Please advise.It would help if we saw pictures of what you are considering.Metal is probably best because it won't dry rot from moisture or contact with the ground and animals can't chew/scratch through it.Any general contractor or a good handyman should be able to help you with this project.

If "dry", no worries except in your control room.

The result is liquidity is going to dry up.  

Get your foam in there, and hope ts not ultra thin or it might lift a little bit from the foam.let Foam dry without weight on it.

You can get away with every two weeks and occasionally every three week in a long dry summer... but then you risk loosing your landscaper.Bob

But yes, I am not surprised to see how dry a tax guy can be.  

I'm really surprised the deal fell through considering it has a full basement that is bone dry and could be easily finished.

When leases dried up and I didn't sell, would I be able to rent?

I'll play devil's advocate here (as someone who also is from Portland, loves the market in our hometown and has also seen a LOT of people get priced out of the market over the years).On one hand, the other posters are correct... in terms monthly cash flow this doesn't loo great, but decisions are rarely that cut and dry. 

I use my surplus dry powder (outside of a tax shelters, e.g.