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comment by g5w
g5w  ·  1277 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: September 23, 2020

I am in the US. Our local residential building codes only require you to update things if you open the walls for any reason. So, for those rooms that I have remodeled, I had to add insulation, fire-blocking (house is balloon construction), and update the electrical. Basically, if I opened the wall up, I had to update everything in that wall to meet modern codes. If I don't touch it, I don't have to do anything. At this point, I have three rooms left that I plan to remodel, the master bedroom is one of them.

The bigger surprise for me was the framing. I fully expected to have to improve the framing, but the inspector said that it was well done. He even commented that the builder must have gotten a really good deal on nails and didn't skimp on those. :)





user-inactivated  ·  1275 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Basically, if I opened the wall up, I had to update everything in that wall to meet modern codes. If I don't touch it, I don't have to do anything. At this point, I have three rooms left that I plan to remodel, the master bedroom is one of them.

Wowzas. I see now. A of mine brother is re-modeling a new home now, with a healthy chunk of work done alongside handy in-laws. It's a hell of a project, but well worth the money saved (not to mention satisfaction). You thinking of re-doing one of the rooms each summer?

    (house is balloon construction)

Have an example picture of the home structure? I've been exposed to barns converted into homes recently. Is that similar?

Many of those I would be concerned about especially for heavy winds vaulting trees into the side of the home. Sounds like you got lucky with the builder of the home!

g5w  ·  1274 days ago  ·  link  ·  

This is the best I can find for a diagram of balloon construction.

Basically, the studs go from foundation to roof without a break. Then the floors are 'hung' off of the studs. If a fire starts in the basement, it can travel up the wall cavity to the attic and engulf the house very very quickly. In modern construction the first floor is set on the foundation, then the studs for the walls are set on top of the first floor structure, then the second floor structure is built the the first floor walls, etc. So between each level of the house the wall cavity is blocked. To remedy our situation, if I open a wall, I have to create a fire block at top and bottom. Our building inspector just had me cut boards to the size of the cavity between the studs and nail them in place. The building inspector was really nice and helpful in making sure I did it right. I expected a crotchety old man to snap at me for being a bafoon, but he really took the time to explain things and provide advice and guidance on how to do things right.

When we started the remodel, we had crazy ideas that we could get it done in 6 months to a year. So we gutted 9 rooms in a weekend. Then we hit one snag after another, and with kids, work, life in general we just couldn't put in the time needed to make significant progress. It took us five years to get most of the rooms re-framed (moved several interior walls, removed one that was exterior load-baring wall of original part of house), replace half of the windows, two of three exterior doors, wired, plumbed, insulated, sheet-rocked, taped, painted, floored, and fixtures installed. Oh, and siding on about a third of the exterior that had rotted. We converted two walk-in closets into full bathrooms and took out the 28inch wide bathroom at the top of the stairs. Yes, 28 inches wide, by 11 feet long. My wife had to squat and shuffle to get past the sink to the shower when she was pregnant.

We hired out most of the plumbing work, and I worked along side the electrician to pull wire and he upgraded the panel. Otherwise I did all of the work myself (and with occasional help from friends) until this summer. We hired a contractor to put on new roof, gutters, and replace the garage door that I had installed.

To say this project has been long and painful is an understatement. The mental and emotional toll on always needing to do something on the house and take away time from the kids has been enormous. I took off about four years to help coach a youth sport team and for physical health reasons. This summer I have been trying to push through and get stuff done. The big projects (and big wins) are done, but so many small things need my attention now.

Sorry for the wall of text!

user-inactivated  ·  1263 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No worries on the wall of text. 6 months to a year is aggressive given the responsibilities on your plate. Serious power to you for working through it all. I’m watching my brother and sister-in-law ground down to the nubs over the past half year - the helpful, guiding home improvement professionals are a blessing along the way. Seriously impressed with the project of converting the closets into full bathrooms. It sounds as though this is the home you see yourself watching your kids grow older in, no doubt. Once it’s all finished, that’ll be a helluva day.

g5w  ·  1261 days ago  ·  link  ·  

We spent so long working on the house that two of the three kids are adults now. The youngest is a junior in high school. I am hoping to finish everything before she graduates. We missed out on a lot with the kids because of the house. My recommendation is for people to get the 'remodel bug' out of the their system before having kids.