# rafters pushing the wall out



## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

I would get 3 or more estimates on how much this will cost to repair.
Ask the contractor if it can be fixed, how serious the problem is and if there are any other problems associated with this slanted wall.

If you find that the problem can be fixed for a modest price and will be stable/safe in the long run then you could proceed with the purchase.

If you found out by the contrator that this is serious problem and the cost will be high then you could walk away from the property or get the seller to reduce the price of the home to make the repair.

Was this problem noticeable when you looked at the house?

The rafters should not push the walls outward if there are ceiling/attic joists. The attic joist should hold the walls from spreading away from the rafters. Or there should rafter ties that hold the roof from spreading.

Have you gone into the attic and looked for any further probelms?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

How much does the wall push outward? 

How much of the wall length is leaning? (1 foot, 5 feet, 10 feet...)

Did you ask the owner how long this problem is been left like this?

If you look at the roof from the exterior, are there any dips, sags or other problem?

Could you post a photo of the problem?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Well..it wasnt obvious to me from outside when i looked at it. 2nd floor cieling and this leaning wall did have some gap of about an inch . I did go into the attic with the inspector...there was about a gap of 6 inches on this side of the house. roof has sags.. it is very old...

ownner denied he knew anything about this. house is old ..was built in 1920s.

Seller agreed to pay for the repairs but my concern is whether the property would lose value after repairs . would i have difficulty in reselling the house should i need to.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

christy123 said:


> Well..it wasnt obvious to me from outside when i looked at it. 2nd floor cieling and this leaning wall did have some gap of about an inch . I did go into the attic with the inspector...there was about a gap of 6 inches on this side of the house. roof has sags.. it is very old...
> 
> ownner denied he knew anything about this. house is old ..was built in 1920s.
> 
> Seller agreed to pay for the repairs but my concern is whether the property would lose value after repairs . would i have difficulty in reselling the house should i need to.


As suggested, you should get some estimates on the cost to fix. 
It sounds like it could be?:
Broken or damaged rafters at that point.
Separation of rafters from the ridge beam.
It is hard to tell...as it depends on the type of framing as well...Balloon framing?

If it is repaired, it will not effect the value of the home at all. (Home repairs are not like a car that has a bent frame and has been repaired)
Also:
Remember that estimates are usually free 99% of the time.... in the contracting field. 

BTW- Just remember that a house in such a condition, built in the 1920's may require other work.....$$$

Good Luck.


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> Home inspectotion revealed that one of the walls ( 2nd floor) is leaning outwards being pushed by rafters.
> 
> ...


Did the home inspection find any other problems with the house?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

How old is the furnace?

How old is the roof? How many layers of shingles?

Is the foundation in good shape?

Is there water in the basment or prior presence of water?

Is the plumbing copper? If it is older plumbing then it may need updating.

How old are the water and sewer lines going to the public road way?

How old is the electrical system? Is it breakers or fuses?
How many amps to the main electrical panel?

How old are the windows? Do they need replacement?

Is the exterior maintenance free or will it require painting?

Is the house insulated?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Furnace is very old but inspector said that there would be no issues in near future..

Roof is > 20 years old ...seller had agreed to pay for it even before the inspection..it is 2 layer shingles.
Foundation is in good shape but they had water last year during heavy rains...there are no drains or sump..

plumbing is mixed..old and new

water and sewer lines are old....

Electric system is breaker and they have mix of old and new wiring

most of the windows have been recently...

exterior is clap board would need paint....house is insulated.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

electrical is 100 amps


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> Furnace is very old but inspector said that there would be no issues in near future..
> 
> If the furnace is older than 10-15 years old then it may be better to lower your purchase price because a new system may cost over $5,000 depeding on the size.
> 
> ...


Any areas of lead based paint or asbestos?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Is this the first house you have ever purchased?

It was a very good decision to have an inspector. Does the inspector offer a warranty on his evaluation?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Is this the first house you have ever purchased?
> 
> It was a very good decision to have an inspector. Does the inspector offer a warranty on his evaluation?




yes this would me first house...

basement has asbestos tiles... lead is expected in a home this old...

i dont believe inspector offers warranty but he is from a very reputed company


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

If the furnace is older than 10-15 years old then it may be better to lower your purchase price because a new system may cost over $5,000 depeding on the size. 

I had taken this into consideration when made the offer...my offer was baout 15% lower than asking price


 Make sure that they tear of all layers and put on a completely new roof or adjust the pruchase price lower to reflect the cost. A new roof may cost close to $10,000 depending on the size. 

 
will take this into consideration------

Is this a dirt floor basement or cement ?

Is the a basement finish and used as living space or just storage? 

basement has cement ... it is part finished ...there is bar in the basment...it probably was used for entertaining and parties

plumbing is mixed..old and new



water and sewer lines are old....

 This can be expensive to replace because the ground will need to be dug up. How far is the house from the road or water and sewer tie in? The longer the run the more expensive the cost. 

House is right off the street..


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

Potential for a costly repair. The ceiling joists normally act to tie the outside walls together so they can't be pushed by the thrust of the rafters. There is either way to large a spacing on the ceiling joists( a not too common occurance, but I have seen this in old houses), remember lots of these houses were not professionally built, and there were no codes then, or insufficient fasteners are failing at the ceiling joist/ top plate connection; this was only a couple of toe nails before metal connectors were required.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

ok ..i had a structural engineer take a look at the property. He was more optimistic. He said birds mouth of the rafters were slipping off. he said it will continue to move outward about an inch in next 70 years. he advised against pulling back the wall. instead h said movement could be slowed by putting a knee wall under the rafters and removing current 2 or 3 layer roof and replacing it with one layer.

what you guys think?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Is the wall being pushed out or just the rafters sliding?

Can you post a photo of the outside rafter area?

If the rafters are just sliding down then this should be corrected when the new roof is put on. I would have the roofers replace the rafters that appear to have any problems. 

How far apart are the rafters spaced? (16 inches on center, 24 inches on center...)

Is the ridge beam level and straight?


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## bill123 (Sep 2, 2006)

Hi don't know if this is of any help? but I had this same problem it was caused due to the age and deteriation off the bracing wires in the roof space this was rectified by replacing the wire braces with wooden struts fixed from one side of the roof to the other ie fixed to one rafter then to the rafter on the other side of the loft all in all there where 5 struts installed and it was relitively cheep to do and effective.

Regards Bill


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Is the wall being pushed out or just the rafters sliding?
> 
> wall is pushed...mosly in the middle.. other side of the house has partial brickwall..so no problems on other side.
> 
> ...


 not sure


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

bill123 said:


> Hi don't know if this is of any help? but I had this same problem it was caused due to the age and deteriation off the bracing wires in the roof space this was rectified by replacing the wire braces with wooden struts fixed from one side of the roof to the other ie fixed to one rafter then to the rafter on the other side of the loft all in all there where 5 struts installed and it was relitively cheep to do and effective.
> 
> Regards Bill


will keep this in mind..thank you


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

I asked prior if there were rafter ties (collar ties).

See the website below and it will show you what a collar tie (rafter tie) looks like. It helps to keep the roof rafters from spreading apart if a load is on the roof. If one lives in area with snow then it is recommended. Or if many layers of roofing are added.

You will also see in the diagram on the below website that the purlin (knee wall) also helps to support the roof under load.

Is the engineer saying to put the knee wall in the attic area?

Diagram appears at the bottom of the web page.

http://www.mcvicker.com/resguide/page010.htm


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Is the ridge beam level and straight?



christy123 said:


> not sure


You will also see the location of the ridge beam on the diagram on the above website.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

As they say...eyes cant see what mind doesnt know!

As far as I recall there were no collar ties..i dont think i paid attention to ridge beam ..engineer didnt comment either.

yes..he is suggesting putting knee wall in attic...


is it possible to pull the wall back .....if so how much would all this cost?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> is it possible to pull the wall back .....if so how much would all this cost?


It should be possible to pull the wall back. It would be easier/less expensive to do when the old roof is being removed. Once the rafters were loosen in the area then the ceiling joist (attic floor joists) would need to be loosened and then the wall would be moved back into position. Then the rafters and joists would be re-nailed to hold the wall in the proper position. I would install metal brackets on the lower sections of the rafters where they intersect with the top plate (see diagram on website - shown as double plate) to give more strength to the rafters and wall area.

How long is the exterior wall of this room that has the slanted wall?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> How long is the exterior wall of this room that has the slanted wall?


24 feet...movemnet is mostly in the middle...


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

It is hard to give an accurate price to repair the slanted wall without seeing the problem, not knowing the extent of the probelm, not knowing the area (pricing) that you are located in...

But I would estimate that it may cost between $500-$1,000 to move the wall back if done when the roof is being torn off. Could be less or could be more???

You could call your local contractors and have estimates written up.


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Did your purchase offer have conditions that the house must pass an inspection for the offer to be valid?

If you are go to get a loan thru a bank then the bank would have evaluate the property prior to approval.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> It is hard to give an accurate price to repair the slanted wall without seeing the problem, not knowing the extent of the probelm, not knowing the area (pricing) that you are located in...
> 
> But I would estimate that it may cost between $500-$1,000 to move the wall back if done when the roof is being torn off. Could be less or could be more???
> 
> You could call your local contractors and have estimates written up.


thanks so much for your help..I am in Rhode Island..

so should be talking with a roofer or a general contractor?

thanks again


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Who would be responsible for this repair? The seller or you (buyer)?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> thanks so much for your help..I am in Rhode Island..
> 
> so should be talking with a roofer or a general contractor?
> 
> thanks again


general contractor because this involves more than just roofing.


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

christy123 said:


> thanks so much for your help..I am in Rhode Island..
> 
> so should be talking with a roofer or a general contractor?
> 
> thanks again


Christy,

A roofing contractor will take care or the "Roof Shingles" not the framing.

Your better off with a qualified contractor or a framing contractor.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Who would be responsible for this repair? The seller or you (buyer)?


Seller..hopefully..otherwise i will back off..seller has already agreed to give me a credit for a new roof...Inspector said roof had severe wear ( but yesterday engineer said it was in good condition but suggested to replace it since it was too heavy)


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Did the inspector find any other problems with the house besides the slanted wall?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Did the inspector find any other problems with the house besides the slanted wall?


no nothing structural..he said even if left untreated the will move about an inch in next 60-70 years


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

No plumbing, electric, chimney, cracked walls, crooked floors... issues that may need attention or cost a large amount of money to repair?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> No plumbing, electric, chimney, cracked walls, crooked floors... issues that may need attention or cost a large amount of money to repair?


.

plumbing is a mix of old and new...old probably would need to be replaced soon.

electric is a mess too ...100 amps circuit breaker with some very old wiring and lot of ammteur work.

chimeney...needs cleaning ..thats all i was told

no cracked walls or crooked floors ( carpeted )but basement and den has asbestos floors.

thee have wall paper all over ...would need to remove them and have painted 

carpets need to be removed and hard floors refinished...

it needs exterior paint...has cedar siding..paint is cracked and most likely has lead..

any idea how much this would cost? house is about 1700 sq ft


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> .
> 
> plumbing is a mix of old and new...old probably would need to be replaced soon.
> 
> ...


Did the inspector say that all this needs to be done?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Did the inspector say that all this needs to be done?


No he said "aprroaching end of life" and monitor.... for old plumbing.... he rated electric as "fare" commenting that sowe of the wiring was old and would need to be monitored

engineer was very skeptical of old wiring though..he suggested me to get an electrician

will be removing wallpaper and carpets for cosmetic reasons..

would replace asbestos floors for health reasons....although asbestos floors appear to be in good condition except for a few broken tiles but who knows dust may be flying all over


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> No he said "aprroaching end of life" and monitor.... for old plumbing.... he rated electric as "fare" commenting that sowe of the wiring was old and would need to be monitored
> 
> engineer was very skeptical of old wiring though..he suggested me to get an electrician
> 
> ...



It sounds like the current owner has not made repairs or keep the place up very well.

I would get estimates for the wiring, plumbing, furnace and any other repairs that may be needed before you continue with the pruchase.

How long has this house been on the market? (weeks, months or longer)


You said that the chimney needs to be cleaned. Does this have a fireplace?

If the furnace gets replaced then the chimney will more than likely need a liner installed unless you install a high efficiency one that vents out the side of the house.

Have you had other family, friends, relatives... look at the house and get feedback from them?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> .
> 
> plumbing is a mix of old and new...old probably would need to be replaced soon.
> 
> ...


Plumbing could cost from $2,000 and up depending how much work needs to be done. This would be just for the water supply lines and not the drain lines.

How many bathrooms?

What are the major electrical appliances? (hot tub, electric dryer, central a/c, electric heat...)

The electrical is 100 amps. If you have a large family and use a considerable amount of electrical appliances than you may want to go to 150 or even 200 amp main service. 

To upgrade from the power pole to the house main service panel could cost from $1500+ depending on if it is 150 or 200 amps for the main panel.

To replace the wiring in the house could range from $2,000+ depending on how many circuits there are, the size, accessibility...

The cost to correct the slanted wall may be 2 or 3 times higher if not done when the roof is replaced. The wall would be harder to move with all the weight of the roof on it.

Have you checked comps for this house?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Plumbing could cost from $2,000 and up depending how much work needs to be done. This would be just for the water supply lines and not the drain lines.
> 
> How many bathrooms?
> 
> ...


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Comps or comparables are the selling prices of houses that are similar to yours and have sold recently. This will tell you if you are paying too much for the house or if you are paying a reasonable price for the house. You should be able to ask your real estate agent for these comps (comparables) listing. This will give you a general idea but you have to understand that it is difficult to compare houses because there are many factors that go into the price of a house.


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Keep us updated as to the progress with the purchase of the house:thumbup:


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Comps or comparables are the selling prices of houses that are similar to yours and have sold recently. This will tell you if you are paying too much for the house or if you are paying a reasonable price for the house. You should be able to ask your real estate agent for these comps (comparables) listing. This will give you a general idea but you have to understand that it is difficult to compare houses because there are many factors that go into the price of a house.


oh... I think i got a good deal.... ..definitely


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Keep us updated as to the progress with the purchase of the house:thumbup:



Will definitely keep you posted....you have been a great help.

Javid


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

You are welcome and best wishes with your first house:clap: .


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Ok..I got the written report from the engineer today..this is what it reads: building is balloon framed..there is considerable bulge in soffit along the right side of the building which is due to framing in the attic...attic floor joists run front to back and roof framing is left to right. result is that triangles formed by roof rafters are solely connected by collar ties..collar ties have been installed near the peak to allow for usable space in attic. rafters are 2x6 and their nsupported length is too long to resist sagging.. a result is that as rafter tails elongate, cause the soffit to belly and upper part of wall studs to bend outward..short of reframing entire roof , we suggest a cheaper alternative...a knee wall be installed netween collar tie and edge of the roof...... Ok ...now does this change the scenario?...how much would it cost to reframe entire roof?


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

christy123 said:


> Ok..I got the written report from the engineer today..this is what it reads: building is balloon framed..there is considerable bulge in soffit along the right side of the building which is due to framing in the attic...attic floor joists run front to back and roof framing is left to right. result is that triangles formed by roof rafters are solely connected by collar ties..collar ties have been installed near the peak to allow for usable space in attic. rafters are 2x6 and their nsupported length is too long to resist sagging.. a result is that as rafter tails elongate, cause the soffit to belly and upper part of wall studs to bend outward..short of reframing entire roof , we suggest a cheaper alternative...a knee wall be installed netween collar tie and edge of the roof...... Ok ...now does this change the scenario?...how much would it cost to reframe entire roof?


Um....with the demolition, haul-away...new structural improvements, new framing, new roof components, drip edges, soffit, fascias, rake boards, misc. trim on roof line, new shingled roof, gutters, add on the extra man power to do it quickly.......$15,000 to start.

As suggested, the better option ($$) is to install the knee walls and additional braces ....We have done this exact thing on a house(We also added additional collar ties that were wider and these we, sistered-up on both sides of every other rafter).......MUCH CHEAPER REPAIR and very strong.... City Building inspector signed off on the improvement too... and even wrote "nice work" on the permit.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

AtlanticWBConst. said:


> Um....with the demolition, haul-away...new structural improvements, new framing, new roof components, drip edges, soffit, fascias, rake boards, misc. trim on roof line, new shingled roof, gutters, add on the extra man power to do it quickly.......$15,000 to start.
> .


 Is it necessary to demolish it . I was planning to do the roof again anyway....cant we just pull the wall back in and reinforce the current rafters...with bigger collar ties..etc


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

christy123 said:


> Is it necessary to demolish it . I was planning to do the roof again anyway....cant we just pull the wall back in and reinforce the current rafters...with bigger collar ties..etc


It 'may' be possible.
But, I am sorry that I can't give you a definite answer without actually seeing & inspecting the home's roof structure. 
My advice is:
Get some prices and some references from qualified and experienced FRAMING contractors. I say FRAMING ,because these are the guys that really know the structural issues and can fix it for minimal cost (if possible to repair). I know one Homeowner that got a quote for structural repairs of $50K from 2 General Contractors. My business partner's brother who is a Master Framing Contractor (he's built about 1000 custom homes....) did the work for less than $10K. 

- my 2 cents -


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

AtlanticWBConst. said:


> It 'may' be possible.
> But, I am sorry that I can't give you a definite answer without actually seeing & inspecting the home's roof structure.
> My advice is:
> Get some prices and some references from qualified and experienced FRAMING contractors. I say FRAMING ,because these are the guys that really know the structural issues and can fix it for minimal cost (if possible to repair). I know one Homeowner that got a quote for structural repairs of $50K from 2 General Contractors. My business partner's brother who is a Master Framing Contractor (he's built about 1000 custom homes....) did the work for less than $10K.
> ...


 do you know of any good framing contractors in Rhode Island area?


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

christy123 said:


> do you know of any good framing contractors in Rhode Island area?


Sorry, I do not. Check around, does your State have a registered contractor website?

Remember to get references too.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

AtlanticWBConst. said:


> Sorry, I do not. Check around, does your State have a registered contractor website?
> 
> Remember to get references too.


 I found out in RI anyone can become a builder as long as they can pay a registration fee and show proof of insurance...you dont need to have any skills or proof of financial stability... http://ww2.wpri.com/Global/story.asp?S=3325113&nav=F1Ky thats scary..... I couldnt find the website


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

christy123 said:


> I found out in RI anyone can become a builder as long as they can pay a registration fee and show proof of insurance...you dont need to have any skills or proof of financial stability... http://ww2.wpri.com/Global/story.asp?S=3325113&nav=F1Ky thats scary..... I couldnt find the website


Yes, it doesn't surprise me. I had looked into the whole thing a few years ago with the Government offices. We were doing repairs on a develpoment in Providence. The person on the phone said that it was just a matter of time when they will go to an actual Licensing arrangement. I wish I could help you out more. Try checking your online yellow pages and your actual yellow pages and then get references from those that you find....


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Is the seller going to cover the cost of this repair?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Yes, he is. 

I will be closing sometime next week. 

I talked to a framing contractor about the roof issues. he said he will charge $900/day ( crew of 3 or 4 people + tools) plus the cost of matrial which he said shouldnt be more than $500. 

He said he has lot of experience and has done similar jobs in the past. Do his carges seem reasonable? What you guys think?

Thanks

Christy




redline said:


> Is the seller going to cover the cost of this repair?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> I talked to a framing contractor about the roof issues. he said he will charge $900/day ( crew of 3 or 4 people + tools) plus the cost of matrial which he said shouldnt be more than $500.
> 
> He said he has lot of experience and has done similar jobs in the past. Do his carges seem reasonable? What you guys think?
> 
> ...


What will he be addressing with the roof?

Did other people recommend him?

How many days did he say the job should take?

Do you have a written agreement/contract that specifies what will be done? 

Do not pay for all the work upfront.

Has he any references?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> What will he be addressing with the roof?
> 
> Did other people recommend him?
> 
> ...


He is an experienced framing contractor. He hasnt looked at the roof yet. He will visit the location this weekend after i get the possesion of the house sometime this week. I think I should not have posted until he had seen the roof.

Will repost after i get a written assesment/quote from him.


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

I believe that you stated that the roof needs to be replaced and the wall that bows out ward needs repair.

Is this contractor going to replace the roof or repair the bowed wall?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> Will repost after i get a written assesment/quote from him.



Closing on a new house around the holidays can be time consuming.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Ok everyone closed on the house last week. I will be posting in specific forums as well now on. I appreciate your help. it did help a lot.


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

What other areas or projects do you think you will be addressing with your new house?


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

remove wallpaper and paint entire house, remove carpets, sand and refinish hardwood floors. Fix the roof framing..actually this one is the one I want done first....

I had 3 electricians look at the wiring...all of the told me that wiring was probably put in 70s and was in good condition...they just suggested to add some GFIs in kitchen and bath .


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

One thing I forgot to mention...the garage door has a problem..it goes more than 3/4th down smoothly then stops suddenly and goes up again...I managed to close the door by stopping it as soon as it starts to go in upward direction....and then puching the remote to close it again...it takes several attempts before i can shut it. I cleaned the lasers ....there is no obvious block in the tracks...

Door opener has the warranty( Seller's brokers offered home warranty) but it will cover the motor only....not the springs or the door itself.

Wonder if it is the motor?


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> One thing I forgot to mention...the garage door has a problem..it goes more than 3/4th down smoothly then stops suddenly and goes up again...I managed to close the door by stopping it as soon as it starts to go in upward direction....and then puching the remote to close it again...it takes several attempts before i can shut it. I cleaned the lasers ....there is no obvious block in the tracks...
> 
> Door opener has the warranty( Seller's brokers offered home warranty) but it will cover the motor only....not the springs or the door itself.
> 
> Wonder if it is the motor?



Check to see if the safety sensors (lasers) are aimed correctly.

iIf the motor is older than 8 to 10 years it is probably time for a new motor. If it is under warranty then have it changed now before the warranty runs out.

You could also look at the rollers and see if the bearings are worn. If the bearings are worn then it creates resistance when the door is moving and will tell the motor (safety sensor) that there may be a blocked when there really is not one.

The motor should also have adjustements for the sensitivity as the when it will reverse for a blockage. If you turn up the adjustment slightly and the door operates properly then it may due to worn parts.

You should also be able to disconnect the drive (motor) from the door and see if you can open and close the door on your own. If the door moves freely by hand then it may indicate that it is the motor getting worn.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> Check to see if the safety sensors (lasers) are aimed correctly.
> 
> iIf the motor is older than 8 to 10 years it is probably time for a new motor. If it is under warranty then have it changed now before the warranty runs out.
> 
> ...


I did disconnect the door the drive, the door came crashing down. Does that indicate springs have gone bad? I learnt to guide the door down slowly...it shuts fine..no resistance

How do i make sure sensors are aligned properly? Motor is probably older than 10 years. WIll check the bearings and will also adjust sensistivity later today


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

christy123 said:


> I did disconnect the door the drive, the door came crashing down.


That should not have allowed the door to crash. The springs should act as a counter balance.
Is this an all wood door or steel (metal) door?
Is this a single door or a double door?
Do you know if the motor uses a chain, belt or screw to raise/lower the door? 
There may be a label on the side of the motor housing.

Is this a torsion spring or coil spring?
If it has two springs on both sides just above the upper (horizontial) rails then they are coil. 
If it has one spring just above the near the door opening then it is a torison. 


-----------------
Not advisable to try and adjust these. Could cause serious injury if done incorrectly.


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> Does that indicate springs have gone bad? I learnt to guide the door down slowly...it shuts fine..no resistance


The springs may need to be looked at. Are the cables loose?
Can you post a photo of the springs?



> How do i make sure sensors are aligned properly? Motor is probably older than 10 years. WIll check the bearings and will also adjust sensistivity later today



Some sensors have a red light that will indicate if the sensors are lined up. Should be on top of the sensor.


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

redline said:


> That should not have allowed the door to crash. The springs should act as a counter balance.
> Is this an all wood door or steel (metal) door?
> Is this a single door or a double door?
> Do you know if the motor uses a chain, belt or screw to raise/lower the door?
> ...



Surprisingly today the door closed alright with some hesitation towards the end. I dont have answwers to most of your questions. Will have to go back, look around, may be take some shots...will report back in a couple of days


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Ok...today I met someone who made some sense ...looked like he knew what he was talking about ...he said he was a master capenter and had built several new houses in the neighborhood where I live. Offered references.

He measured with a string and told me that top plate had moved out about 6 inches in the middle. Wall underneath has moved about 2 inches.

He said the ridge of the roof was too small . he said one of the solutions would be to replace the ridge with a structural ridge. He claimed that we wouldnt need the collar ties after that. he will work by hour and even offered to strip and replace the shingles at the hourly rate.

I took some pictures of the attic today. Will post the link in a short while


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Just posted link with attic pictures....in carpenter forum


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Got some more information about the door opener



redline said:


> Is this an all wood door or steel (metal) door?
> 
> It seemed like woo door in a metal frame
> Is this a single door or a double door?
> ...


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## christy123 (Oct 13, 2006)

Got some more information about the door opener. Please note my responses in Red.



redline said:


> Is this an all wood door or steel (metal) door?
> 
> It seemed like wood door in a metal frame
> 
> ...


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