I'm all ready to close. I have the insurance bought, the title company on standby, my mortgage is all set, etc. Everything on my side is complete. The seller, a bank, is dragging its feet! Very frustrating.
Meanwhile, Mom and Dad have gone back to Florida. Dad laid the tile for the impromptu hall bathroom fiasco-er-project in the current house. It looks great! I know he wasn't happy, but I think he's a bit of a perfectionist. The floor was very uneven and the tile was all seconds, so I didn't give him much to work with. I plan on finishing laying the couple of tiles to finish the job (3 or four maybe - the tile nipper was not cooperating with Dad) and then grouting tonight. With any luck, it will be beautiful and dry by tomorrow and we'll be able to install the toilet and the vanity. It is not quite as much fun working on a house that is not mine. ;) But it's still a little fun fixing anything up at all. I also hope to be able to take pictures of the bus to try to sell it.
Meanwhile, I was thinking about the chimney that is falling down in the bungalow. I could take it down. I could... And I could replace that space with a turbine roof vent. But I like the chimney and it is an important one - it is one for the Kitchen and my bedroom. If I want to use a wood burning stove, then I have to have a chimney. I don't yet know if this is at all practical or doable, but I'm thinking about it. One option seems to be to have the chimney rebuilt partially and relined with a flexible stainless steel liner. A "Flex King" has a warranty even if the home owner installs it... But is that the preferred method? If the bricks are taken down anyway? Hmmm.
I'm making another link category for chimneys and masonry.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Terrifying adventures in cleaning out the garage
Lets move the bus out of the garage so that we can take pictures of it and sell it!
OK.
We have to dig it out first.
So we moved all this stuff that was on top of it, under it, leaning against it, in it, etc. and the tires were deflated. SO we fired up the compressor and filled up the tires and then tried to push the thing out. The wheels were frozen. I volunteered to steer. The wheels broke free and the bus lurched backwards down the hill with me inside. I couldn't see the direction that the wheels were in. The steering wheel unmounted from the frame and fell into my lap. they threw blocks of wood behind the wheels. The bus had moved a total of two feet, but I was already terrified. I had the door open to try to see which way I was turning the wheel. They pushed the bus backwards another two feet, but it rolled a little further and I was not paying enough attention to my hand and got my hand pinned between the door and the basement pole. Ouch. We got me unpinned and there was no damage to my hand. Light truck. Tried to get it out but it got stuck on the garage door. Tall van. Pushed the garage door further up and it lurched backward again. I steered it (with direction and help from others) to back into the driveway. They had to push it uphill forward and then back again to straighten it out so it wouldn't tumble down the hill.
I was steering, but I had no brakes and no clutch nor transmission. Terrifying! I hope somebody wants this bus and can love it and make it nice again.
OK.
We have to dig it out first.
So we moved all this stuff that was on top of it, under it, leaning against it, in it, etc. and the tires were deflated. SO we fired up the compressor and filled up the tires and then tried to push the thing out. The wheels were frozen. I volunteered to steer. The wheels broke free and the bus lurched backwards down the hill with me inside. I couldn't see the direction that the wheels were in. The steering wheel unmounted from the frame and fell into my lap. they threw blocks of wood behind the wheels. The bus had moved a total of two feet, but I was already terrified. I had the door open to try to see which way I was turning the wheel. They pushed the bus backwards another two feet, but it rolled a little further and I was not paying enough attention to my hand and got my hand pinned between the door and the basement pole. Ouch. We got me unpinned and there was no damage to my hand. Light truck. Tried to get it out but it got stuck on the garage door. Tall van. Pushed the garage door further up and it lurched backward again. I steered it (with direction and help from others) to back into the driveway. They had to push it uphill forward and then back again to straighten it out so it wouldn't tumble down the hill.
I was steering, but I had no brakes and no clutch nor transmission. Terrifying! I hope somebody wants this bus and can love it and make it nice again.
I have insurance now
State Farm just called! They can insure the house! They have that information back to the mortgagor, too. I'll be happy to tell you what I am paying for insurance if you email me. ;) It is about what I thought I would be paying. :) It ended up being lower when I provided pictures to the insurance company because it has modern utilities. A breaker box and good wiring, namely... ;) Thank goodness for small miracles. Actually this whole thing seems to be a series of small miracles...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Getting There
I'm getting there. We finally have a contract back from the bank selling the property! Thank goodness for small miracles. They were very, very late, but my agent is still pushing to close by the end of the week! I am really impressed! Home Inspections are checked off, etc. The appraisal was done yesterday and the results are in! It passed and appraised for exactly the amount I am paying for it (who'da thunk it? Now just how does that happen to just happen that way EVERY time??? I'm not complaining... but LOL) The appraisal was sent to my insurance agent who is working on getting it insured, the title search is underway and my Realtor is setting up the appointment with the closing company! She'll call me back when she has an appointment. WOW is all I can say!
The place is smaller than advertised, as I suspected. I guess I'll have to be ingenious with my storage. IKEA and naked furniture, here I come!
Last night I went to my South Woodlawn Neighbors meeting. Nice folks! I think I ended up on the social committee to help plan the get-together in October. I was nominated for Governor at large. Cool! Be active in your neighborhood!
This is the home stretch! One foot in front of the other - I'm getting there! I am so excited!
The place is smaller than advertised, as I suspected. I guess I'll have to be ingenious with my storage. IKEA and naked furniture, here I come!
Last night I went to my South Woodlawn Neighbors meeting. Nice folks! I think I ended up on the social committee to help plan the get-together in October. I was nominated for Governor at large. Cool! Be active in your neighborhood!
This is the home stretch! One foot in front of the other - I'm getting there! I am so excited!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Solid Foundation
It is OK!
So I'm going through with it. :)
A good house starts with a steady foundation, right? Well, the foundation may be steady or it may not. The recommendation is to watch, measure and see, but if it is repaired, it will take three piers at a cost of only $2700. The Olshan guy is sending me the information in the mail. He also walked over the rest of the house. He noted the sagging lintel (is that what that is called??? I had no idea. I lintle is the front porch roof) and said in his opinion, they took out two columns (mine, too!). He said he would put another beam in the basement with new basement jacks (and they can provide that service, too, lol). I think it doesn't look too hard to do myself though to get a beam and Ellis screw jacks for the basement.
All in all, though, he said it looked like a "solid little house with lots of potential".
YAY! Proceeding...
So I'm going through with it. :)
A good house starts with a steady foundation, right? Well, the foundation may be steady or it may not. The recommendation is to watch, measure and see, but if it is repaired, it will take three piers at a cost of only $2700. The Olshan guy is sending me the information in the mail. He also walked over the rest of the house. He noted the sagging lintel (is that what that is called??? I had no idea. I lintle is the front porch roof) and said in his opinion, they took out two columns (mine, too!). He said he would put another beam in the basement with new basement jacks (and they can provide that service, too, lol). I think it doesn't look too hard to do myself though to get a beam and Ellis screw jacks for the basement.
All in all, though, he said it looked like a "solid little house with lots of potential".
YAY! Proceeding...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Structural Engineering
I'm meeting the Olshan guy at the house at 5pm. He's close by and he's doing me a favor by coming out to inspect it and give his opinion. No charge. Last night I stayed up waaaay too late learning about PEX plumbing and how to repair house foundations. These folks use a pushed preformed pile system - kinda like a string of beads pushed down into the earth to the point of stable ground. Then the house is jacked up under the existing foundation and set on top of the pilings. Underground. Hopefully it doesn't need much/many. We shall see! The idea is that I would then follow up myself and seal the cracks with injection epoxy - "set and forget".
I haven't bought the house yet, but I am nervous. I guess I want this to work out and make sense. I don't want a money pit. A project, yes, a money pit, no...
Keep your fingers crossed for my foundation and please send steady solid thoughts for non-shaky foundations or inexpensive repairs my way!
I did find this site that I thought was pretty cool: http://www.basementanswers.com/
I haven't bought the house yet, but I am nervous. I guess I want this to work out and make sense. I don't want a money pit. A project, yes, a money pit, no...
Keep your fingers crossed for my foundation and please send steady solid thoughts for non-shaky foundations or inexpensive repairs my way!
I did find this site that I thought was pretty cool: http://www.basementanswers.com/
Monday, August 18, 2008
Inspection Happens...
I had the inspection today! There was good stuff, bad stuff and ugly stuff.
I'll touch on the highlights.
There is a stair step crack in the foundation. He is not sure if this is a terrible thing or not. Honestly couldn't tell me. He said I needed to get it looked at by a structural engineer. SO, I called around and found one and gave them a call. They can maybe come out to give it a looksee tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully it is nothing too horrible and they can anchor it with their cable system for not too much trouble and expense.
The plumbing. Ohhh. It is bad. Pretty much it leaks everywhere there is a pipe that brings water to a faucet or back from a drain! But he gave me a tip. He said to look into PEX plumbing. WOW! I can do that. I could replumb the whole house in a day or two using pex. It is flexible tubing with special fittings. No elbows. They even have special manifolds with separate shut-offs so you have the water come in from the street to the water heater and then to the manifold and then there is a separate shutoff for each new connection - like a breaker box for your water lines! Running up the costs associated with replumbing the entire house with PEX (including that new bathroom I want) and replumbing the whole drainage system with PVC - totals about $800 and this suddenly becomes do-it-herself-able. Wow, wow, wow.
The roof. It needs one very soon-like. Sooner, rather than later. They never used flashing. It has two teeny tiny vents. That's it. It needs a ridge-vent or something. The chimneys are not doing well, either. They need to be rebuilt or removed. The rafters need to be tied. They are just toe-nailed together.
There is water damage in the basement, but it is water damage that can be fixed. Oh, a few 2x6s. No big deal.
Heat and air work fabulously!
Floor in bathroom is sound and nice!
Wood looks good!
Good bones!
Under the asbestos, there is wood siding... The house used to be red. How about that!
He agrees that there are two columns missing from the front.
The electric service is good! Modern 200 amp service with good looking wiring.
So the next step is to get the foundation looked at.
The plumbing is a non-issue to me.
I'll touch on the highlights.
There is a stair step crack in the foundation. He is not sure if this is a terrible thing or not. Honestly couldn't tell me. He said I needed to get it looked at by a structural engineer. SO, I called around and found one and gave them a call. They can maybe come out to give it a looksee tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully it is nothing too horrible and they can anchor it with their cable system for not too much trouble and expense.
The plumbing. Ohhh. It is bad. Pretty much it leaks everywhere there is a pipe that brings water to a faucet or back from a drain! But he gave me a tip. He said to look into PEX plumbing. WOW! I can do that. I could replumb the whole house in a day or two using pex. It is flexible tubing with special fittings. No elbows. They even have special manifolds with separate shut-offs so you have the water come in from the street to the water heater and then to the manifold and then there is a separate shutoff for each new connection - like a breaker box for your water lines! Running up the costs associated with replumbing the entire house with PEX (including that new bathroom I want) and replumbing the whole drainage system with PVC - totals about $800 and this suddenly becomes do-it-herself-able. Wow, wow, wow.
The roof. It needs one very soon-like. Sooner, rather than later. They never used flashing. It has two teeny tiny vents. That's it. It needs a ridge-vent or something. The chimneys are not doing well, either. They need to be rebuilt or removed. The rafters need to be tied. They are just toe-nailed together.
There is water damage in the basement, but it is water damage that can be fixed. Oh, a few 2x6s. No big deal.
Heat and air work fabulously!
Floor in bathroom is sound and nice!
Wood looks good!
Good bones!
Under the asbestos, there is wood siding... The house used to be red. How about that!
He agrees that there are two columns missing from the front.
The electric service is good! Modern 200 amp service with good looking wiring.
So the next step is to get the foundation looked at.
The plumbing is a non-issue to me.
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