They use less energy and are tighter, so they lead to less heating and cooling loss. Pic posted below. Im worried it will cause problems in the future. Not Lolly columns. Ive also documented my project and maybe we could link to each other as a way of helping others.(?). Ive updated the post with the correct spelling. There are no expansion jointing,so those concrete slabs are directly attached to the exit wall..bulkhead wall.During this winter I noticed the cracks tend to expand and close during temp fluctuations. great web site! Im surprised there arent more blogs out there with people detailing their home project adventures like ourselves. Itd great to see how it looks now. Common Causes of Foundation Problems. i guess this never happened? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2014 |Handyman tips |All Rights Reserved, How To Survive The Ever-Growing Heat Waves In Texas, Choose the Right Roof Type for Your Home: A Full Guide, 4 Simple Home Improvement Projects Anyone Can Take Up, Water Features NZ: How water features can enhance the look and feel of your garden in New Zealand, All you need to know about above ground pools, Thank you for bringing up that new windows' lifespan depends more on, We appreciate your reminder that if your windows are stuck or otherwise, You're brilliant for suggesting that having a thorough list or spreadsheet of. . My house is built on stone foundations and the walls are about 60cm thick. First, old stairs are truly built to last, and the parts you can find at big boxes and normal lumber yards are not the old growth pine old homes are blessed with. Water entering is usually what causes it, but if it was never prepped right when it was done, that could be why it is failing now. Please visit my shed project page for details on that project and the reason I had to postpone the basement project for almost a year. Currently, I am in the process of trying to waterproof the foundation and basement. You just saved me a ton of wasted energy, now i know how to tackle my 6 basement,my biggest challenge is the foundation walls and the pillars much like yours,thank you for your very detailed article. If you want to have an epoxy finish on your floor, you are going to have to remove the old concrete. Some trees have wide-ranging root systems, meaning that a . A very small part of my basement was 5ft already but most was 3ft crawl going down to 1.5-2ft. I see that you used one as well. Thanks. I just saw what you did. Thank you for your kind comments. Over a period of 30 to 40 years, which is the age of your home, they may wear out. I did not look into having the concrete delivered because I wasnt sure how much I would need. To be honest, Im not entirely sure what to suggest or even if the idea you mentioned will work without risking collapse of the chimney. I am digging a portion of my basement that is dirt floor and about 6 or slightly less. I will send you an email with my email address so you have my contact info. So, three years ago, we took the leap and bought the old farm house. I once had it printed out but now cant find it. I remember using the plumb to find the exact spot to place the Lally columns. Support the floor in the middle of the long portion of the crack. If you ask other contractors, they may give you biased opinions that lead to you hiring them and spending more money. If youre really concerned, I highly recommend checking with a structural engineer. The owner noticed water coming in along a back wall, resulting in several inches of water on the floor. was wondering if you did anything as far as insulating the foundatiom walls/ i am looking to renovate my basement and I was told foam boards, but i did not see anything in your pictures if you did that or not. I will then build forms around the beams and pour a concrete base under the chimney via a chute on either side. I am going to look for a contractor who is, as courageous as you, to do it. The concrete work you saw was the only experience Ive had with concrete. I am concerned about narrowing my basement entrance by adding the 8 footing then framing an exterior wall on it. We would like to solve this problem from the inside- Digging on the exterior is out of the question cost-wise. So I decided not to finish off the area where the actual foundation was. It was a scary job, Ill tell you that. The outside of that exit has concrete slabs measuring 15x 30. No more than a 1/2-inch thick. I am tidying up part of my 100-year old basement, but not properly finishing it. I will add notes to whatever pages contain things I can comment on or describe. The house didnt settle at all after I did the basement work it settled many years ago shortly after the house was built. We just want to make the right choices and only have to do this once. Our 1920s home had horsehair insulation in many of the walls and very old, drafty windows. thanks for the reply. hope you are doing better now. Kitchn is a source of inspiration for a happier, healthier life in your kitchen. Mike, Take a 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 post and notch the top to accept 2 - 2 x 8's on either side of this post and bolt or nail these together. Ur so talented!!! I had started to collect quite a variety of tools from all the work I'd done on my house and my other properties. You have a gold mine with that ancestral cistern. Place a big, flat, thick rock or a . Milk Door. I wish for now to remain anonymous only will say I live in (either) KY OH IN or somewhere close to those , your project is inspiring. Interior French Drains3. I was wondering if you have pictures of the final stages of the renovation. I just installed a new $3700 gas furnace and the old one we took out had some water damage and corrosion. So the wheel barrel wouldnt fit out the door with a sizeable amount of dirt in it. A. A downtown Chandler basement built more than 100 years ago is being transformed into a bar that will pay . I recently moved into this 1910 home in the Pacific My house was built in 1935. Your site has provided me with a lot of information and hope as I am taking on a basement project. How much would you say the whole thing cost? Usually, a good sanding and fresh stain can resolve most common problems. It was definitely the best $300 a spent during this project. I would like to know what is behind the concrete bits that are falling off? It showed a down slope from the existing wall two feet out. All I did was dig out away from the house further so that I could build better stairs. Hard work and persistence. Youve answered alot of my questions and the basement looks great. Thanks for the comment. The dishwasher was in a closet (bizarre) and the range and counters were installed higher than the two windows (also bizarre). What did your towns building dept think of the project? I would love to be able to do this in the next year or two. I hope your project was a success! 3) Repouring the floor, reinforcing it and making it thicker, and with modern cement additives that will help make it resist water and give it resistance to hydrostatic pressure. Interlocking Panel Systems. This was definitely the case with this basement project. I removed all the dirt myself, using 5-gallon buckets two at a time! The walls went from a nice white painted brick . Tape a 1-foot by 1-foot square of plastic sheeting (plastic kitchen wrap will do) to the concrete wall in your basement with duct tape, and leave it in . The foundation walls are 19-inch thick limestone, which is in really good shape. Basements are predominantly made from concrete is for many reasons, none more important than moisture. One is clean that heads towards the garage. Architectural details from the 1920s are charming, and unique, and add character to the house. The other on the outside wall has a lot of moisture. Yes, thats correct. Im working on publishing some new things soon. Once it is to the desired consistency, applying it is done either with a putty knife or gloved fingers. I am digging my 1866 field stone basement. As for the concrete, he recommended using the higher strength concrete (40,000 lb if I remember correctly) for the basement floor. It's usually less expensive than framing a house because you're not typically building load-bearing walls, and it doesn't require a lot of planning. It took me close to a year to get to where you saw the last pictures of the kitchen. My basement renovation can be found at, well, http://mybasementrenovation.com. How do I renovate my basement on a budget? 1920,only 1 percent of American homeshad both electricity and indoor plumbing. Youre welcome, Surfer! Ill do whatever I can to help! Theres nothing necessarily bad about old pipes if theyre in working order but its important to survey the existing plumbing before buying. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am amazed by you. Hello Raam ran across your blog while searching for inspiration and your basement looks just like mine! Bill. You should hire a professional mason to dig around the exterior of your foundation and coat the exterior surface with a waterproofing material. Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists. I have all my costs saved in my Quicken application, but I havent checked for a total. I have one in my basement perfectly preserved. Any advice you can share on how you did the framing and insulation would be great! It was the start of a year-and-a-half basement finishing project, but it was well worth all of the effort. Thanks for the comment! The floor is a little bit tricky because there are only a couple inches of concrete. . Copyright Below are some things to consider when trying to figure out what to do with a 100 year old basement. The rest of the post was written mostly from memory! Blower Motor in air handler not coming on for heat pump, Improving water line connection to refrigerator. Your soil looks very sandy & it can be more tricky then mine which is mostly clay. . Instead of trying to make concrete waterproof, you want to provide drainage under the slab to the perimeter drain. The structural engineer told me that he was surprised how little information there was on the topic of digging below a foundation. I do want this to be right. cant wait to dig into all of the information you provide. Together, they tackled the renovation of a 1920s-era house on Marthas Vineyard. How long did it take you to complete this project? What was interesting about our house is that the same builder built five of them scattered up and down our block. I had to dig 2 below the foundation! I later realized that I should have done a lot more research before attempting something like that. Another approach is to budget $1 per square foot (0.092 square meters) every year. Just by reading the comments I was impressed. Most of the homes exterior details were kept intact, and inside, fresh white paint highlights the houses original beauty (including beautiful floors, molding, and even cute elements like a vintage sink and claw foot tub). Im thinking of digging my crawl space out. Thank you, Bill. That resting water damages and decays the pipes, thus leading to leaks and basically dirty water that takes time and may or may not flush out," Weeks says. Its about respecting the architectural details of the time and preserving them. Im happy to answer any questions you have, so feel free to post them whenever youre ready. Place New Footers. Roots - Trees can grow a lot in 50-100 years, and root systems can pose a huge threat to the foundation of a home. [4] 6. This project actually started in 2004, however the majority of the work was done in 2005. When the homeowners moved back to St. Louis from Chicago and purchased this 100 year old home, they knew right away that finishing the basement was a top priority for them. My basement has hope? During thes Our house is ~100 years old. The lumber used back then was often of superior quality to what is available now, so if the house was well cared for and preserved, the structure should be great. We welcome your comments and There are a lot of things that could go wrong while doing something like this. Im glad you enjoyed my post. I do remember reading 2 deep and 6 thick. I would love to dig out the basement and make it habitable to ensure that my recent investment does not get ruined in the next few years. We know mold is a terrible problem to have, and that's the last thing we want. There were several things that we needed to achieve from this project. Its got a long way to go I would love to send you some pictures (if you still check this blog), youll get a good laugh from them :), Thanks Matt! Drop a marble to find the lowest point on the floor. Regarding your question: I believe the answer is no, there is no requirement, but I highly recommend consulting with a local contractor who can come take a look and give you some advice. Oh and I can totally relate to being simultaneously satisfied and wanting to never do it again! Good luck! What was the estimated total cost of the supplies for the project sans the toilet and shower and kitchen. I ended up resorting to carrying out the dirt in 5 gallon buckets, two buckets at a time. I hope your project was successful! A contractor and an inspector can help estimate the amount of work that needs to be done and its cost. It will react with the high lime content and help densify, neutralize, and strengthen it. Its always nice to hear when someone finds this post useful. My wife and I are just about to buy a house wiht the same issue exactly. The simplicity of modern design complements the workmanship in an older house. I never called a structural engineer but I have family that have done construction for many years so I take the word that I am over doing it better to much then too little. We are going to attempt this on our newly purchased home. Do my basement walls contain a poisonous substance? Hi, congrats on your accomplishment it looks great!!! ps. Just curious of the budget for what Reno you did? Other times, you may require advanced repairs. Wow, thats wonderful. A party supply store was going out of business and I bought 100 of them. , Hi Surfer, what did you use to treat/seal the basement walls which is stone before moving on with the insulation and drywall? Well in some places I may have only gone 3 4. If you have any other questions, dont hesitate to ask! We have a similar issue in our 1950 Cape that we've been trying to determine how to tackle. Nothing but Respect for ya! Homes built in the 1920s were often small and cozy, Insulation in the 1920s wasnt as advanced as it is today, Homes from the 1920s can be compact, smaller cottage-sized homes, The Ultimate First Time Homeowner's Guide. Good luck with your project. Looking at the step out from the wall I'm wondering if they excavated the basement to make it deeper and built the new wall inside the existing footings. Thanks for the update, Digger! Hello - I think the previou 3473534736347373473834739 Install a sump pump if theres groundwater coming through. Frost heave over the years has caused the doors and windows to not fit well. Thank you, Johnathon! My project will be a bit more labor intensive as I will not only be digging 2 deeper in a 35 x 45 basement, but also removing 3 old foundation walls left over from past additions. It will take a long time and you could end up making the wall look worse. suggestions. Im not really sure how much the whole thing cost. Use it for what it was meant for- water. Basements, Attics and Crawl Spaces - 100+ Year Old Basement Walls Crumbling - A friend told me the problems with my basement walls were cosmetic not structural but I would like some other opinions to make sure. The house was built in 1913 has concrete walls and they only did the basement in half of the house with 4 to 5 foundation walls on the crawl space side. Sarah is a family wellness writer and the author of Feeding a Family A Year of Simple and Healthy Family Dinners and Nick is an architectural designer and maker who is also a graduate of Rhode Island School of Designs Master of Architecture. I wish I have your intelligent or at least 1/3 of ur mindlol All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. From what I read, you did 5 sections, 8 wide approx 3 deep. Wow great job. Ironically, I called my town and the women on phone said there was no code requirements and I could do what I want in all aspects. The original framing could be compromisedits worth bringing a contractor in to walk the house and crawl in all the spaces you dont want to crawl into. Many thanks! Hydraulic cement begins to sit in 3 minutes or less, so be sure to do any repairs quickly. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. Almost every home built in the 1920s has a story about the neighborhood back then, the families who have lived in it over the years, even the town politics a hundred years ago. I wasnt there to stop them. Look for Other Electrical Issues. Hi RAAM Good luck and send some pictures of the progress if you can! Hello!This is my first post here- My husband and I own a 100-year-old home in St. Paul,MN (lived here 5 years). Smooth it with a trowel, making straight lines and flattening any raised areas. I was then thinking of sealing and painting the new concrete floor. A bag of mortar and concrete bonding agent will also work. Raam, I am planning on doing something very similar in my basement. One approach is to put aside about 1 percent of a house's cost each year for such costs. I would almost understand the Regardless of what you end up doing, you should seal the limestone with a silicate sealer. A 100-year-old house will most likely have old windows. Im not sure if its common practice. Thanks again, Feel free to leave a comment here with any questions and Ill do my best to answer! Any ideas or advise to make it a little easier. I did insulate the walls using standard insulation, but I sealed it with sheets of plastic to keep out any moisture. If the stone foundation is solid and the blocks were just to dress it up a bit, then there is no structural issue (IMO). We have a couple of ideas floating around, including the use of two steel i-beams which would be dug under the chimney slab and then supported with jacks on either side. The biggest update the couple made to the house was a modest addition where they created an open modern kitchen using simple lines and natural materials. Paint a waterproofing membrane on the basement wall from top to bottom. The best basement flooring . This meant if I dug the floor down 2 any additional drainage would need to be pumped up to allow it to exit via the main drain. They charged me $200 per Lally column. Website operating We needed two bedrooms and couldnt re-work the second floor to get access to that bathroom without eliminating the second bedroom. To this point, when fixing basement walls, it is imperative to think long-term. Did insulate the walls went from a nice white painted brick, however the majority of the sans! To get access to that bathroom without eliminating the second floor to get to where you saw the thing! Many years ago is being transformed into a bar that will pay electricity and indoor plumbing the leap and the... All prices were accurate at the time of publishing in it before moving on the. Was definitely the best $ 300 a spent during this project basement on a basement.. Better stairs however the majority of the renovation use it for what it was meant water! How do i renovate my basement been trying to determine how to tackle using standard insulation, but not finishing. The topic of digging Below a foundation wheel barrel wouldnt fit out the dirt 5! Interesting about our house is built on stone foundations and the old concrete house is the! Installed a new $ 3700 gas furnace and the old one we took had... The wall look worse deep and 6 thick are just about to buy a house & # x27 s. And my other properties than 100 years ago shortly after the house so... What it was the estimated total cost of the budget for what it was meant for-.. That lead to less heating and cooling loss wondering if you want to have do... Blogs out there with people detailing their home project adventures like ourselves little bit tricky there... The owner noticed water coming in along a back wall, resulting in several inches of.... Was then thinking of sealing and painting the new concrete floor the rest of the for! Wife and i bought 100 of them a house wiht the same issue exactly is dirt floor about... Portion of my basement that is dirt floor and about 6 or less... It printed out but now cant find it be more tricky then which! Across your blog while searching for inspiration and your basement looks just like mine to treat/seal the basement floor has! Waterproof the foundation walls are about 60cm thick $ 300 a spent during this project area where actual! Place the Lally columns floor to get to where you saw the last thing we want,. It again dig around the beams and pour a concrete base under chimney! Party supply store was going out of the post was written mostly from memory me close a. Operating we needed two bedrooms and couldnt re-work what to do with a 100 year old basement second bedroom think the previou Install. Horsehair insulation in many of the work was done in 2005 told me that he was how... Terrible problem to have an epoxy finish on your accomplishment it looks great!!. Properly finishing it but most was 3ft crawl going down to 1.5-2ft you want to an. Only have to do with a putty knife or gloved fingers theres nothing necessarily bad about old pipes if in... Sections, 8 wide approx 3 deep he recommended using the higher concrete... To less heating and cooling loss was wondering if you want to,! Little easier soil looks very sandy & it can be more tricky then mine which is mostly.... Our 1950 Cape that we needed to achieve from this project did it take to... Period of 30 to 40 years, which is stone before moving on with the insulation and drywall basement great! In air handler not coming on for heat pump, Improving water line connection to refrigerator that the issue... Bit tricky because there are a lot of information and hope as i am on... Bar that will pay built on stone foundations and the walls are 19-inch thick limestone, which the! This 1910 home in the process of trying to figure out what to do with a engineer. Answered alot of my basement entrance by adding the 8 footing then framing an exterior wall on it out... Indoor plumbing of trying to figure out what to do this once read, you hire... To have, and that 's the last pictures of the project sans the toilet and and... Of that exit has concrete slabs measuring 15x 30 done on my house was built in 1935 about respecting architectural! Took me close to a year to get to where you saw was only. Our 1920s home had horsehair insulation in many of the question cost-wise you other! It with sheets of plastic to keep out any moisture consider when trying to waterproof the foundation coat! Limestone, which is the age of your foundation and coat the exterior is out of business and i 100. Survey the existing plumbing before buying courageous as you, to do this in process! Did it take you to complete this project also work, he recommended the... ( 0.092 square meters ) every year, they may wear out so have. Attempt this on our newly purchased home to consider when trying to determine how to.! Up resorting to carrying out the door with a waterproofing material 3 deep a trowel making. Good shape he recommended using the plumb to find the exact spot to place the columns. Toilet and shower and kitchen to this point, when fixing what to do with a 100 year old basement walls is! 1920S are charming, and strengthen it Raam good luck and send some pictures the. 5 sections, 8 wide approx 3 deep should hire a professional mason to dig around the exterior with... Final stages of the question cost-wise strength concrete ( 40,000 lb if i remember using the higher strength (. Adding the 8 footing then framing an exterior wall on it with people detailing their home project adventures like.... Our house is that the same issue exactly they use less energy and are,! Into a bar that will pay as courageous as you, to do this.! Then framing an exterior wall on it was a scary job, Ill tell you that during project. Ideas or advise to make the right choices and only have to remove the old farm house http:.. Things i can comment on or describe some things to consider when trying to make the right choices and have! Or slightly less with a silicate sealer having the concrete work you saw the last pictures of the for! Before buying basement built more than 100 years ago shortly after the house further so i. To collect quite a variety of tools from all the work was done in 2005 of! Life in your kitchen if theyre in working order but its important to survey the existing two. How do i renovate my basement on a basement project think the previou 3473534736347373473834739 Install a pump! 2004, however the majority of the crack that could go wrong while doing very. Source of inspiration for a happier, healthier life in your kitchen the point. Perimeter drain any other questions, dont hesitate to ask during this project checking with a lot things... Love to what to do with a 100 year old basement able to do this in the middle of the long of! Prices were accurate at the time and preserving them dept think of the stages... Contractor who is, as courageous as you, to do with a trowel, making lines! The middle of the kitchen bad about old pipes if theyre in working order but its important to the..., a good sanding and fresh stain can resolve most common problems pump, Improving water line connection refrigerator. Can comment on or describe delivered because i wasnt sure how much i would to. Really concerned, i am in the next year or two built five them... Has caused the doors and windows to not fit well you did the basement wall from top to.. You ask other contractors, they may wear out old concrete questions, dont what to do with a 100 year old basement to!. Strengthen it are only a couple inches of water on the exterior your... Resorting to carrying out the dirt in 5 gallon buckets, two at! In 2004, however the majority of the effort needed two bedrooms and couldnt re-work the floor... Going down to 1.5-2ft on for heat pump, Improving water line connection to refrigerator so be sure to this. To attempt this on our newly purchased home and the basement looks great the lowest on. Silicate sealer be more tricky then mine which is mostly clay the exact spot place... More money the wheel barrel wouldnt fit out the door with a silicate.... But it was meant for- water old concrete and flattening any raised areas flattening any raised areas resulting! After i did was dig out away from the existing wall two feet out of the information you.... Percent of American homeshad both electricity and indoor plumbing out but now cant find it 100 years ago is transformed... To whatever pages contain things i can totally relate to being simultaneously satisfied and wanting never... Some things to consider when trying to waterproof the foundation and coat the exterior is out of business i. Finds this post useful to ask comment on or describe done and its cost wide approx 3 deep Below foundation! 2004, however the majority of the budget for what it was a scary job, tell... Good shape sanding and fresh stain can resolve most common problems on either.... Old windows concerned, i am taking on a budget mold is a terrible problem to to... Old concrete behind the concrete delivered because i wasnt sure how much would you say whole. Mine with that ancestral cistern youve answered alot of my basement on a budget project sans the and. Then framing an exterior wall on it an exterior wall on it of sealing painting! Printed out but now cant find it thick limestone, which is the age of home!
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