Home Improvement Today?

Anyone ever replace temporary screw columns with lally columns? It doesn't sound difficult.

I have four screw columns in my basement--two are starting to show rust on the bottom. I might try to clean up the rust and repaint temporarily (though looking at the top peg holes, they seem to be made of fairly thin metal so I'd have to be careful), but eventually need to look at replacing them. Wondering if I need four lallys or if I could evenly space three instead since they're inherently stronger.

 

I hope the builder is covering the cost of that floor as well, looked to be in pretty good shape beforehand.

 

I think I ran into a problem right when I thought I was done. I measured 12“ to the right of this old gas fitting as where I want to drill. When I fought my way to that point under the apartment, I saw what looks like a gas pipe going up into the stud cavity where I wanted to run my cables. Baaaaaaahhhhh.

Seeing as its a 100 year old pipe, am I just going to have to patch the hole I made and place the wall plate in the next cavity over?

I stuck the fish tape down the hole and am hitting something, but there is no pipe in the cavity. I ordered a endoscope off Amazon to get a better look from the hole I cut.

 

We are fortunate that the builder is honoring their warranty and footing the bill on the repairs.

 

Could use your advice on this, along with my above post.

While crawling through hell under the apartment, I saw that the main water line for the building coming through the wall had broken free of its brackets on the floor beams. It's bowed pretty badly, and it's resting on top of a old gray pipe that's not connecting to anything.

Is this something I should bring to the attention of the landlord? My only hesitation is that I'll have to explain what I've been doing down there.

 

It could rattle with water hammer and possibly break a connection.

 

Alot going on in that pic.

 

I really need to finish window treatments. I installed cut to fit shades in most windows, they actually look great for the price. We have a few left to handle though:

-3 northwest side windows on the ground floor (well 2, and a slider). BIG windows to enjoy the wilderness view, but they are just letting the afternoon heat pour into the house

-Master bedroom slider, on the same northwest side...so same heat issue.

-3 Loft windows. These are on the southeast side and south side of the house. They let a good glare into the media room. The issue is they can't be reached by hand, they're about 13 feet up from ground level. I'm looking into motorized shades, but good gravy they're expensive. I'm trying to find a reasonable solution, even if I have to keep a pole handy to adjust them.

These uncovered windows are definitely having an impact on A/C capabilities during this heat wave, especially in the afternoon/evening when they take on a lot of sun. The house can maintain 74 degrees, until the afternoon. Then even 78 is a major struggle.

 

tell the landlord you heard a noise under the floor late one night and decided to check it out instead of waking them up.

as someone else said, it could break with the water pressure rattling the pipe.

 

Is this your house or the project your building? The house looks different.

 

All the black connections are in for the foam injection that's about to happen

 

I never want to go through this.

 

Jesus, what an operation. I missed the beginning of this. What is the cause, and is it covered by insurance?

 

This.

What is this costing the builder? I can't imagine he's made any profit on the home after all this.

 

Not my house or the one I have been building , this is for some long time clients , I promised them last year I would do it this summer so we're doing it while the subs are at the other place

 

It really blows, but we are just relieved it is all being done properly. The thought that we bought a more expensive new home that developed foundation issues was sickening.

Clay soil under the house was causing foundation issues. The builder is honoring their warranty. See my previous posts in here for pictures of everything the last few days.

All I know for sure is how much the foundation stuff is costing which was a little over 10k.

They just finished up the injection and everything went well. The most they lifted was a little more than a 1/4 inch. Here is a crack that was patched a 3 different times over the last couple years after the lift it pushed out all the filler. I tried to get a shot of the foam before they filled them in.

 

I'm wondering, what should have the builder done during construction to avoid having to do all this? Is it not common to drive down piers to bedrock during construction when the soil may allow for the sinkage you've experienced? It's such a huge undertaking to correct what seems like a small amount of movement. It makes me appreciate the beam and pier foundation of old buildings like mine.

 

You should see how many companies are lifting foundations down here in houston.
My 40 year house was releveled last year. They lifted it almost 5 inches in one corner. I now have 27 exterior piles and 17 interior piles

The clay soil and low water table down here are a nightmare.