July 31, 2007 - I have developed the final punch list and we're geared up to lower the home Monday of next week(knock on wood). At this stage our biggest concern is that we install enough shear support so that the new framing won't twist and move once the weight of the home is lowered onto it. Additionally, when the home is being lowered some of the new framing will need to be cut to allow the house movers to removed their rigging and girders. We'll have everything ready for final inspection by Wednesday(again...knock on wood). OH YEAH... and keep your job site clean and be a good neighbor. Look out for their interests, and they'll hopefully look after yours. Remember, a happy neighborhood is a desirable neighborhood, and desirable equates to greater value down the road. Oh, that's my dog.
July 30, 2007 - I have new found enthusiasm for getting this home on its new foundation, and we'll be lowering the home next week. There are several small things that need to be addressed prior to lowering the home, but these issues were expected. When buying a home of this age, you must expect that some maintenance and updating has occurred to the structure, that it was done while intoxicated or by a person of questionable mental capacity. In the case of this property, some updating and maintenance has been performed, but still there are wood rot issues that need to be addressed. Some of these repairs I will perform prior to the lowering of the home, and some will wait until afterwards.
The front and rear porches need a thorough once over, but this will be better performed once the home is on the new foundation. Address any wood rot or pest damage now, otherwise you'll be paying for it later(probably when the house is in escrow in the form of closing cost credits).
July 30, 2007 -We are just about ready to lower the house onto the new foundation, and according to a piece of paper I received this morning, we need to hurry up. The inspector from the city came out to visit the end of last week, he's given me his expectations for finishing the underfloor framing, and we should have touch down next week.
When undertaking a project of this magnitude you need to treat everything with a certain sense of urgency. A couple of times over the past sixty days I have had carpenters NOT show up for scheduled work, and I had not secured back up people in the event that the scheduled workers might "flake". Consequently, I am in a position now where my schedule has been altered to the tune of at least $750(see attached picture). You need to be diligent, and you need to take responsibility for ALL unforeseeable issues because there are NO UNFORSEEABLE issues.(see Bible under Noah's Ark)
July 27, 2007 - OOPS! I had a little difficulty with the web site over the past few weeks, but the minor problems of this new site have been fixed and we're back to full speed ahead. Sorry for the inconvenience.
June 22, 2007 - Last night's turn out for the Investor Roundtable was terrific, and some questions regarding the project's level of detail and difficulty were addressed. Whenever purchasing a real estate investment project never "bite off more than you can chew". The Ash Street project is a fairly difficult project, but of a difficulty level that I have tackled before. You should only take on a project that you feel you could complete within your timeframe, experience level and budget constraints.
June 21, 2007 - I have invited members of my Investor Roundtable Series to tour the property tonight. Tonight we'll review the project's budget and timeline to date, discuss project challenges and hurdles that have been overcome so far. I have found that a picture may be worth a thousand words, but an on site visit is worth a million. If you are interested in becoming part of my Investor Roundtable Series just send me an email today.
June 18, 2007 - Still working on finishing up the underfloor framing. Sheer support for the cripple walls are provided by 1/2" plywood that is nailed every 6" around the perimeter of the panel and every 12" to each stud within the panel. Requirements vary, so please contact the applicable city or county building departments for specific details. The sheer panels provide strength, added safety and stability to the structure and are usually a necessary part of many construction projects.
June 13, 2007 - Hired local contractor to assist me in building the required cripple walls. We progressed pretty far in one day, and we uncovered several challenges. I have called the house mover to address issues with the cripple walls, shear panels and the metal support beams that the raised house is currently resting upon. It appears that much of the new framing that was just placed will have to be destroyed to lower the house onto thenew foundation. ALWAYS be patient and flexible, otherwise you'll go nuts...trust me.
June 6, 2007 - Have placed all of the mudsill(pressure treated wood planking that must be installed between the concrete and fir framing) per code, now it is time to calculate how much lumber I will need to complete the underfloor construction for this project. I have decided that I will need to build cripple walls to attain the required crawl space underneath the house. Cripple wall requirements can be obtained at local city and county building departments.
May 28, 2007 - The concrete foundation has been poured and the forms dismantled. Next step is to place the mud sill and place cripple walls. The cripple walls in this case are a lesser expensive alternative to concrete since my objective is to retain the original elevation height of the structure. You'll want to review this information with your contractor and city/county building department prior to deciding on what options are best for your project. At this point in the project I remain on budget and I am VERY happy about this fact.
With any project wherein the property is as old as this one, the initial "clean up" budget should be set relative to the property's age. There is so much stuff in a home of this age that needs to be attended to, and this costs money in debris disposal and labor. On this project I called Lupe's Dump Hauling in Napa, (707) 738-3547, to assist with the removal of debris uncovered from throughout the property's interior and exterior. Lupe and his crew did a great job.
May 10, 2007 - I got lucky today in that upon further investigating of the flooring I have found several key areas where the original wood flooring is in exceptional condition. This will allow more of the home's original character to be exhibited, add more beauty and warmth, and save money on costly replacement wood flooring. Cool.
May 9, 2007 - The foundation is under-way, FINALLY. We're working to get the footings dug, the forms in place and pour concrete as soon as possible. Since the house is in the air, now is the perfect time to inspect everything under the house. Some of the plumbing looks suspect, there are all sorts of abandoned building materials to be cleared out, and all of these chores are made easier by the fact that I can almost walk upright under the house. Also, when buying an older home such as this, be aware that a lot of "living" has occurred within these walls, and by more than just the human inhabitants. I have uncovered several rodent nests through out the crawl space, and now is the perfect time to clean out these areas and seal them to future "tenants".
April 26, 2007 - Well, this is unusual. Phil of Phil Joy House Movers told me yesterday that I could expect to have the house lifted and set by midweek next week. He also said that he may be able to get to it before the end of this week. No promises, but it might be possible. Well his guy showed up this afternoon, Thursday, and the project of lifting the house is underway. Thanks Phil!
April 25, 2007 - Followed up on a friend's recommendation and visited a cabinet warehouse in Oakland. I expected good prices, but what I obtained is phenominal. This particular warehouse is consolidating locations and liquidating inventory. I was able to purchase my new kitchen cabinets, and a new vanity for the bathroom for MUCH less than what I have budgeted. By being open minded and flexible you'll be able to take advantage of these types of opportunities when they become available. These cabinets are good quality, constructed well, and have the "period specific" appearance that this project requires.
April 24, 2007 - FINALLY, I have signed a contract and the home will be lifted soon, and the foundation work can commence. The cost of the lift is $1,500 more than I have budgeted, but the plan is to lift the home higher off the ground and this should make the construction of the foundation quicker and easier. We'll see.
April 13, 2007 - Today I started the process of investigating the condition of the structure and began removing unnecessary and unwanted materials from the house. Since this house was built in 1900, the structural framing of the property is significantly different than that of homes built to today's standards. There is a TON of wood in this structure. It is important to understand that what was acceptable building practice years ago may not be acceptable or desirable today. Always refer to the local building department or a licensed contractor for advice prior to implementing any structure changes to your building.
March 23, 2007 - Concrete contractor got back with me regardng the price of the foundation replacement. Price was more than double initial estimate, but have been in contact with another contractor, and his plan will work within budget. With concrete prices markedly higher than in past years, and with the contractor wages increasing in the bay area, it's important to shop around. ]]>
This is an old home, circa 1900, and construction standards have changed substantially since this home was originally constructed. For a "house junkie" like myself, this project is an awesome journey back in time.
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