Hi from DC! Anyone want free labor? :)

By trim, I assume you're referring to this stuff:



Is this something I can realistically expect to remove without damaging the siding? Is it something I can replace without digging the siding off and replacing that too?

Basically, I dont want to get too deep before I even realize it


edit: I went to look at it; and I pulled back the bottom trim a little bit where the caulking was totally trashed. I tried to get a picture, this is underneath.

The left piece of trim is the bottom sill right now. The right is whats underneath, which appears and feels like another layer of metal trim. Hmph.

I would think you should be able to cut the caulking and pull a few nails, but, you never know until you start digging. If you do, start with the top one and work your way down the window.

I don’t think you have to worry about the porch being vented it’s open on the bottom and is getting all the venting it needs. The main roof is a different issue and looks to have no soffit vents, assuming all 4 sides are the same. Have you been in the attic space?

Your downstairs windows look like what’s in my house. Original double hung with sash cords and weights and then triple track storm windows on the outside. Like yours mine are pretty dated but mine are still working fine. Your upstairs windows look like modern replacement windows that were fit to the old openings and trimmed in. it does look like the caulking is in bad shape and hasn’t been kept up.

What is it about the siding you don’t like? Just the dated look of the wider spacing, the color, etc? If it’s just the color it can be painted with great results. You need to divide the projects up between structural and cosmetic and look at your budget and time frame if you want to do the work yourself. A builder with a crew look at these projects much different in terms of time than the DIYer. If cost isn’t that important and you have lots of time residing the whole house and new windows won’t be a problem. But having done both of these jobs alone on a two story house I know how fast they can wear you down. Sometimes you can change the curb appeal without making huge changes, if the stuff that’s there is doing its job.

I don’t want to discourage you from trying it all if you want to just plan it in steps and plan on it spanning out over a few years.

Thanks! It's all insight I'm happy to hear.

Re: Siding - I know its not an urgent priority, but it does look like it's worse for wear. Uneven in spots, there's one panel that seems to have an issue with popping out (I'll get a picture in short order). And it just seems it was done as a bit of a hack job, lots of finishing details seem problematic at best. I'll get some pictures of what I'm talking about.

That said, I've been considering just having a company out to do some repair on the spots that are annoying, and just paint for now as you suggested; I think there's a lot of merit there.

Would you suggest just repairing the caulking, cleaning up, and re-painting the trim on the window that's got caulk issues? Seems like the lowest effort to results ratio, but I want to be sure I'm not missing something in the process.

I'm sure I'm overthinking a lot of this

And now I'm thoroughly worried. Ugh.

For reference, I'm showing the circled part of the house, just to the right of the porch.





Here you can see, right up against the outside corner, there is a small piece of siding missing.


Closer view to follow due to picture limit.

Here is a closer view, showing that behind there there is a piece of wood, thats on it's side, vertical, that has obvious water damage / rot the second image is just to highlight the profile of this board:


Next steps?


edit: In the basement, on the rim joist in that area is looks as if a new joist was sistered in, but the rotted piece is still evident from the outside. Everything seems solid inside from the basement. Seems.

The main thing first and foremost is function and keeping rain sheading off the house as best you can. Neal’s suggestion of doing a little investigation as to what’s under it and how it was installed is a real good idea. Chances are your siding was well done but back in the day there was a craze of people wanting to take their old house and cover it in easily maintained space age aluminum or munimula spelled backwards. So there was everybody and their brother with a truck and a ladder going door to door selling it. The condition of the house below it is what’s really important, and what you need to get a feel for. Sealing up the seams for sure needs to be redone based on your pics.

Your porch is outdoor space. Why would it need to be vented?

The storm windows are typical 1970s-80s vintage. They would normally be added on and fastened that way. They will be easy to take off and not necessary when you replace the old double-hung windows.

Neal; I always the thought the point of replacement windows was so they don't interfere with the siding or require any adjustments there except for flashing. I'm curious why you think he should combine those two projects (siding & windows).

Modern ridge vents are almost invisible from the outside. You probably need to get up in the attic to take a look for those. The roof sheathing would have an opening (a slot most likely) along the very top of the ridge.

Anyone have any thoughts on the piece up front thats rotted? I think its rim joist and/or just the corner exterior finishing of such. Not sure enough to say. Still looking into it.

That looks to me to be part of the porch framing. I agree it wasn’t sealed up to well but wouldn’t be overly worried about it. Wood turns color and that not rot. I keep an ice pick in my tool box and use it to test wood. I think I would try and close that opening off better.

The upstairs windows looked to me to be replacement also. You can tell by looking in the track top and bottom for mounting screws. The upper screws will be behind a strip that slides down most of the time. Sometimes the screws are capped with a plastic plug. After they did the windows it looks like they just wrapped the trim with aluminum and sealed it at the corners and that’s what is pulling away now.

Well, the piece that I highlighted (outlined in the red rectangle) is back inside the house further, and it's very definitely rotted (I can poke with a finger and tell).

The upstairs is definitely replacement windows though. I agree, and I'll probably clean up / re-caulk those for now.

If it’s rotted then that will be a good starting point no ladders required to open things up a little and see what you have. Also in most cases the bottom edge will be one of the areas that will be in the worst shape, that and below windows on each side. Aluminum requires a little more finesse than the plastic siding getting it off.

On the subject of overall restoration of older homes I have always tried to look at how the cost of the house and the cost of repairs factor into the overall value of the finished product in relationship to other homes in the area. I try not to overbuild or over remodel and I never factor in my labor but do add in the labor costs if I hire something done. That’s the rational way to look at it then there is the other side of the coin where you say you plan on living there for many years and don’t care where you stand compared to others you want it to some level of niceness and if you ever did have to sell it you know you might not get all your investment back. Most homes I have had I used a bit of both logics in approaching what I did.

I agree overwhelmingly; we have no interest in over-improving for the area. We're pretty mid-range so most of what we're doing is for our own enjoyment and pleasure for the time we forsee ourselves here.

For example, an entire gut and remodel wouldnt make sense; we'd never see anything close back, and it wouldnt make a world of difference.

However, fixing sagging doors, trim, siding, and bathrooms - we can shoulder a lot of the labor, and enjoy those fixes while we're here and that makes the cost worthwhile.

The insight around here has been great; thank you all.

IIRC, and depending on your local neighborhood conditions, and not to unduly worry you, you may want to read
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0936279001/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Owning a gun is a Dominant Strategy in the Game Theory sense
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0393310353/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
but I don't know the DC gun laws.

I had an encounter with the DC Metro Transit Police and a Metro Station Manager at one time and I was not impressed as to their inclination to maintain law & order.

At my current locale a crime analysis report is available from the county and a similar tax-payer funded service may be available to you. Around here we only have thieves; robbers, with a confrontation on every job, are a whole different animal.

slownsteady said:

Your porch is outdoor space. Why would it need to be vented?

The storm windows are typical 1970s-80s vintage. They would normally be added on and fastened that way. They will be easy to take off and not necessary when you replace the old double-hung windows.

Neal; I always the thought the point of replacement windows was so they don't interfere with the siding or require any adjustments there except for flashing. I'm curious why you think he should combine those two projects (siding & windows).

Modern ridge vents are almost invisible from the outside. You probably need to get up in the attic to take a look for those. The roof sheathing would have an opening (a slot most likely) along the very top of the ridge.

Click to expand...

In the summer time the heat gets stuck in the roof area and can't get out.
Shortens the life of the roof adds heat to the house behind it and makes the
porch anusable to sit on.
The OP suggested he was going to do both anyway, I see now that may be changing but the last time these windows were changed by these guys that just pull the sash and install new and covered everthing with trim. They never look for rot or anything and even if they find it they just cover it up as you can't make any money by fixing things.
In a house like this, if anyone cares they will find rot that need to be repaired around at least one or two windows. This can be done from the inside but the whole thing is easier from the outside. Especially if there is lath and plaster on the inside.

Long busy weekend. Updates and a new item - can you tell this house is going to be a longterm nightmare/project (depending on my mood)?!

Sewer backed up on Saturday. This was the second time in as many weeks, first time was just snaked quickly. This time we inspected with a camera.

There's a belly in the line under our front yard. Plumber suggested its probably usable as is indefinitely so long as we avoid feminine hygiene products in the future, but it would ultimately be best to replace.

So that's the current top priority that I'm working on getting bids on. Argh.

Plan to work on a flashing patch for that piece of siding in parallel but that I can do on my own over the coming week.

Also! I recaulked one of the windows as well, right before the sewer backed up. I used OSI Quad to seal, after cleaning with a dremel MultiMaster / utility knife followed by mineral spirits to clean. Seems to be holding up. I need to get better with my caulking before I tackle interior jobs! haha

Crap happens, sounds like you need that first. Up the street here the guy bought a brand new house and started finishing the basement all done exept the plumbing in the basement and the sewer line plugged up and the plumber opened the clean out in the basement without thinking the pipe might be full of sewer.

Yep; fortunately it's an unfinished basement - so only some of my gym equipment got wet.

Waiting on some bids; but expecting it to be in the $5000 - 7000 range; which wipes out the bathroom remodel budget for the time being. We'll see. More cost effective improvements will need to take place such as re-caulking all the windows, flashing the missing siding, etc.

Fun times!

Cannot wait to poop without fear of repercussions again.

I gather you have city sewers? I redid my septic alone with rented back hoe and skid steer.


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