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(10-04-2016, 03:26 PM)Dennis Puskar Wrote: Admiral,
no new footings
I am also confused now. If you have an existing roofed porch with load-bearing posts supporting the edge of the roof (standard design), then you cannot possibly expand it without new footings. Presumably the original design was engineered to spec and the allowable cantilever is basically at its limit, meaning you can't extend it even if you want to.
Unless I'm seriously misunderstanding what you're trying to do, please talk to an engineer or a contractor. You can't eliminate an in-use load-bearing support without causing a collapse of the structure above. If you want to expand it, then you will need properly engineered new footers and posts. If you are doing this (I know you said you weren't, but you don't really have a choice), then you would first build out the new structure properly before removing the old posts. In this case (if the posts are no longer needed), then yes, you can cut them off below grade just fine.