Do It Yourself Help-Home Projects

[cara]

drill & bits. check!
level? damn!

Thanks for the help, Jack. My curtains are too narrow so I have to go back and buy the wider set. No curtains for me tonight. I should probably get a level and a new tape measure while I'm at it.

~cara

[Jess]

OK.. so here's a new one...

How do you go about jacking up a house? Ours is "drooping" in the back area.. specifically the kitchen.

There is a good clearance under it to place jacks/ supports. I have been told to use "pop bottle" jacks ( sure, I know what those are) and that the process has to be very slow, so as not to upset the foundation.

Is this something I should undertake myself or hire a professional " jacker?" WTF is a house jacker upper called anyway?? LOL. Anyone ( hint Jack) know of a good website with video showing the process?

There is very mild "sloping" in other areas, but the kitchen is the most dramatic. The wife says she hadn't noticed it so much until we placed a new round table in there, which makes it glaringly obvious. So,.. yet another wee little project in the ongoing saga of Extreme Home Makeover: Butch Edition.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Jess

[weatherboi]

http://www.ellisok.com/ellisok/rescon.html

This may be a little more intrusive than you need but we have used a system similar to this to help level an old bed and breakfast here.

I have watched this process a few times and wouldn't think of doing it myself. My liable general contractor side says hire a professional!!!

Hope the links help!!


http://homerenovations.about.com/od/...a/homejack.htm

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/f...t1/raising.htm

[Jess]

Originally Posted by weatherboi

http://www.ellisok.com/ellisok/rescon.html

This may be a little more intrusive than you need but we have used a system similar to this to help level an old bed and breakfast here.

I have watched this process a few times and wouldn't think of doing it myself. My liable general contractor side says hire a professional!!!

Hope the links help!!


http://homerenovations.about.com/od/...a/homejack.htm

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/f...t1/raising.htm

Thanks a bunch! Everything I have read thus far seems to lean toward hiring the job out. They also seem to state that most contractors don't want to do it. ACK!

Will keep plugging away at as many projects I can handle and leave the intrinsic to structure work to the pro's! Thanks again!

[Bit]

Jess, look in the yellowpages under "basement repair." You should find all kinds of contractors.

We had to have two steel I-beams and four jack posts installed in the basement of That House before we were allowed to move in; it ran us $1800 last April. $1200 of that was for the I-beams (and their installation).

Hey, Cara, I'm all excited; we found LED light strings on sale after the holidays and now have four. I've already got one of those outlets that screws into your porch light fixture, so we'll even be able to plug them in next winter. I'll probably wind them around our porch railings rather than hanging them from the roofline, though.

I bought two outlets, for front and back; our back porch light doesn't work properly because the pull string won't stay in the "on" position, so I'm hoping we can "fix" it by bypassing it; the outlet has a pull chain of its own.

[Jess]

OK.. sooo.. jacking up the house is on hold a while but is definitely still on " THE LIST".

Because working outside makes me feel better, I am starting to plan the re-do of our yard/ lot. I have some very clear ideas of features I want but am having a hard time visualizing exactly how it all needs to come together.

Anyone know of any free landscaping design programs that could help with laying out the yard?

Thanks!

[wolfwalker]

Originally Posted by Jess

OK.. so here's a new one...

How do you go about jacking up a house? Ours is "drooping" in the back area.. specifically the kitchen.

There is a good clearance under it to place jacks/ supports. I have been told to use "pop bottle" jacks ( sure, I know what those are) and that the process has to be very slow, so as not to upset the foundation.

Is this something I should undertake myself or hire a professional " jacker?" WTF is a house jacker upper called anyway?? LOL. Anyone ( hint Jack) know of a good website with video showing the process?

There is very mild "sloping" in other areas, but the kitchen is the most dramatic. The wife says she hadn't noticed it so much until we placed a new round table in there, which makes it glaringly obvious. So,.. yet another wee little project in the ongoing saga of Extreme Home Makeover: Butch Edition.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Jess

Jess, you can do it yourself. I raised an old farmhouse and made all the repairs myself.

it takes time. it took time to get that way and it will take time to get it back level. if you rush it. you will be looking at your house on the ground.

I will explain this whole thing to you and show you how when i come down that way for a visit. which will be soon. but you need to also check the source of the sag. is it just old age? or is it termites?

if its termites, house needs to be treated first. if it old age, cool. As long as you have good clearance. it not a hard job. its the time it takes to right it that makes it look harder then it is. The house has to be raised slowly over the course of a week or two. a bit at a time. when i did the farm. i did it in 1/8th to 1/4th inch every 2 days. this gave everything time to slowly move back into position. it means making adjustments every 2 days to several bottle jacks and supports. not really a biggie. but time consuming. How big an area it is will guide how many jacks and supports you need.

the biggest thing is make a list of supplies, check it twice before you do anything. the last thing you need is to be missing something in the process of raising.

wolfwalker

[Jess]

Awesome... that will be yet another "one less thing".. ( Our new mantra!)

We're really looking forward to seeing you and I am always open to advice/ suggestions.. lord knows anything that helps me in knocking out the list is a godsend!

[cara]

i bought a torpedo level and tape measure this weekend.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by cara

i bought a torpedo level and tape measure this weekend.

Someone's hanging curtains!

[cara]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Someone's hanging curtains!

They are UP! and none too soon 'cuz I have a date this Saturday!

At this point, I'm so proud of myself for getting them hung (and LEVEL even!) that I don't care that the curtains are too small for the window. Or that my bed totally doesn't match my current theme. And neither do my current bed linens.

YAY!