Downstairs demolition 3: Operation Seek Out Scary Surprises

Living in this house since 2000 has taught us that effective planning and execution were not always part of the previous owners’ DIY projects. As Mike Holmes would say, “Did they do it right?” To which he himself would answer, “No, they did not.”

So we decided to find out all the problems ourselves, before we hired anyone to work on our home. This way, we figured, we’d avoid being taken hostage by an “I’ve found a problem” situation that came with a both a major bill and an additional delay. (I know, I know, we’re still expecting cost-escalating, schedule-squashing surprises.)

To uncover the home’s secrets, we had to keep peeling away layers of the onion.

So off came the paneling on the inside wall that separates the lowest level from the utility room. See, this house is built into a hill and the utility room is halfway between the upstairs and the walk-out basement. Think of it as a series of terraced levels.

We found a white concrete wall, poured in a curve and as high as the utility room floor. It seemed to serve as a foundation, which explained the noticeable drop in temperature once we revealed the structure.

There is also a French Drain, now more filled with soil than gravel, into which the paneling had been set (to wick up water). Our theory is that previous owners added this lowest level to the original home, enclosing part of the back yard.

On Saint Patrick’s Day, after doing a full shift at his office job, Matt eschewed drinking green beer for doing demolition. We filled the dumpster on Wednesday, March 19. Not only did we work at night in the rain, we traded our beloved yoga session with terrific Tiffiny for physical labor. There was a deadline to meet: Rebecca’s Roll-offs removed the dumpster on schedule on March 20.

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