The job is getting bigger

[unixronin]

After tearing out the rest of the rotten wood from the entryway, we've found that the rot goes under the corner of Pirate's floor, and that there is improperly repaired water damage all across the front of the house at the foundation line. When they repaired it before, they did not go all the way across the front of the house, they did a poor job of the repairs they did, and they used the wrong materials.  The facing board at the bottom of the wall was just low-quality strand board, not even exterior grade, the new stucco they put over the top of it was poorly applied, and the cement cap they put on top of the foundation wall doesn't seal properly to the stucco.  A third of the sill plate is rotted out, and most of the floor joists have rot in the outer ends.  (Fortunately, the rot mostly does not extend beyond the sill plate, or the house would be subsiding on that side.)

This is going to be an even bigger and more expensive repair job than we previously thought.

Comments

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Sounds like some of my remodeling projects . . .

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

sounds like Shipwright's Disease....
http://1967tr4a.blogspot.com/2008/01/shipwrights-disease-stage-1.html

(I note that the webpages that discuss "Shipwright's Disease" are, each and every one, about restoring pre-1980 British cars. As someone who used to drive an MGB roadster as a daily driver, I can see why.)

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

is this where you get a lawyer for the inspector and/or previous owner and/or people who did this bad work? no? yah, i know, but really irritating.

i've seen other houses done wrong, esp by "weekend warriors" with a "good heart" ;) oh, to scream.

good luck. take pictures inside and out.

#

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

The prior repair was visible from the outside, and the inspector did note it on his report. It was sufficiently well concealed/buried from the inside that the inadequacy of the repair was not vislble, and the inspector is only allowed by law to inspect and report on what's in plain sight — he is not allowed to pull, say, styrofoam insulation (in this case) off and look behind it. Under those limits it was not possible to see how bad the situation was.

The guys who are doing it over for us are doing it right.

[lebo-superman.livejournal.com]

That is a stupid law! Basically the law is protecting dishonesty. A potential home buyer has a right to know the FULL details of what the home's condition is. I do think you have a case for fraud, and whatever municipality passed the law they are hiding behind should be included in the lawsuit.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I think I found my new New Yankee Workshop.

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

Please tell me you aren't going to sic Norm Abrams on us.

[luxobscura.livejournal.com]

It is my belief that you are living with a man possessed by his spirit.

I have no idea how one undoes something like that.