Home Improvement Today?

Blimey. Looks like a temporary sloped drainage swale to help facilitate seeping water and erosion around and away from the base of the walls while footings are constructed? At least you're starting in winter...

Ew.

 

Yes , temporary high side moat

No , we're not underpinning new footings , just drainage and foundation waterproofing on exterior then new reinforced slab inside

 

Just waterproofing the existing walls and adding new drainage? No further foundation improvement?

 

Correct . Soil bearing capacity is high enough that engineer deemed foundation OK as is . One consideration we had to make is that we couldn't dig below bottom of concrete wall within 2' either side of foundation wall so there is no soil disturbance where the ground is actually carrying the wall . That is why the excavation is so wide in the pics . Now that we have dug down to bottom of foundation wall with the big machine , tomorrow the mini will get into the excavation we have made and dig a 18" wide by 6" deep trench 2' from the foundation wall , we lay 15' wide geotech cloth on bottom of excavation and pin it up the bank , there will be then be a 6" PVC drain pipe and drain rock laid in the trench , that will act as a low point drain for the wall . More drain rock goes on top and then a top layer of geotech fabric .

We powerwash the wall and add two layers of oil based foundation coating then attach Superseal Dimpled Membrane to break any hydrostatic pressure .

http://www.superseal.ca/dimpledmembrane.html

On the interior , the styrofoam and vapour barrier under the slab will be above the elevation of the top of the drain pipe outside and then we pour a new reinforced 4" slab inside that will buttress the bottom of the foundation walls from rotating in under soil load . After that is done we can fully backfill the wall .

Nothing to it

 

So how do you invoice that?

Item 1. Nothing...............$20,000?

 

You are going to have to get a new countertop. But yes you can do it, however I would not on a laminate counter. I would get an over mount cast iron sink.
Laminate is susceptible to moisture more so than granite and quartz and youve got extra seams for things to go wrong, plus cleaning...


Your chemical comment concerns me in the fact that the sink is not your limiting factor on what you can dump but the plumbing in the house and the law.
If you are dumping something that will harm your sink... its probably going to harm your plumbing and may be illegal to dump down the drain.

 

Trying to gather some opinions on the best/easiest ways to finish the side of this staircase to not make it look like crap. Carpet will go on the stairs and drywall along the walls.

 

Normal household cleaners like bleach can not be good on granite or some other tops. Those are more likely to be spilled near a laundry sink than a kitchen IMO.

I saw an example of one of these laminate sinks at Menards the other day, looked like an economical way to do it. Basically the sink attached only to the laminate which would be the only seam in my situation outside of the edge.

All that said ill probably just go find a cheap scrap piece of granite, under mount sink, and seal the crap out of it.

 

Lol

This morning

 

I assume something like this is how a basement is converted from a crawl space? I have a 4' crawlspace I wish was just a basement. I'm wondering if it's even cost effective to do.

 

Add on some 1” pieces to the side of the treads, have the carpet guys wrap them. That would class them up and be easy

 

Mmmmmm Bailey's Irish Cream. Much cheer.

 

No

 

Add skirtboards

 

Have looked into it, but I’m not steady enough and don’t trust myself to make the cuts.

 

Why are you spilling bleach on a countertop and leaving it there to sit?

Laminate will be harmed by that much more than granite. It will stain the surface pretty easily.

But don’t spill caustic chemicals and just let them sit.
Things like vinegar, tea, coffee, and citrus juice will harm marble, granite, laminate, butcher block, and quartz if its left to sit.

Stainless steel counters are probably the most sterile or impervious to chemicals.

 

If it were me I’d cover that framing up with some drywall or t+g and just continue it up to stair treads
Also u can do a skirt board where u don’t cut step profile out, just nail a board along pitch of stairs

 

But I'd have so much more room for activities

 

also soapstone

 

I don't usually spill things intentionally.