We have a 36X24 log house with a full basement, reinforced poured concrete walls, sitting on flat limestone bedrock. We are building an attached garage with log siding exterior with a loft above to also create another room in the house. We have been told that we need to either pin/secure the block foundation for the garage to the existing wall or step down a foundation to the existing wall. Our mason plans on just trenching out a 4ft deep foundation without pinning or attaching it to the existing poured concrete walls. We're receiving mixed messages from masons and building inspectors?
Answer:
If your new walls are going to be block, I wouldn't bother pinning anything to anything. Blocks do not have the integrity of poured concrete and as settling (shifting) takes place, they'll only separate anyway.
