Old stone walls no foundation

[Darran766]

Looking on lowering a kitchen floor in a old stone cottage as we only have 5ft space and looking to make it 6ft.problem is there is no foundation and it’s sat on clay . Any idea what can be done

 

[a twig]

Raise the ceiling?

 

[Flyfisher]

I can't really offer anything constructive about the basic structural implications (though I think you're right to be asking the question!), but I would raise the issue about the exterior ground levels relative to the existing floor. I say this because many of the damp-related topics we've discussed here over the years have been caused - or at least exacerbated - by internal floors being lower than the outside ground level when the general wisdom if that they should really be about six inches higher than the external ground level. Sorry to give you something else to worry about!

 

[88v8]

Hello and welcome.

So it's sitting on what? Keystones?

Assuming the ground is stable, you can dig down to a 45 degree slope below the non-foundations. Beyond that you're into underpinning.

Tell us more about the floor, the walls.

Ivor