Hi all – It’s very likely that this has been done before, but I thought I’d start a thread documenting a gut/rehab project that I’ve just started – I like to think of it as an ‘homage’ to Mike Smith, except here everything will be boogered up.
About me: I’m recently retired from my ‘real’ job (high tech management/marketing/sales), have done this sort of work (DIY) before, and have even done a project of this scale before, though with a lot of it subbed out. Now I have the time and inclination to try to do it all myself.
About the project: I own several rental properties – this one is a 1 story 2 family house on a pond – a gorgeous location but a rundown house. Last fall I tackled one side of the house – a ‘light duty’ renovation consisting mostly of painting inside and out. Now I’m tackling the one bedroom unit that has been occupied continuously since I bought it 5 years ago and no telling how long before that – at least 8 years by the same tenant. The overall condition is terrible inside (note that the tenant never complained – he loved it there, but I doubt I could rent it at all in this condition). The floor plan is bizarre and problematic – for example, the on bedroom is 6.5 ft by 9.5 ft, the 10×10 kitchen has an interruption in each wall (door or window) thus almost no cabinets or counters. The unit is about 600 square feet.
My goals: I’d like to get this done in 2 months working about 40 hours a week, and spend less than $12K. I don’t think either of these goals is realistic. I currently get $850 a month rent – when I’m done, I’d like to get at least $1000, plus close in some basement space to use as a workshop / storage area, saving another $250 a month that I currently pay for a storage locker.
Following are pix with an exterior shot of the view and a hand drawn floor plan.
I’ve started using the Better Homes and Garden version of Chief Architect so later I’ll try to post some better floor plans.
Replies
My first couple of days have been spent in demolition and exploration. Bad news right away when I poked at some bubbling paint in one corner and the plaster vaporized, exposing massive termite damage to a corner post (see photo). The source was obvious - at the corner of the block foundation they had incoporated a wooden post that went right to the footing (underground) - I can't imagine why the did this, but I suspect this portion of the house had been a porch that was later closed in - they probably just filled in the blocks between the posts. The parge coating was cracked and when I pulled it away the 'wood' that remained crumbled away (and was full of little white critters - terminites, I imagine). Photo attached - haven't decided quite what to do here but I'll probably use some sort of block/mortar combination to fill the space and pick up the load of the new corner post I plan to install.
The good news - there was hardwood under the carpets - a pleasant surprise. The carpet was glued down and delaminated when I peeled it up, but it was over vinyl in one room - I got most of that up but it too delaminated, loeaving a tar & paper mess. I've encountered this before and the floor guy I use doesn't mind grinding it off with 10 grit paper, so I'm not going to waste anymore time on it. The kitchen vinyl (2 layers) was over 1/4 inch luan, which came up easily (but left about a million staples behind). Took a couple hours pulling 'em one at a time but that's done. The floors are fir in one area, oak in another. Stained in a few places but I can live with it.
Other 'news' - not a stitch of insulation anywhere in the building. Not surprised.
Demo continues tomorrow - time to go watch some basketball.
Bill.
A couple of other things:
Can someone tell me how to make the photos open in the message so you don't have to open them one by one?
I'm removing the jalousie windows in the porch in order to winterize it. I've put them on Craigslist in the FREE section. I have no idea if they have any value but would love to give them the a BTer.
http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/zip/1107416413.html
I'm in eastern MA btw.
Hi Bill,
This project has my attention, will subscribe to this thread soon as I'm done writing this post.
Placing the photos into the post is a simple matter. What I do is write the post as normal and add the attachments. But then, instead of posting, I click the Preview button. There I see the post with the attachments. Right click on each attachment and open it in a new window. With the attachments opened in new windows, I go back to the window where I previewing the post and click "Revise". From there I simply drag (or copy/paste) the images directly into the post.
I also take the time to click [Enter] after each photo, so they are stacked in paragraphs. Some don't do that and the images end up squished together in a single paragraph.
About them little white critters, Yep... them's termites. Bear in mind that some (I think most) species will build a mud tunnel up the stone to reach the wood, even when it's not at ground level. So if you stack cement block to get the new post up off the ground, you'll want to incorporate a metal termite shield at the top of it. Basically like flashing but sticks out vertically.
View Image
Keep up the good work! ;-)
~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netMeet me at House & Builder!
Edited 4/12/2009 11:14 pm by Ted W.
And don't pay much mind to those nay-sayers. They've just got nothing better to do.
=)
~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netMeet me at House & Builder!
Edited 4/12/2009 11:15 pm by Ted W.
Looks like a fun project. Makes sure you napalm those termites. Annoying little boogers.
jt8
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."
-- Robert Frost
So Bill, have you run the numbers on this? Call it 9 weeks of your time or 360 hours at what, $20.00 an hour? Call your labor $7200.00 plus $12,000.00 in material and it adds up to almost $20,000.00 and the odds are that it will be more than that. You're going to spend $20K just to gain $150.00 a month plus storage for a bunch of stuff you probably don't need. By the time you earn your money back from the increase in rent the place will need remodeling again.
I speak from bitter experience. I went all out remodeling a rental unit 5 years ago. Spent almost $15K and got $100.00 a month in additional rent. At 4% the income I am losing off the money I spent almost makes up the increased rent. I gained almost nothing so I'm back to doing the least I can to make the place rentable.
typical land lordleast for the mostall about money nothing about peoplebut then again they are only renters no grin added
Hey doc, dont bunch us all together. I have 6 rentals (including a duplex). We renovate our homes. New furnaces, plumbing, kitchens, bathrooms, windows, hardwoods, upgraded (at least ) electrical.
I get great tenants that returns these places as they received them and the city loves what we do.
If I wouldnt let my family live in my rentals, I wont rent them.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
SorryDidn't really mean to do thatjust seen to many that doi am sure there are more good landlords than bad
Yeah, just a typical guy trying to provide people with a place to live and make back my investment. I think you're confusing landlords that have to make profits with the Salvation Army which doesn't.
no florida not confused at allyou picked it as an investment. live with it.
I've got no problem living with them as I have for 35 years. You're the one with the issues with how I run my business.
Snake bit?Lol
Huntdoctor, your comment about landlords was totally uncalled for and everybody here knows that. Please stop this bickering here in Bills thread. He's just trying to share his project with those of us who are interested.~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work - TedsCarpentry.com
only because you said please
only because you said please
And stop treating me like a three year old. I'm almost 5! =)
...and a half.
~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work - TedsCarpentry.com
Edited 4/11/2009 11:59 pm by Ted W.
LOLhappy easter
Its a business, not a charity. Same mindset that thinks GM"s mission is to provide jobs, not to make money for it's stockholders.
STef
Edit? Bill W, I didn't see your post before I posted this. Sorry for the redundancy.
S
Edited 4/7/2009 12:56 pm ET by fatboy2
Yeah - please don't depress me! For what it's worth, the storage is significant - it's for all my tools since I've sold my house and now rent in a high rise in Boston with absolutely no storage. And I understand I should place a value on my time but this is supposed to be fun!
hey, bill.. thanks for the kind wordshere's some for you...... that looks like one gorgeous piece of property... if the rent pays the carrying costs then it will help you hold the land until the market returnsis it lake front.... on a pond... or water front ?while the walls are open think about Bora-Care for treating the termite infestationMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hi Mike - Thanks for weighing in - it's great to hear from 'the man' himself!
Good suggestion on the bora-care - I've never encountered termites before - I'll be sure to do that (and incorporate the flashing shield suggested earlier).
The house is one of just 3 on a large, gorgeous pond surrounded by Mass. Audobon property. I got an incredible deal on it (funny story behind that) and it has been consistently profitable since I bought it. I've often thought about living in it and in fact am keeping that in mind as I design the new floorplan.
"So Bill, have you run the numbers on this? Call it 9 weeks of your time or 360 hours at what, $20.00 an hour? "But he is not spending that money.If he went to went out to earn that amount he would have to pay income & SE taxes on it. So he would net less.And from the sound of things that if he did not make at least of of these repairs in a few years the house might be worthless.And it is not rentable as is. So he is not gaining just $150.And when he sales the property those improvements will come back as capital gains with have a much better tax treatment..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
My first reply was a little too cavalier - that happens when I'm trying to drink beer /watch basketball and type something intelligent into my phone. Back at the computer now ...
Using your example where you got an additional $100 a month in rent after investing $15,000 - that's an 8% annual return - where else are you going to get that? Even paying down a mortgage won't yield that!
In my case, I hope to get back $200 in rent and $250 by eliminating my storage locker, at a cost of $12,000 ($20,000 if I buy your premise of including my labor). That's an annual return of 45% (or 27% counting labor). Again, where else would I get that return?
In the past I boiled this down to a simplistic formula: if the cost (to buy or improve a property) is 200 times the monthly rent, then the yield is 6% (which is higher than the rate on any of my mortgages). I use the rule of thumb of 150:1 to give myself a little buffer (to insure that it is not only profitable but cash-flow positive), thus anytime I can spend $15,000 or less to improve my monthly income by $100, it's a good investment.
And as Bill Hartmann points out, if I do nothing the place may not be rentable at all. And there are substantial (favorable) tax considerations which might bear discussion at some point.
I'd also like to reply to the person who made the disparaging comment about landlords. This isn't a charity, it's a business - I can't afford to run my properties in the red. A new luxury apartment complex recently opened in my town, presenting me with serious competition. I now rent to people with poor credit and pets, and students. I spend a LOT of time chasing the rent each month. In spite of that, I apply Bill H's rule - if the place isn't nice enough for me to live in, it's time to renovate. However, with that being said, I do try to economize - for example, I'm shopping Craigslist for appliances rather than considering buying new.
I didn't expect this thread to go in the 'business' direction but anything is fair game - thanks for all the comments.
Bill W
man, i was trying to back ya upnot thinking that you are a landlord alsoyes i agree a business is business but life is not all about money. it's about doing the right thing and it sounds like you are.also understand that not all renters are the best and not the worst
I didn't make 8% because just like you I considered my time to have no value. I've been a landlord for 35 years now so I haven't formed my opinions on what to fix or not fix based on a book or someone else s feelings. I've laid sod on a bare spot because I wanted it to be nicer for the tenant and come back a week later to find his car parked on the new sod. I've installed more appliances than your local Sears store and had them destroyed before I could get home. I've laid new carpet so the tenant had a clean space to rebuild his old Harley. I've been stiffed on the rent so many times I'm due for a Federal bailout. I could write a long book on horrible tenants and what they've cost me over the last 35 years. So now I keep the places as nice as I can and still make money but no more than that. Good luck with yours.
Hi all - It was a very productive day at the job site today as I finished what I call the exploratory demolition phase and started some earnest demolition.
I started in the attic. The house has a single attic access - a hole about 16x16 inches that I frankly should not possibly fit through, yet I have in the past, defying laws of physics, biology, and probably others. I'm not interested in trying again, especially since it's in the other apartment and would require removing the tenant's bedroom furniture.
The house appears to have been built in about 4 phases - it looks like it was a small cottage with a porch, which was closed off into a room and a new porch added, then repeated a total of 4 times.
So I bashed a hole in the ceiling in an area where I know I have to do some work, hauled myself up into the attic with the necessary tools, and ventured from one addition to the next - cutting through old roof sheathing to get to each successive section. It was exhausting, but I learned what I needed to know - figured out how I was going to run the bathroom vent (exhaust fan) and where the best spot was to add pull down stairs (so I NEVER have to do this again).
I then resumed demolition, tearing out plaster and sheetrock. I've learned in the past not to try too hard to preserve plaster - once I hire someone to hang wallboard and skim coat it, the incremental cost of doing an extra wall or two is small. So when in doubt, I rip it out. I was glad I did because in one area I found what I consider to be deficient if not dangerous wiring - it looks like an old bathroon light fixture was removed and they just left the electrical junction - sans a box - and plastered over it. I happened to open the other side of the wall and found it. Photo attached.
Update to my previous comment on the lack of insulation - if I assume some r-value for old wasp nests, I might actually have some insulation! It's amazing how many critters seem to have taken up residence in these walls and ceilings - mice, squirrels, birds, wasps and cluster flies.
Re the jalousie windows - I was shocked at how much interest there was in these - 5 or 6 people wanted them, but when I told them they had to come remove them themselves, they all changed their minds. Do people really expect free stuff to be removed, neatly packed and put on their truck? Or maybe they want delivery? I guess when I finally get to removing the windows I'll stack them next to the dumpster for 24 hours and send them all emails, but it would be easier at that point to just toss them.
I had a naive idea of avoiding the cost of a dumpster and loading my trach into barrels, since I pay for weekly pick up. I gave that idea up quickly (day 2) and got a 15 yarder - in these parts, that's $425, 3 ton, 1 month limits. It's about 1/4 full already and I'm just warming up! I don't know why I thought for a minute that I could avoid this - it's money well spent.
Thanks for this thread - what a gorgeous piece of property.
For the jalousie windows think about joining freecycle.com in your area - it's only one email then and it beats throwing things away that still have useful life. You may also score on things you need for this remodel.
I'll check out freecycle.com - I friend mentioned it once and I forgot all about it. Thanks for the tip.
I hope you're packing that dumpster nice and tight. I had a dumpster on a project and the demolition guys just dumped everything in there. Filled it completely in a short day. Didn't see it till they were done and gone, so I pulled everything out and packed it back in. Was only half full when I was finished.
As for the electrical, I run into that a lot - and it's usually live! It's amazing what some people will do when taking short cuts.~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work - TedsCarpentry.com
"Do people really expect free stuff to be removed, neatly packed and put on their truck? Or maybe they want delivery? "Don't forget to clean the glass and lubricate the operator before you deliver it..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
I had a naive idea of avoiding the cost of a dumpster and loading my trach into barrels, since I pay for weekly pick up. I gave that idea up quickly (day 2) and got a 15 yarder - in these parts, that's $425, 3 ton, 1 month limits. It's about 1/4 full already and I'm just warming up! I don't know why I thought for a minute that I could avoid this - it's money well spent.
I cringe at dumpster bills, but it is hard to beat a dumpster with a gate on one end. I can load my Rubbermaid trash can (on wheels) or wheel barrow as heavy as I want and just wheel it right into the dumpster.
Some of the contractors hereabouts avoid the dumpster fees by using dump trailers or old grain trucks.
jt8
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."
-- Robert Frost
BillW,
I'm in Eastern Mass....where's this property???
If you don't want to reveal it publically, I'll unnderstand.....I might cry a bit, but I'll understand
http://www.grosshillrentals.com
The property is in Sharon MA ... near Foxboro. If you're in the 'hood come check it out!
Pretty good progress today with the demolition, although the scope of the job grows with every extra wall I decide to open up. A lot of the walls had particle board, and it looked like ####.
A couple of questions:
The exterior walls are 'true' 2x4 construction. In the kitchen, they are all 'firred' out with a 1/4" pressed board strip. These run along every stud - they don't shim anything into line since all the studs have them. They don't change direction, they don't provide additional nailing surface. What do you suppose the point is? I intend to tear them off but before I do I thought I'd ask.
I'm cutting a hole in the ceiling for a pull-down stair in an area where it's plaster/lathe construction. I cut a small test hole with my circ saw and it was helacious - sparks, dust, noise ... jeez ... is there a better tool for this? I figure I'll cut this one hole then pick up a new blade for my saw before I cut anything else.
No pix today - nothing that interesting.
In the kitchen, they are all 'firred' out with a 1/4" pressed board strip.
Is there a waste stack in the wall? It might be firred for clearance on the hubs.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
is there a better tool for this?
Sawzall w/plaster blade, but you need some finesse cutting in lath so you don't "pull" the lath down and jar adjacent plaster loose.
Grinder (DUSTBOWL) to cut the plaster then switch to the circ saw or sawzall (wood blade) to cut lath.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
As prev. poster said, they may be firred out to clear a waste stack hub. Another reason I see (and do) a lot is to bring drywall in line with door and window casings, since the old jambs extend past the studs by 3/4".
I know of only 2 ways to cut plaster lath walls without destroying the surrounding plaster. Your doing one of them with the circular saw. The other is to cut along the edge of a stud with reciprocating saw, in which case a really short blade is needed so you can keep the foot of the saw against the plaster. ~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work - TedsCarpentry.com
Thanks for the ideas.
Now that you mention it, I did notice that the window jambs were proud of the studs ... but the firring wasn't quite enough to 'solve' that. There's no plumbing in these walls so that's not it. In any case, I'm replacing the windows so I'm going to pull off the firring.
I guess I'll continue using the circ saw on the plaster. I'm sure the vibration of the sawzall will break the plaster keys and/or pull down the lathe. I just hope the damage is limited to the blade, and that I don't damage my saw.
If they re 3/4" proud of the studs, thats exactly right for the previous 3/8" lath + 3/8" of plaster. Also for 1/4" furring + 1/2" for drywall. Then the trim lays flat on the jamb and the plaster or drywall. But then, only you can see what you're looking at. I can only speak from my own experience.
What did yo remove from the wall anyway? Plaster, drywall, something else altogether?
About the circ. say, I've use my Porter Cable sidewinder several times to cut brick, plaster and other extreemly dusty stuff. Only thing ever happened is the blade guard started to jamb up from getting clogged with dust. I just blew it out as best I can with the air compressor, then worked the blade guard back and forth while spraying huge amounts of WD 40 into the swivel part, to flush out the dust. I expected to call it a sacrifice, but the saw still works like new to this day. ~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work - TedsCarpentry.com
What I removed from the walls in the kitchen was neither plaster/lathe nor drywall - it was some crappy particle board. Glad to have it gone. I suspect you're right that the firring made up the diff between the old plaster/lather thickness and the 'new' particle board - that makes sense. I intend to use sheet rock / skim coat, which I'm guessing will have a finished thickness around 5/8, so I'll err on the side of having the jamb too proud, then shim out the casing to get it flat and caulk behind it where necessary. The other option is to take a power plane to the jambs.
I think I'll call an exterminator re the termites - I've found a couple more spots, enough to convince me that they are all over the property. Last fall I moved some old 2x12 staging planks from another job site over to this house - just threw them on the ground. I went to pick them up this weekend and they were infested with termites - and I was hoping to use them in the attic so I could move around without falling through the ceiling. Instead they went right into the dumpster. Someone told me that there is likely a huge nest underground and that I should use an aggressive treatment, so I think I will. I have no experience with these things but they scare me. They devoured those planks in just a few months.
So today was interesting. I guess I earned some good karma by posting the free jalousie windows on Craigslist. I met a really cool guy today (who wanted just the glass from the windows, but that's another story). He is a retired plumber and spent an hour or so walking through the house giving me his opinion on various things - he seemed knowledgeable, and got me rethinking some of my design points. In particular, my new layout moves the kitchen sink pretty far from it's current location, and he pointed out how difficult it would be to achieve the necessary pitch in the drain pipe to connect to the existing sewer. I might have figured that out but not until it was much too late. The best part was that he confessed to being a reformed wood butcher - in his former life he said he would have just notched the joists!
Demo is almost done, dumpster is about 1/2 full, hopefully by this weekend I'll be building new interior walls. I was thinking of using 2x3 framing for the closets - the place I buy my doors will build them (prehung) for any wall thickness I want, so I figured in a house this small every inch counts. Any opinions on this? This would be just for closets, non load bearing walls. On the same subject, the celings are about 8 1/2 feet tall - I was thinking of using double top and botttom plates with 8' studs rather than cutting down 10 footers. Comments?
Forgot to mention the little oddity I discovered today. Where the floor joists sit on top of the foundation sill, the space between the joists is neatly filled in with bricks and mortar. Someone spent a lot of time meticulously doing this. Is this some old school thing that was once commonly done or did I just have an eccentric builder? It's not the whole house - just one wing.
I've seen that done with old brick foundations. It stabilizes the joists to keep them from racking. I think it's just old school way, where as today a band joist serves that purpose. But I'm sure someone is going to correct me on that. =)~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work - TedsCarpentry.com
Also done sometimes as a firestop, blocking path into balloon framed stud bays above. Sounds like a cool project....great spot!
I'm a couple towns over, in Rehoboth. Maybe if the weather ever gets nice enough, I'll drop you a line and take the toy for a ride.... Good luck with your re-mod!
Bing
Interesting that you mentioned that because this wing IS balloon framed (much to my surprise).
Always enjoy visitors - I'm just off 95 at exit 8 ... not there today but expect to be there most every other day for the next month or so.
Caulked the trim, planed the jambs... I've done 'em both at one time or another. I've also cut matching wood strips (oak, pine...) and stained to match, when the wood is not painted. Whatever works is the way to go.
The particle board you mention, is it more like 1/2" thick paper? I see it used in a lot of enclosed porches around here, fastened with roofing nails and usually with more than a couple of holes knocked through it from clumsy movers.
I'm sure that forrested area is swarming with termites, who see your house and just another dead tree to feast on. I think you can exterminate them to a given perimeter, then repeat the process ever couple or few years. Maybe set up a contract with a company, who could also advise you on the best approach.
About thinning some walls, I've seen in the old homes I work on, often the closets and pantries will be framed with the studs flat, so only 1-1/2" thick (or up to 1-3/4 with the old studs). With 1/2" drywall on each side, your wall would be only 2-1/2" thick. ~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netSee my work - TedsCarpentry.com
While you have the walls ripped down to the studs, i'd like to make a pitch for adding a layer of foamboard to eliminate thermal bridging, even though you'd have to fur out the jambs before you hang your drywall. (Easier than planing them down, anyway.) I know every inch counts, but i always add that layer, preferably on the inside, when i have the opportunity. If you're treating for termites, that should keep Mike happy about the foam. <G>Your tenants will thank you for the decrease in their heating bills and increase in comfort.
I wish there was more of an update but here it is. I'm significantly behind schedule because a) I haven't been working nearly as many hours as I planned; and b)I decided to demolish much more of the house than planned. So rather than knock out a couple walls, I've knocked out basically all of the walls and ceilings (the wallboard/plaster, not the walls themselves). I know I'll pay for this later in plastering costs, but it gives me much easier access for insulation, elec, and plumbing, and I know I'll have an overall better result. In any case, demo is more or less done and I'm moving on to step 2 - fixing the foundation.
View Image
The current porch, which will become the living room (with my workshop under it), does not have adequate footings. It appears that it was originally built with lally columns set on cement blocks (I checked - there's nothing under the cement block), then later infilled with blocks on a very shoddy grade-level footing.
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My plan is to dig under the 3 columns and slip in a 4' deep 12" sauna(sp?) tube and fill it with concrete. I'm also thinking that I can have a portion of the new 12" diameter footing sticking out beyond the current footing so I can attach brackets to support new deck posts rather than lag the deck into the house. To be honest this is new for me - I've built many decks by just lagging a ledger board (with azek standoffs) right into the house but I understand the 'gold standard' is to let the deck be free standing.
I'll also try to vacuum out the debris in the cement block wall, and drive rebar/mortar down through to give the wall more integrity, since it looks pretty shaky.
I had really hoped to find a treasure trove in one of the walls - a couple million in old currency, something like that, would have been nice. But all I find are pennies, usually behind or under the baseboard. I did find a $100 visa giftcard behind the stove but when I tried to cash it in it had no value.
My first concern would be frost heave affecting the foundation and wall but not the piers. As it is now, everything lifts and settles more or less equally. There will form a space between the posts and the fountation, which will fill with dirt, repeating the process every season.
I realize it's way beyond your planning, and budget I assume, but the way to do that is to support the room above and dig a full trench for a continuous foundation wall. Otherwise, I would forgo enclosing that space. If you do, the outer walls will be subject to seasonal movement, while the heated interior of the room will not, and the slab will break apart like a jigsaw puzzle.
I guess it's one of those situations where you have to go all the way or none at all. If you want a workshop, maybe consider building a separate shed or garage. Just some food for thought.~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netMeet me at House & Builder!
I've thought about the frost heaves Ted ... once I have the new piers in place I'll dig around the existing footing and add gravel with drainage to daylight ... hopefully that will help prevent lifting ... but you're point is a good one and I'm definitely opening myself up to that issue. There is no sign of heaving now so if I do nothing to make the conditions worse I should be ok. I'm willing to take the risk.
Quick update: I continue to get further behind while making good progress - how is that even possible?! Actually a good friend who is a contractor paid a surprise 'inspection' visit Sunday (mostly to inspect my stock of beer) and said he was impressed with what I've done so far and with my tendency to rip things back far enough to fix them correctly, which he said explained why I added a days worth of work for every days worth I completed. Not getting discouraged - I'm adding time but not too much money (just my labor). So ...
The new footings are all poured. Since I used 12" sauna tubes, I threw a j bolt in there in case I decide to make the deck free standing rather than attaching it to the house. Do I dare solicit opinions on that? I'll be re-siding that section so I could properly install and flash a ledger board, or just run posts up from these footings.
View Image
There were sections of the block wall that were loose and missing blocks. My original plan was to place concrete and rebar in the holes, then add blocks where missing. My contractor buddy suggested combining the steps by just forming and pouring to tie things together and bring all the sills level (then I have to build a 4' high 2x6 wall to fill the gap). Got one section of that done today.
View Image
Bill,
This is a labor of love. Keep up the good work.
Your new shop is worth it.
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
Those are some handsom forms ya got there! Looks good.
Today was devoted to shopping for windows and doors. I have to admit that it's bewildering. 2 issues - first is design - trying to figure out the appropriate size; the second is quality and type.
Re issue 1, the porch that I am winterizing is 10x16 and will be the new living room. It currently is 100% glass (jalousy windows from 4' to ceiling wrapping completely around the room.) Keep in mind the views from this room are spectacular. I was thinking about doing the following: 4x4 windows, one on each end (on the 10' walls) and 2 on the long wall. Plus a 3 ft glass door on one of the short walls. So I end up with 19 feet of 'window' where is previously had 36'. I think that's a reasonable solution. Just as a reminder, here's a picture again:
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Re issue #2, I'm looking at windows on sale at both HD and Lowes - 4'x4' vinyl clad sliders, lowE (but not energy star) for $112 each. Since I need 8 of these (forgot to mention that I'll duplicate the living room windows in my workshop below) this is a huge opportunity to save money. In all honesty, how bad are these windows (Pella ThermaStar brand) vs a 'fancy' expensive window. I'm not worried about the tax rebate because I think I maxed that out already on another house. The extra film layer and argon gas that would make these energy star compliant can't make that much of a difference. If I install them correctly they should last indefinitely (or is that naive)? What am I missing?
On an unrelated note: preferences for sliding closet doors vs bifold? I've always preferred bifold. The house will have 3 closets with 5' doors. HD is selling 6 panel masonite doors slabs for $19. I can buy the slider hardware and get these done on the cheap - around $50-60 per closet (vs about $100 for the bifolds).