This Old House - Foundation and porch

Realized that I've done more to my house but not posted here about any of it.  Wow, It's like I've lost interest in blogging or something.  Well, here goes.

Decided to get the front porch redone as "Step 1" of the needed renovations.  Pictures below show old and new porch.  Was originally planning on doing it my self but thankfully came to my senses and hired a friend whose crew had some down time between major projects.

Needed leveling first as there was some rot underneath, stemming from the fact that the original front porch wasn't enclosed and I'm pretty sure that the initial enclosure was done in a bit of a slap-dash manner.  This was where it got interesting.

My house (two stories of 113 yo home) was supported on 4x4 posts sitting on pieces of busted up concrete rubble.  The contractor replaced all the 4x4 with piers and 6x6 posts and started to level it out.  Got it leveled and then went into the house to check on something, giant bubble running through the dining room about a foot and a half from the center wall.  Turned out that the main joist was a foot and a half off center line.  Resupported along the center line and moved the joist over to where it should have been.

Then tore out the front porch floor, removed the front door, replaced the 2x4 joists in the front porch with 2x8s, then redid the floor with a laminate that we had chosen.  

Not only does the floor of the house no longer bounce as I walk around (except for the kitchen which is upcoming) but I have a beautiful front porch that doesn't leak when we get a rainy windstorm.

 

Next step, upstairs bathroom.  Same contractor will be doing it as it turns out they cut the joist when they put in the original bathroom, so the house is sagging right there.  No way is that a DIY project for me.  Below is a teaser of the current bathroom.  And yes, they did glue the bathtub tiles to the original window.