load bearing wall?   Does the roof line overhang over the block wall?

I would get an overhead door company to give me an estimate.


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## sinclair1 (Dec 7, 2013)

The garage door will take a lot of wall, I would get a pro to put a beam from the left vent to the right vent, then after the blocks are removed a steel beam welded in on each side.
I just had a engineer freak out on me for wanting to go from a standard walkin door to a French door.


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## mattech (Dec 7, 2013)

jimbo4116 said:


> Is it a load bearing wall?   Does the roof line overhang over the block wall?
> 
> I would get an overhead door company to give me an estimate.



No its not. The gable is directly above this.


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## quinn (Dec 7, 2013)

T.P. said:


> We do it all the time in commercial buildings. Thru-bolt a horizontal channel or plate on both sides of the wall at header height, remove door and plate the bottom.
> 
> Another option would be to shore up the floor, cut out wall and frame in with wood.



Yes like TP said. You can order metal from IMS in Atlanta. It's easier to cut along mortar joint at height at insert angles on both sides.We would have angles at least 4 foot longer than opening so you have 2 foot on each side of opening for support. Then you can thru bolt angle on both sides then knock out the blocks. You can order door from overhead door or American door with American usually being the cheaper of the two.


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## greg_n_clayton (Dec 7, 2013)

T.P. said:


> We do it all the time in commercial buildings. Thru-bolt a horizontal channel or plate on both sides of the wall at header height, remove door and plate the bottom.
> 
> Another option would be to shore up the floor, cut out wall and frame in with wood.





quinn said:


> Yes like TP said. You can order metal from IMS in Atlanta. It's easier to cut along mortar joint at height at insert angles on both sides.We would have angles at least 4 foot longer than opening so you have 2 foot on each side of opening for support. Then you can thru bolt angle on both sides then knock out the blocks. You can order door from overhead door or American door with American usually being the cheaper of the two.



Yep to all this. I have also used a 2X10 or 12 bolted accross above the opening, then remove after the frame is installed. But, I believe if it were me, I would order me a channel iron frame (jam), instead of wood if you not going all the way to the bond beam that should be around the top of the wall. A couple courses of block would be ok on a wood beam I would think though !!


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## mattech (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks everyone. Anybody got an rough estimate of cost for this?


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## Doc_5729 (Dec 8, 2013)

mattech said:


> Thanks everyone. Anybody got an rough estimate of cost for this?


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## Nuttin Better (Dec 8, 2013)

I'm doing a job now that is cutting a 12' wide x 10' tall opening in a 12" concrete block wall. The cost is $2500 including the steel angle iron supports.


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## mattech (Dec 8, 2013)

Nuttin Better said:


> I'm doing a job now that is cutting a 12' wide x 10' tall opening in a 12" concrete block wall. The cost is $2500 including the steel angle iron supports.



Thanks.


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