A cracked slab

Jake,

I've got a free-standing two car garage on a slab, with a shed along one side of the garage that was a DIY project of a previous owner. The original shed opening is closed off and the wall between the garage & shed is partially removed for storage access.  The slab for the shed is cracked, sinking, and generally failing.  The main garage slab is fine.  Can the shed slab be replaced and tied to the garage slab?  If so, how?  I've only talked to one contractor so far, who said that both slabs need to be remove and replaced as a single slab.  Very expensive! 

name: Carolyn G.

Carolyn,

The existing garage slab does not need to be replaced.  It does sound like the storage shed slab would have to be replaced.  It also sounds like this slab was poured over poorly prepared soil and now that the soil is settling  and the slab is going with it.  This is what would be causing the cracking and general deterioration.  To replace this slab might be a little tricky since the walls of the shed sit on the slab.  You would have to temporarily support the structure by running beams through the walls and hold up the structure while the slab is removed and re-poured.  We have done this on some old garages and have had good results.  You might want to consider adding some piers below the slab to help stabilize it due to the poor soil conditions that might exist.  Good luck.  Jake