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Yet another project.

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Home repair projects are lining up faster than ever here at Casa River… and if my husband wants to go back to work instead of enjoying retirement? Then I’m going to spend his reinstated paycheck hiring a contractor to fix the things that need to be fixed.

New driveway? Done.

New windows for the master bedroom? Ordered.

New back deck? Materials being delivered today.

And then there’s the disaster we call a living room ceiling.

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The one that’s been damaged by roof leaks for the the past decade.

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( It doesn’t really look this awful, I had to increase the contrast for the pictures)

Thankfully the cause of the leak was finally found and repaired, but it’s left us with a mess that’s been screaming for help.

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Our house was built in 1974 and an addition was added in 1994. This bump out to the living room included a support beam like structure that has been nothing but trouble.

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It’s slightly sagging in the middle and of course it was also water damaged.

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The problem in fixing and replacing it…. is we don’t really know what’s up there. The only access is through a tiny hole in the den closet and though my husband has crawled up there numerous times, there’s no attic and no way to reach that particular area.

After one contractor quoted us $25,000 to fix it sight unseen, and another quoted $35,000 to completely rework the trusses, we despaired. But the guy who will be doing our back deck and windows agreed to give it a go and brought over some fun equipment to investigate.

This required moving the furniture into a pile on the other side of the room which Lord Dudley Mountcatten did not appreciate.

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How can you fling your mouse off the couch when it’s right next to the coffee table?

Oh, the horror.

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The first step was drilling holes in the ceiling.

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Second step… threading the spy camera lens into the holes.

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Third step… trying to figure out what the hell you’re looking at.

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Fourth step… drawing a highly technical schematic.

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The contractor wasn’t pleased with the outcome, something about overlapping beams and braces and trusses … but agreed to repair and replace it as best he could. This will involve an utter mess and temporary load bearing devices which I’m not looking forward to, but it has to be done.

And until that day?

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We have a beautiful Swiss cheese ceiling to enjoy.

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Good times.

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28 thoughts on “Yet another project.”

  2. No fun for you guys, but I’m going to enjoy the photos. Sorry., I know that’s selfish, but…

    Having opened a ceiling for renovations while having a curious cat who liked to climb (MiMi), let me add, keep Dudley away from the ladders. MiMi was lost up there several times.

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  7. In 2019 we got a quote on repairing our windows. $1000 minimum on the broken/cracked windows, sometning like $5,000 to get them all switched to triple pane. But it was too late in the year. We would have to wait to Spring. Then came Covid. The company couldn’t get materials in 2020, they were held up at the border. Came 2021 they had no workers, Covid took two of their employees and another had long Covid. In 2022 they did a new quote — $15,000! We declined. 2023 the company went bankrupt.
    We understood they couldn’t honour the original quote, but triple the price! We still have 1 broken window and 2 cracked windows, but they are sealed up for winter. We can’t afford to fix them on our fixed incomes. The renovation industry has gone crazy up here in the middle of nowhere! Its either DIY, or hire a company from the city, and they want us to pay their worker’s travel expenses on top of everything else. We just hope nothing else cracks or breaks…
    Good luck with the renos. Lord Dudley might be scared of strangers, but he is still a cat — curious! A hole in the ceiling with a ladder to climb? Zoom and gone!

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    1. Seven years ago we replaced 15 windows for just over $6,000… installed. The 5 windows we just ordered? $5,000. And that’s not counting the labor to put them in. It’s crazy!
      But rest assured, no ladder access will be left unattended. His Lordship will not be climbing.
      😉

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  9. Having an older home is always an adventure, right? I’m happy that you found someone willing to help you out without taking ALL your money. (I suppose, it’s not done yet, so there’s still time for that part. 😳)

    I had a giggle at The Lord’s face on the new furniture placement update. LOL

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    1. I’m sure he’ll take more money than we want to give, but it has to be done.
      I can only imagine how this repair… giant gaping hole in ceiling and pump jacks holding it up…. is going to affect the cat.
      He will not be pleased.
      🥴

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