So...my home is basically ruined.

Many vintage one room homes had outdoor kitchens... so what you are finding gives a nod to that idea.... As well as the common outhouse. Just not in the same location.

 

Ceramic...it is very old tile....cracked and worn away in places.....

Thanks....They just have to get the experts in,I think.

I am so happy things are going well for you....

 

Some of the large houses around here that all seem to date back to 1860 or so also used to sit on more land according to the historical record. My theory is that some of the places like my house and also the house I'm currently living in were originally single room servant quarters. They would have been added on to at different times over decades. That certainly seems to be the case with my house and the place I'm renting seems to show the same signs down in the basement but it's in better shape.

On a different note....the contractor who came by today didn't give me an exact bid but he gave me a ballpark figure for the high end of the price. He can't bid it until the engineer tells him what needs to be done. That's fair. But even with his high end estimate....I still think we are fine. Things may change but I think we're in decent shape.

 

I've always been under the impression that asbestos was in the old roofing and around heating ducts, etc. I really don't know much about it but if it's under tiles....it must either be in the tile or the adhesive? I don't know about that.

 

That makes sense...

Good deal... Hope it all works out without much, or any, "out of pocket".

 

Well...it might have been bound to happen but things are officially fucked as of the moment. The guy who was supposed to do the lifting and floor joist work bailed last night in an email he sent me at about 10 pm. He said he didn't have the proper insurance and even if he did....he was booked until May 17th. So why the fuck did he even bother to come look at the project....much less ask to be there when the structural engineer did his assessment? The other guys working on this are kind of pissed because the whole project is pretty much stopped right now. This is a huge problem. I have to look at the big picture from my own perspective. I am going to approach my current landlord about leasing this other house for next year. I'm sure it will cost a little more. I'm also sure that the insurance company will only pay for another month or two. But...the cards are on the table. We have to play the hand we have.

 

I am sorry this happened to you. I hate it when people say they can do something and then just bail.

 

That sucks... Sounds like the crap that happens around here.

 

Just a thought... A company that moves houses would have the equipment, expertise and insurance to jack up a house or part of it and set it level. They just aren't moving it, so easy for them.

 

Depending on the local codes, a house-moving company may not be qualified/insured to do the permanent shoring. I've done a bit of this kind of work, I don't know about this specific case, Sometimes it's required that steel screw jacks on concrete pads be used. Once in place, slowly and strategically, (to prevent breaking windows, lol) the house is leveled then the jacks are welded solid by a qualified licensed welder.

 

I would imagine pretty much the same thing would be done by the guy that backed out...

 

Yep.

A lot of contractors bid more jobs than they can handle anyway, then pick and choose based on profit margins and scheduling. I can't blame them in one way, but when they end up wasting a persons time blowing smoke up their ass, I can't imagine how it's any good for the contractors rep to do business like that.

 

About asbestos. There is friable and non friable. When I dealt with it, the non friable could go to the dump and the friable requires

qualified contractors to remove it. It was in flooring, roofing, siding and in the flues where heat pipes cleared the framing and roof, as in a wood stove pipe or any pipe that transferred high heat to the outside.

 

I actually talked to some house movers this morning. He said he had some work in my area to do so he may be willing to take on a "small job" while they're here. My business has worked with those guys on a few projects over the years and I've never heard anything bad about them. It's pretty awesome to get to work on house moves and be right there as a huge house is moving down the road.

 

Whoohoo! Just got word that I don't have to be out of this house by the end of the year! It sounds like we can stay for as long as it takes to get our house repaired. We assumed that even if we could stay, the landlord would want to raise the rent because he planned to rent it out for more at the beginning of next year. But he said he would just charge us the same amount. And the house mover said he's pretty interested in doing the job because it's their slower time of year and it's indoor work.

 

Sounds good...

 

More good news! The house mover was over this evening and wants to do the basement work. He's happy because they are kind of in between work and waiting for a few foundations to be finished before they can move the houses and this is indoor work at this time of year. So I've had a plan and a budget in my head this whole time and the guy who bailed on me was at the top of my possible price range for that part of the work. I thought...well...maybe I can get someone cheaper and once I knew we didn't have to move at the end of the year, I knew I had a little more time to play with. So this new guy wants to do the work but he isn't sure exactly what it will cost right now. But he said "I know I can be safe and cover my butt if I say it will be no more than $XXXXX amount but I don't think you probably want to spend that much". I told him I could live with that if I had to. So his proposal/contract will be worded as such....the work will be done and will not exceed that amount. I think he left here pretty happy and he strikes me as a stand-up guy so I want him to be happy with what he's being paid and do a good job. But......his top end is actually the bottom end of what I was planning in my budget and it doesn't sound like he will even hit that number. He just wants to cover his ass no matter what. I get that. But with that number being locked in...we are still golden. We are more than golden. The situation should move forward as planned and my budget is perfectly in line with what I was planning for while still doing everything we initially wanted to do. Remodeling the kitchen was something that I thought we could do...then wondered if maybe we'd have to shelf that idea for now....but now it's back on the table because the numbers are where I expected them to be now. I told my wife tonight.....maybe we do the kitchen, maybe we don't but....today is a big victory because it keeps all the numbers in line with my best-case scenario that I was really hoping for.

I texted my other contractor and he was pretty happy with this development. That means he can get his shit done sooner. And he said the new windows are supposed to be in on Wednesday.

 

Sounds great...


If it were me and I saw top notch work from the house mover guy at bottom dollar cost, I'd kick him a bonus. (not that I'm trying to spend your money, but you said it may come in less than your low figure for the same work)

 

I don't disagree with you and I have no problem doing that if it's possible. Plus...like I said...we've done some work with those guys over the years so it could even help create a nice working relationship in the future. I love working on house moves. By that, these days, I mean....I will mostly watch my guys work, drink coffee and get to watch the house move down the road. It's awesome!

 

I am glad things are moving forward for you and your family.