This week’s home renovation update is the foundation on the home.
Catch up on our home renovation updates here:
Update #1
Update #2
Update #3
Update #4
We are moving right along with the home renovation process. The main focus right now is on the foundation and trying our best to fix the cracks. Hopefully this will solve the basement leaks problem. If not, then I have no idea what else to do.
A few weeks ago we had a guy come and dig out a trench in front of our house so we could get to the foundation and fix everything. Not only are we repairing the foundation cracks, we are also putting in a drain along the front of the house that will wrap around the side to hopefully carry away any water.
As you can see we live pretty close to the road and the front yard is not very big. And right now it’s covered in dirt so I have no front yard at all!
My side yard is gone as well, completely covered in dirt. On the plus side there’s less grass to mow.
The foundation has to be cleaned off and all the paint that we put on recently had to be removed as well. The pipe going from our house to the ground connects us to the town’s water system.
After the foundation was cleaned off (which took a few days because it was a really tough job to get everything off), my husband started adding foam to the cracks.
The foam is basically to make the foundation wall level all the way across before adding the rubber coating. After the foam dries fully, it will have to be trimmed flush with the wall, then a layer of geotextile fabric will go over it, then another layer of rubber coating.
It’s a whole crazy long process before we can start putting in the pipe for the drain and filling the whole back in.
I have great news ya’ll! After almost 5 months we are finally getting hooked up to the town’s sewer system! The lawyers of the business behind us never got back in touch with the town after several tries, so they had to figure out a different way to go. Instead of going up the side of the land of the business behind us as planned, they decided to go up through out backyard. This saves us money, too since they are going almost halfway up. We only have to pay our guy to dig the rest of the way to the house.
We also discovered that there’s an underground spring running through our backyard. It has always been interesting to me how cold that water actually is, even on the hottest of days. And even though it’s running through dirt, it comes out so clear.
A little fact about pure, cold mountain spring water here in Virginia: it was a requirement for the best moonshine back in the days of illegal moonshine making!
I have to say that I’ve never been so excited about a sewer system before! I’m so tired of holes all over my yard and so much dirt and mud everywhere. Luckily we haven’t had a lot of pouring rain lately, so the dirt is staying in its place and not washing away.
This renovation process has been somewhat stressful, but at least it’s moving along and hasn’t come to a stop yet. I pray that doesn’t happen and that we can keep going as smoothly as possible.
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Michelle - you are a real trooper! So glad you’re getting hooked up to a sewage line (what a huge relief after all these months, & for less distance than expected - woot woot!) Blessings as you continue- (& watch out for that VA moonshine, potent stuff!!!) Cheers! ????
I never thought I would be so excited for a sewer line! ? I'm so glad that they finally got it, though. It's almost made me forget about those few months. I'll be sure to watch out for that moonshine. Kinda hard with a distillery right up the road. ?
WOW! I don't envy you! I just did a deep cleaning and redecorating of my 100 year old house but nothing that extensive. Good luck! Looks like ya'll are doing great!
Thank you! It's been quite stressful and just a little too hot! :D I'll be so glad when it's over. I'd much rather be doing the redecorating and cleaning. :)
Yay for the renovation heroes! #preservation (and, maybe, your lawn destruction can be positive, like you said--finding a replacement for turf that doesn't have to mean mowing... :-) )
I like the way you think! That's a great idea! :D
Things are moving along nicely! Congratulations on getting hooked up to the towns sewer system! ?
Thank you!! I'm so glad that is finally out of the way. ?
Boy you some have work on your hands!? But I'm rooting for you!
Edit: Boy you have some work on your hands!? I'm rooting for you!
Thank you so much!
After all this work, you sure you want to move (joke!)? :-)
? I've been wondering that myself!!! ?
Hee hee!
The angle of the photo of the dirt out the front made me chuckle - house across the street looks like it’s tipping backwards! An interesting factoid about the spring water for illegal moonshine! Is it still made..? Maybe that’s a silly question! Fingers crossed the rain stays away & I hope things go smoothly, it’s definitely moving along!
Caz xx
I didn't notice that about the house, but now I see it! :D Illegal moonshine is still being made, but now there are a few distilleries nearby making it legally. :) I hope the rain stays away, too. So far so good. Thank you!!
Happy September...hope the rain stays far away.
Thank you!! Me, too. :D
You guys have been busy. That is really cool that you have a spring on your property. Our well water up north is so cold when it comes out, so much different then here in the city. Every time we turn on the water here in the city it comes out super hot. Our pipes run through our attic so they bake all day. It is like boiled water. We have to let it run for awhile before we can use it. We don't even have our water heater on to heat up water here in the city during the summer months because it is so hot here in Phoenix we don't need gas on . Love Spring water, so refreshing.
Wow! That is crazy that the water is that hot. Since we have town water ours can be pretty warm some days, but in the winter it stays cold. At least you're saving energy by not running the water heater. :D I love Spring water, too. It's so amazing how cold and clear it is when it's under the ground. :D