All Forum Posts by: Jim Goebel

@Robert Collins

@Tom Shallcross

Like Tom, we've also done some late 1800s homes and had the same experiences.  You have to be ready to really get into the structure and take on more work/risk, and with that often comes upside.

We don't 'target' those homes specifically however you may find that in some cases they provide some unique character/opportunity (super old homes, that is).

@Rob Bergeron

@Scott Mac

I'm not making a statement as strong as Scott's but I do see this as a poorly (or not at all) sourced article written by someone with a 'dog in the fight' - it's not totally clear the positioning of this author's company, but this is a paid article (basically, an ad).

That said, increasing rents may be happening.  Who knows.  Bernie wants rent control across the board.  However, that'd be really, really a bad deal both for investors but also cause housing shortages and some of the same issues everywhere that are happening in rent controlled areas. (in my opinion)

@Ronnie Holbert

@Joe Villeneuve

Hi Ronnie; the answer isn't as clear cut as Joe or some others are representing.  There are lots of posts on these forums about using leverage and many touch on the nuance present in evaluating that.  I can come up with external factors where it'd help folks to max out their leverage, and other situations where it has worked against people in a big way.  Further, it's personal and gets into folks risk tolerance levels, as well.

My perspective based on limited experience is that some folks go down a road where they cannot operate without taking on more and more debt over time.  To Joe and some others' credit, I think they represent this as a 'no brainer' however there are plenty of others in this community that have figured out a way to not be leveraged to the hilt.

Max leverage works in some cases but not in others. We are paying ahead on some of our mortgages and I do believe our portfolio and this tactic allow us to enjoy less risk if/when it comes time to exit (properties tend to be maintained and marketable not just as cheap rentals) - keeping that risk low and allowing us the option to exit RE (note the option is valuable, that doesn't mean we have any intention of doing that soon). The other advantage I see of lower debt / LTV is that in a downswing I think we're more likely to be in a better position to buy AND to withstand the pressures present.

I've read others here see it the exact opposite way, and I honestly don't have the experience to really 'know' - meaning, I've heard the opinion that a bank is more likely to call a commercial note in a downswing with 50% LTV because they have more to gain (equity) in taking control of that house with higher equity, vs. the 95% LTV house where the bank has more to loose by taking control of the asset.

@Account Closed

Hi Ray, to answer your question, as always, it depends.  Firstly at the end of the day it's the AHJ's (inspectors) call - however from my experience they usually rely on what are referred to 'prescriptive' methods for design (ie: IRC, span tables for joist sizing, tables that dictate minimum design requirements, etc) and if those prescriptive requirements do not meet an application, that's when often they will either require an engineer, or give some direction if they are comfortable.

When using a sister to an existing framing member, the capacity of the new member should be evaluated but also how it is attached to the existing, as a shearing failure of the screws/lags can occur.  Also, a pulling failure can happen if there's not good wood to attach to.  

Hope that helps a little?

@Ray A Delfi

@Ola Dantis

@Jay Hinrichs

Ray it sounds like you're already thinking of getting a structural engineer out there. At least here, there aren't many that practice actively in residential work, but they do exist.

From that perspective, my comments can be just taken 'for what they're worth' or perhaps to give some perspective as you get an engineer.  I do think this is a project that justifies an engineer.

As Ola touched on, or mentioned, you will want to determine if you have any settling.  That could be a major driver for whether you'll need to do much / anything with the existing masonry wall.  If it's settling, the common fix there is to shore up the footer system, but that entails quite a bit more work as compared to simply shoring up your joist system.

So for some background, this type of setup is how buildings 'used' to be built, in that back in the 1800s and early 1900s masonry walls (as in, structural walls) were the common way they were built when you saw masonry.  It still on very rare occasions is done, and also on rare occasions for retrofit/modification work, you may still look for opportunities to support your structure/joist systems etc with the masonry - however sometime in the early 20th century pure masonry started going out of favor, for structures being built entirely with their wood/steel, and the masonry you saw was then basically an aesthetic detail that was 'tied' to the structure holding everything up.  The mechanism to do that is referred to as a wall tie.

Our house was built in 1929 in Des Moines IA and had already transitioned to this setup.  Luckily that was the case as we had a very significant structural (outward bowing) on the house's north side, due to water entrance in the cavity behind the bricks, causing the wall ties (which are metal) to rust out and fail.  Had these bricks been structural in nature, like your situation, that bowing may have been a fatal flaw and caused us to have to knock the house down. 

@Parker Eberhard

I think Parker has some good thoughts there; I'd like to see more pictures/details of his recommended approach.  I suspect there may be a good design there but you may think about getting a hybrid design from some of the best ideas.

I think Jay mentioned something that may be your most economical solution given that you're going to be replacing some joists, anyways - in a nutshell, you'd be removing joists that are bad (potentially all) - cutting existing joists you're keeping out from the masonry wall (no longer touching), and building yourself a solid ledger type system that you can use hangers for your joists.

I don't know the geometry of the room, but if you can picture a square or rectangular shaped room, you could get by with 4 new footers.  Digging those footers will be some work, for sure.  Harder work if you're not removing joists, from an access perspective.

I also was not formally trained as a structural engineer, so my terminology may not 100% be 'on point' but if you can imagine a new 'ledger board' system that is supported by these 4 footers, and then using joist hangers to support the new joists, that hopefully gives you the visual.

I personally would not mess with supporting something running laterally underneath existing joists, given that you are replacing some joists.  

Yeah this type of project kind of separates the real deal investors and contractors in my opinion from the folks who aren't going to get there.  Thanks for posting and good luck with the project!

@Ray A Delfi

Pictures didn’t scare me but I haven’t found time to reply. Good thread, thank you for posting the pictures. I’ll be back on here soon. 

@Ray A Delfi

@Alex G.

Hi again Ray I also think getting a structural engineer would be apt.  I'd offer to help but I'm not in your area and you said you've got one!

You'd want to make sure your sub floor is out of the way if you're on a crawlspace kind of setup so that all the joists, sill plate, rim joist, and foundation walls are visible.  That way you get the most out of their time.  It sounds like its extensive enough of a project that you'll be re-doing the sub floor and finished floor regardless.

@Chantelle Walker

Yourself!  First understand yourself :)  But an HVAC contractor would have the best chance of knowing the systems and what your options are.  I'd talk to at least 2/3 as at least in my area its hard to find HVAC folks with integrity.

@Chantelle Walker

Hi there,

Well, a separate t-stat without a separate air handler (ie: furnace, blower, etc) will not help you.

You need to see if those separate meters in fact feed two separate 

If someone at the time wired one t-stat output to BOTH units, then that's strange.  You'd have to basically run new t-stat wire to one of the units (the one that feeds the area from an air perspective) and abandon (disconnect) the terminations of the existing wire at that unit.

Watch some youtube videos for how to do those control wire terminations.

@Ray A Delfi

What's your big picture here; with regards to your time?  Do you like the contractor, has he/she been fair?  Some of this gets into what your options are, from a business perspective.  It sounds like you're seeking advice perhaps more on the design/'what' front, rather than making business decisions.  When we reach these forks in the road I like to get other opinions (which you've done here on BP) but if you bring out others that can very clearly communicate their intent, and it differs from your current, I'd listen.

It does sound like you've got some issues and the masonry deteriorating as well sounds like a bad situation.  That said, every challenge is an opportunity!  I've personally not witnessed much stone/masonry going bad, EXCEPT grout, ie: block grout, brick grout etc and then of course shifting/cracking.  I know you may not want to hear this and it will depend on your budget/constraints, but depending on how far down and what sections of masonry (foundation) wall have issues, I'd seriously think about re-pouring or re-laying since you're going to all this effort with essentially re-doing if not all, most of the existing floor joist system.  

Replacing rim joists is tough for multiple reasons, but one of the biggest is that it sits next to your joists, but it also has a bunch of weight on it.  You need to jack up all the weight on top of that existing joist to get it out, which usually includes the sub-floor above (if you don't take that slot out), the bottom plate, the wall, and on up.  It's not trivial to jack up that weight and the way usually to do it would be to detach the existing joists from the rim joists and then any manner of cutting, prying, and hammering that rim joist out.  Not easy.

Then, sliding a new one up is also a challenge.  

You'll have to accomplish something like this is phases, where perhaps you cut back the existing joists to a point, to allow you to get the existing rim joist out and slide a new one in, before taking the entire existing joists out.

Don't forget though that the further you cut your joists back from the load bearing wall that sits on top of the rim joist, the more risk of that weight not being properly supported exists.

Also, keep in mind that now-a-days you have to use something called SILL SEAL which will help water penetration up on the sill plate (you haven't mentioned this but this is usually the board that sits right on top of the masonry/sill).

Also, FIX the ROOT CAUSE (water penetration) of the issue!!!!!!!!!!