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Got a crazy basement trying to get ready to sell house

Got a crazy basement trying to get ready to sell house


  #1  
Old 08-15-17, 12:40 PM
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Got a crazy basement trying to get ready to sell house

Looking for some advice from you good knowledgeable gentlemen about a basement in a 100 year old house. Trying to get the house ready to sell.

House looks pretty good besides the basement. Refinished trim, nice kitchen, outside is painted clean. Just have the basement to decide on what to do.

Got some old columns/ beams that I am thinking of replacing. One tree trunk column(seriously), that has a 1/4 inch crack in it. It is supporting a beam with a bigger crack in it, 3/8 and possibly growing these past few years. The end looks ridiculous as well, they added extra wood to extend the beam to another joist. Might've been passable 100 years ago, but I don't think so today!

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Also have a couple columns/ beams my brother installed a few years back. Looks like he didn't use exactly 4 x 4 lumber. I measured them. One column is 3 5/16 x 3 5/16. And the other column is 3 5/16 x 5 1/2. Beam is 3 1/2 x 5 1/2. Not sure if these are passable since we have changed it and it's not original. From my understanding if it's original it does not have to be up to code, but will get hit if it was updated. Footings are an issue as well, they put new concrete under one, but not sure if any rebar in there. And no footing on other.

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Have an older steel post and beam. No cap on top. Bottom does have a 12" x 12" footing. So we are looking to put a cap on. But from what I understand it needs to be either bolted or welded to the steel beam. Might be able to get a cousin to weld it. But if not we'll have to figure out how to bolt it on. I don't know what kind of drill bit to go through 1/4" steel beam. And the bottom has to be bolted to the footing.

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And we have a crawl space in a room. It's about 250 sq ft. Problem is that it is right next to some old framing/ wall they put up for a closet. The bottom of the framing has dirt right on top of it. I was thinking of possibly going hog wild and removing a couple feet of dirt away from the wall. But unsure, maybe just sell as is. Would really like to cover it well with plastic sheeting. We possibly have radon to deal with. Had a mail n test from Lowes say 13 or 14 last year. Not sure just how reliable those are. But if they run a real test and we get hit on it the dirt will have to be encapsulated, which I see being a problem since the bottom of that dirt is right on the framing. And in that same crawl space room is this bad support:

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Here's the dirt butting up against wall:

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Another pic of dirt along wall for 15 ft:

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I'm going to paint up the basement for sure to make it look clean. We are looking to get a real estate agent in soon to also give opinions. We were thinking of a building inspector maybe. Thank you in advanced! Any advice or opinions is much appreciated!!
 
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  #2  
Old 08-15-17, 02:05 PM
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Paint it & fill the cracks. Don't do anything else unless the buyer's inspector puts it in his report.
 
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Old 08-15-17, 04:44 PM
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Yea, maybe I'm just over thinking it. Make it look clean, see what the real estate agent says. And hopefully someone grabs it without worries.

That tree trunk though, ugh.
 
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Old 08-15-17, 05:06 PM
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see what the real estate agent says
Forget about the agent. Wait for the buyer's inspector. Can you replace the tree with a lolly column?
 
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Old 08-15-17, 05:27 PM
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That's what I would like to do, laly column or just a 4 x 4. Then I got the footing and such. I think it'll be worth it though, could see that being an eye brow raiser and big turn off to many.
 
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Old 08-15-17, 05:45 PM
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Don't go crazy, replace the tree & paint.
 
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Old 08-15-17, 07:21 PM
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Cool, thanks for the advice.
 
 

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