The contractor is concerned about the party walls. I’m not too keen on them either, as it seems I could remove the mortar with a toothbrush it’s so sandy. The walls won’t be a problem he guessed in the next 20-30 years. But after that, who knows. How the heck do you fix a wall you share?
I really don’t believe this house was built that well to start with. There have been a couple of problems I found that I’m not sharing on the blog, for various reasons, that relate to the fact that mine was built for poor laborers by a single landlord. There were shortcuts made evident when walls were exposed. There are other things that make me wonder if the 1870ish landlord got these houses built fast and cheap.
6 thoughts on “Renovation 2007: So I have a crap house”
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These posts really make me nervous. I can only imagine what lies beneath my sheetrock. Kinda makes you wonder about people who say “these old houses have “good bones” eh?
The houses on the 900 block of M (say 901-917) weren’t built for low (Loew?) end back in the 1870’s. But they did cheat on the firewalls up toward the roof. I know because of a fire back in 1980.
Also, renovation contractor in 1980 used refurbished copper connectors, used copper pipe, cut it close on a good bit of molding, put insuolation in the eaves instead of closeing them up and putting in osffit vents, and more.
It happens. Bcak then we didn’t know enough to check. Now we do.
Please please please initial your posts.
wow 9:59 you’ve been here for awhile we see! LOL
Back to the original question: crumbling party walls. This might be an issue for a real estate lawyer, I think. I don’t know anyone, however. How about getting a second contractor’s (or home inspector’s) opinion while these walls are exposed? Then, you could get an estimate and bring it to the neighbors to discuss. Then you could table it for 10 years and possibly then revisit the matter.
Bring in the neighbors? Oh that would be a hoot.
The not so bad wall, I share with IT (architect dude) who has seen the inside and chatted with the contractor. The crap wall I share with an absentee landlord, who I couldn’t find when my *&#@! basement was getting flooded by his busted pipes, well I can’t find. Last I looked he listed his address as the property address, so I can’t easily track him down. I’m not going to put the project on hold trying to find his sorry butt.
The contractor came up with an idea to stabilize the wall for now. Now, being the next 20-30 years.