Then it was time for the first real setback in the project...
We discovered today that the sill in one corner of the house is extremely rotten. The house is from 1930 and is three stories (or maybe 2.5 stories is more accurate, with a sloping roof on the top floor) plus a basement, built with standing planks. From what I can see of the standing planks so far (haven’t wanted to tear down too much today), they don't seem so affected. However, the floor joists on the ground floor are probably not so fresh where they rest against the sill.
The principle for a sill replacement is not so difficult, shore up the joists in the basement. Shore up the next joists against it, remove the paneling a bit up, place a ledger across the planks above any damage on the standing planks and lift/place it. Then "just" replace the wood.
Two options:
1. Outsource the job.
Does anyone have a good tip for a reputable construction company in the Gothenburg area that might be willing to take on such a job? Anyone have an estimate on a price (excluding all surface layers, outside and inside)?
2. Do it yourself.
We are handy and resourceful, so I don’t really doubt that we can manage it, but the question is if we have the time (especially with a relatively newborn son who requires some time), and there’s always the risk of misjudging your own ability. Additionally, I’m a bit unsure about what to do with the floor joists if they are rotten at the ends. Can they be spliced properly? With such a tall house, it feels like there's quite a bit of weight that needs to be transferred during the work, anyone feel inclined to dimension the shoring?
Have propped up the floor joists that were sagging a bit.
The next step is to prop up the outer wall itself. What might about 6m (along a 10m wall) of a timber-framed house with two full-height floors and a tile roof be estimated to weigh?
Anyone have tips on a company that might be willing to handle this? Byggskadeteknik in Hälsingborg seems to deal with this kind of thing, I shall send an email, but it could be easier with a more local company.
Any reputable construction company can handle such jobs, it's not very difficult but usually just takes a bit of time to replace beams. So call the local craftsman you've heard good things about and ask if he can come and look at the job, it's completely free and you'll get an idea of what it might cost.
Well, it's not exactly rocket science, and I don't really have a problem doing it myself (except for the time). The problem is precisely finding the local reliable craftsman. I've never needed one before myself, and considering the work done here before we bought the house, you don't really want to risk hiring one of those people that everyone around here usually uses...
The reason the sill has deteriorated is that concrete has been poured on the garage roof, which is at the same level as the basement wall, thereby enclosing the sill.
Furthermore, that added layer is cracked, and half of it is already gone (I am in the process of chiseling away the rest). However, I would like to make a new layer to create a slope on the garage roof before laying decking on top to use it as a terrace. The question then is how to do this in the best way to avoid damaging the sill again. Since I need about a 4cm raise at most, I could pour a ledge on top of the basement wall (5cm) and use a sill that is only 5cm instead of today's 10cm. Or am I thinking incorrectly? And is it possible to pour such a small elevation effectively (besides the fact that it's fiddly since the house is "a bit" in the way)?
/Andreas
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