Whole House Renovation in Media:

Windows:

With the project focused around the original request of replacing the existing window units, new high-quality Lincoln double-hung units were ordered to replace the original fixed and casement units which were failing. Once we removed the stucco from the home, we were able to install windows flanged for new construction instead of the typical slide-in replacement units. This allowed us to properly wrap each window to prevent any of the previous leakage problems which had led to some of the damage in the home – if we had merely installed replacement window units without addressing the damage behind the stucco, we would have bought the client some time, but we would not have stopped the problems that were leading to serious structural damage throughout the home. Although the extent of demolition we undertook on the building may seem extreme, it was necessary to repair the home correctly.

Stucco:

The existing stucco was in bad shape and given the fact that we were unsure of the extent of the damage underneath, we advised removing the stucco from the building entirely. As the stucco was being removed we found evidence of the damage we had suspected – the exterior sheathing was deteriorating and several wall members were also in need of replacement. With the stucco removed, we were able to remove any damaged framing members and replace them with ease.

Below are several pictures of the stages of the stucco work and the finished product.

Roof:

The original roof installed was comprised of 15 year shingles, most of which were now failing. The roof was deteriorating so much that the gutters were completely filled with grit from the shingles, leading to conditions of over-flowing water which ran down the walls and created some of the damage in the home. We removed the roof entirely, replaced any damaged pieces of sheathing and created a larger cricket (water diverter) behind the chimney to solve the problem of water backing up in that area. The new roof was installed with 30-year dimensional shingles. The job was completed with new gutters and fascia capped in aluminum to create a maintenance free exterior for the clients.

Skylights:

Interested in updating her home by removing the large bank of skylights and windows, the client asked us to create a more modern look for for her rooms – in order to accomplish this, we removed the existing skylights which were leaking, reframed the roof and installed new Velux units. Following this, all areas were properly insulated, drywalled and painted, creating a fresh, new look. The installation of the new roof, properly flashed this time, solved the water infiltration problems which had lead to the failure of the windows and skylights in the first place.

The next few sections focus on individual rooms in the home: an addition we built during construction, and two rooms that were suffering severe structural damage.

Office:

Midway through the project, the client asked if we could replace their existing screened in porch with a new home office. We demolished the floors and walls in order to install a properly poured footer and block foundation walls. We left the original roof in place in the meantime to give us a bit of protection from the elements while we worked, knowing that it had to be demolished in the near future because some structural members of the roof were pressure-treated, which is a code violation for fire safety reasons. After the foundation was complete, we removed the roof, framed new walls and a new roof and then installed new windows.

The exterior of the office addition was finished with stucco, and solid teak flooring was used on the interior. We also equipped the new office with high speed internet lines, ample electrical service and HVAC ductwork, making sure the office felt like just another room in the home instead of like the porch it was originally.

Breakfast Room:

This room had some of the worst structural damage encountered in the home. Suffering from massive water damage due to the improperly flashed roof overhead and rotting window units, the structural members under the floor were failing, leading to the main beam overhead sinking slightly. This sinking of the beam had caused several windows and doors to become permanently stuck closed or slightly open. As the beam sank, the structural members of the floor were tilted slightly inward, so all the water that was seeping into the failing windows was rolling back along the length of the floor joists causing considerable damage. Upon investigation, we found that water was literally dripping off the floor joists and insulation. The beam was carrying such a load from overhead rooms that the existing rimboards had been noticeably warped. Given the amount of damage occurring continually, it would only have been a matter of time until that section of the home had collapsed completely. In order to stave off any further damage, we removed all damaged members completely and reinforced the rim boards with new members to help carry the load.

After that, we were able to repair the floor, reframe the walls and roof, installing new, properly sealed, window units and skylights. The same teak flooring that was used in the office addition was carried through to this adjacent room.

Basement:

After the stucco had been removed from the building’s exterior, we noticed a considerable amount of rot in the sheathing on the basement walls. We removed the sheathing to discover that almost all of the structural members of the wall were in urgent need of replacement. The studs had sustained enough water damage that they would literally crumble in your hands. This was the same sort of damage we had seen elsewhere in the home, but the amazing thing was that there were no signs of damage on the interior side of those walls.

These two pictures are of the walls prior to any work being performed. There is no sign of water damage visible, and no evidence of the structural damage behind them.

The pictures below show what was really going on behind those walls: water infiltration, structural damage and mold forming conditions.

We began the repairs by creating a temporary prop wall a few feet inside the basement to support the weight of the house while we removed the rotten structural members. The large header over the windows was also suffering from water damage and needed to be replaced. The weight of the house combined with the water damage to the studs had caused that entire side of the house to sink approximately 1”, so we jacked the house back into position before rebuilding the wall. Once the wall was rebuilt we sheathed the entire outside before installing the new windows – this was done to avoid the possibility of any damage to the new units while we removed the existing windows from the living room on the floor above. Once the overhead work was completed, new windows were installed and the finish work was completed.

The saddest part of this project was that the home was only 15 years old – much too young to be exhibiting the kind of deterioration we witnessed. However, we were informed by the homeowner of a family friend who was suffering from worse structural problems in their home – enough that they were considering tearing the home down and starting over again. The home of this family friend was only 4 years old. With the rush of cheap new construction over the past few years, we fear that these kinds of situations will become all too common in the near future.

Most of the damage shown here could have been avoided by taking a few small measures during the original construction of the home. Profits and the need to stay on schedule can often drive people to cut corners in our industry - an unfortunate situation, but a reality none the less. As we drive around, we're seeing more and more evidence of the same problems we saw in the home described on this page. Below are some pictures of some of the warning signs we see. The dark streaks below these windows often point to water infiltration and the potential for structural damage and mold growth.

Right around the corner from where we took these pictures, we found this: windows being installed in new construction in the same manner that the windows we pulled out of the home described above were like: only the bare minimum of water repelling papers and products used. We feel it's only a matter of time until this type of construction leads to the same problems seen above.

Hopefully these problems will not arise, but if it does, we are confident in our abilities to solve them. Below is a link to a 6 ABC Philadelphia news story I came across a while back showing that these problems are starting to arise more and more while the big building companies are trying to keep them quiet: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=consumer&id=4725067

This information is not intended to alarm anyone - we just want our clients to be as educated as possible so they may avoid major problems down the road. If you see the warning signs above on your own home, or are concerned that your home may be on its way to needing major repairs, please give us a call. We're more than happy to take a look and give you a consultation. We'll even just give you a third party opinion so you can be sure that we're not being influenced by the chance to get your business.