I seriously want to buy a 1935 pier and beam bungalow.
It has had a lot of work, work that was done right according to my inspector.
But there are some things that still need to be done.
I just am not sure in what order to do them.
The big things are leveling, roof, replace a tub with a shower stall and refinish the hardwood floors.
Electrical and plumbing are very good and updated, as is the kitchen.
Can you help me figure out an order of priority?
Janet
Hi Janet
I would start with the most important item 1st, leveling the house.
A house is only as good as its foundation.
Courtesy: Foundation Repair Network
You want to take care of this first as the settling can and will continue and other major problems could arise, such as plumbing leaks, uneven floors, doors that won’t close (or open), etc.
As houses settle, they do so slowly (usually over many years) but they (the walls and floor joists) take the plumbing pipes with them. This slow settling process usually does no harm to the plumbing as the pipes are bent (or twisted) very slowly over time.
Leveling needs to be done as slowly as possible (months) so as not to stress the plumbing pipes but rather, slowly move them back to their original positions. Unfortunately, some pipes or seals may break during the leveling process.
Leveling needs to be done by a professional. It is not a DIY project.
It’s not real expensive; it’s just an agonizingly slow process.
Also, have the cause of the settling investigated and repaired if necessary. (Read “Foundation Sinking Repair”)
Depending on the severity of the settling, you can move up to the top of the house and re-roof while the house is being leveled.
I would not touch any plumbing jobs or refinish the floors until the house is level.
Hold off on the plumbing as the pipes in the walls and floor joists should not be tampered with until they are stable.
Hold off on the floors because as the house is brought to a level position you will see unevenness in the wood floors appear (if they aren’t uneven already). Refinishing will (should) fix these uneven spots, so wait till they stop being created.
When the house is level and stable, then do the bath and then do the floors.
You can find pros and cons to do the floors first, but I have always made floor finishing the last thing…after everybody’s out of the house for good.
I’d rather have the dust from refinishing to clean up (it can be controlled somewhat) than have to refinish the floors again because of scratches from tradesmen.
Then, clean up the dust and enjoy your “gem”.
Good luck,
Carl
