Friday 16 August 2013

The Digging is Finished!

Our contractor and his team finished excavating under our Little Blue House! This is great news for us, because it means that the hemorrhaging of money will slow down somewhat, and most importantly, that the underside of the tiny Victorian house will finally dry out.

The house currently sits atop temporary cribbing, and we have decided to go ahead with proper footings before winter. Our contractor suggested pouring the cement footings and doing the next phase of work with new beams and posts in order to avoid more settling when the ground is wet next spring. He will level the house first, after installing new beams underneath it.

I showed these photos to my dad recently, and he commented that not only are we "in the river and swimming," but that we can literally see the other side!

It's still a bit frightening to know that the floor had to be removed from the master bedroom, due to the beams and some joists being rotten there... But it meant that the excavation went more smoothly and quickly, because the team was able to get underneath the house, where there was no space to work before. It simply sat directly on top of the soil.

The good news is that the floors in the kitchen and parlour are in good shape - they are dry and we will be able to save them. The floors, underneath the linoleum, are made of fir, and I think they will look gorgeous once they're refinished (someday). We will leave scars and imperfections, as they are a testament to the history of this place, in all its 115 years.

Excavation Seen from Underneath the Bedroom
Looking Toward the Front of the House
Little Blue House, August 2013

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