... and up on my roof!
The guys are here to repair the box gutter, soffit, fascia, and even some joists. (I know these words now because I've gotten quite a bit of education about them.)
First, there was setting up the ladders, some sawing to open up the problem area, and then some assessment.
It turns out that the gutter is bowed down slightly in the middle and this is what led to the rotten wood and drips. The bowed gutter is pulling away from the soffit and the joists that are holding this all up are 140 years old. They can't just screw it all back together without strengthening the joists so that makes it into a two-day job rather than just one like they had originally thought.
John likes to see things for himself so he had to get up on the roof and take a look. I was content looking at the pictures that the guy showed me on his phone. I did have to laugh to myself a little because I've learned that whenever John stands with his hands on his hips, he's making an important decision. The decision he made was to fix it right and that doubled the cost.
So we'll see what the final invoice comes to. John and I have taken bets, and my bet is twice what John's is. If you look at those buckets of Gaco Roof and Gaco Patch in the photo below, those materials alone are $450.00 and $250.00 respectively. But look at those nice new boards to repair and strengthen the old joists! I do feel happier knowing that hopefully, the whole gutter assembly won't just rip off the house when we get some heavy snow. I'm not worried that the cost of the repair just doubled because I bought some Powerball tickets so I can pay for it with my winnings. :-)
They've asked me questions about 12 different times, and while I appreciate knowing what's going on, I did have to chuckle at one of the questions. That nice piece of white molding in the photo below is what they are replacing the peeling and rotten fascia with. They are trimming the new molding to match the height of the old stuff, but there is a little lip on the new molding that is about 0.5" higher than on the old one. The head guy wanted to make sure I was okay with that. I almost laughed but told him that I doubted I would be able to even tell the difference standing on the ground, so it was just fine with me.
So that's the view out my windows, doors, and up on the roof. I hope your own views are pleasant (and maybe not costing you too much)!
Oh dear! House repairs are never easy...or cheap...I hope this all goes smoothly and is finished quickly (on time with no over time!). It will be nice to have that peace of mind come winter storms (or heavy rains even).
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about retirement and major home repairs? We went through the same thing when DH first retired....not the soffit stuff, but a new roof, siding, some windows, etc. My philosophy is that once you're retired, you can no longer avoid looking at what needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have a really conscientious team working for you. Hope it all goes smoothly and quickly.
Oy. That is no fun... but necessary. I am going to hope that you do win that power ball, Bonny!
ReplyDeleteI hope they are quick on the finish and your house is winter ready soon!
Houses are never cheap, are they? I would be laughing right along with you at the questions -- there are some things I have strong opinions about, but the measurement of something I can't really see isn't one of them! I hope your PowerBall ticket comes through for you!
ReplyDeleteOh, ugh. It's such a pain to have to do this kind of repair. But it's a Good Thing. Your house will be more snug and you'll be happier knowing it's nice and watertight. I'm sending good Powerball juju your way!
ReplyDeleteYour 140+ year old house will be that much better with proper repairs. Thanks to HGTV I understand all the terms used for your house repair. I love watching old houses being brought back to life and there is always something about "jousts" to be learned. They are SO important. At least you will be able to rest assured your house is sound. Good luck with your lotto!
ReplyDeleteIt's not fun spending money on stuff like this but it's well worth it for the peace of mind that you'll have knowing it was done correctly.
ReplyDeletewowsers that stuff is expensive! Has to be done though, hope it all gets finished nice and promptly (and properly)!
ReplyDeleteyay for home repairs! we had new gutters put on over the summer and I love them!!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I have to spend a large sum of money fixing something around here, I feel badly about it for a few minutes, and then I remember all the homeless people who would be thrilled to live in my house, snug and safe. You have to keep your house up, it's your biggest investment, so I hope John's guess is closer to reality than yours! Have a great weekend with this behind you, I hope.
ReplyDeleteOh man. Home repair is never inexpensive. However the joists do need to be strong enough to support everything else. My husband is a retired appraiser so I have heard the terminology and know enough to be dangerous. Smart move to look at photos rather be on the roof.
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