Supporting the home's brick veneer while cutting through the concrete foundation required careful planning and good temporary support.
Although there was plenty of room for expansion in the basement area of this ranch, the small windows let in scant natural light and there was no means of egress.
By adding the patio door and windows, the author made the interior space more livable and provided convenient access to the backyard and the lake beyond.
After sawing part of the way through a mortar joint, the author slid in this 18-foot-long 4x6 steel lintel to support the veneer. He clamped it to the band joist using threaded rod and lengths of angle iron so that it wouldn't slip out of place.
Cutting the beam pocket before excavating the walkout made setting the beam much easier. A steel rail bolted to the foundation guides the horizontal cut
The vertical end cuts were made by stitch-drilling with a coring bit