Update

It has been a long and slow process to get all my ducks in a row, with my banker, my lawyer, my broker, my contractor, my sub-contractors...

I think I'm there. I think everything is ready. I think work will begin next week!!!

I think

First order of business is the foundation. The house will be lifted about 5 feet from where it is now, and the underneath will be dug out for the footings, then the form-work is placed, and the concrete is poured. While the house is in the air all main floor joists and sills will be replaced, including the entire kitchen floor, decking and all. Once the house is set down on its new foundation, the additions will be framed, enclosed and shingled with cedar, the new roof will be installed, and the original cedar shingles of the old part will be replaced with new. This is where I want the project to be by the time there is snow on the ground.

The house will end up being about 3 feet higher than it is now. One of the problems with the house now is that the main floor is practically at ground level and the sills are sitting in the dirt. That's why they have rotted.

The contractor commented that the work we did to prepare the house was a thorough and professional job and has saved not only a lot of work for him, but made lifting the house possible. The debris that we took out in July was weighed when taken to the dump, and we took out seven tons of plaster and lath! The sags in the floors literally bounced back to level after we were finished. Thanks again everyone who worked so hard to get this project started. Now the reconstruction begins!

I think

November 1, 1994