wondering about construction

[hugme]

ok, for those of you who have been asking... this is what they guy who owned the house before me did:

http://www.hugme.org/pictures/other/back_of_house_12.19.2004/images/mvc-869f.jpg

and I want to replace that with a cinder block column.

Comments

[romper--stomper.livejournal.com]

That looks about as sturdy as a man with impotence or ED.

[i-am-devilbunny.livejournal.com]

Uh, yeah...I'm no architect, but that looks like a disaster waiting to happen.
BTW I thought you were going to move?

[hugs.livejournal.com]

yeah, it is.. thus the memorial day project ;-)

I plan on replacing all the support beams first, then phase 2 will be replacing all the wood under there.

[grrlplay.livejournal.com]

Termites are crawling up the "mud tunnel" on the porch support beam in the back left of your picture! This means that ;you have a serious termite problem! Call a termite exterminator or you will lose whatever investment you have made in this building very soon.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[hugs.livejournal.com]

termites I am not worried about, I pay a fee every month. Someone comes out to my house every 3 months, does a termite inspection and gives me paperwork with what they found. If there are termites in the house they will pay for anything that was damaged. The last one was done 2 weeks ago.

[grrlplay.livejournal.com]

Good for you! Termites are so common here.

As I mentioned in another post here, you might want to check your policy for those foundation planting rules. I'd hate for them to refuse to do repairs because of something like that.

[melonaise.livejournal.com]

*peers at the picture* I can't see what it is you're talking about. I'm just curious on a general level, for identifying termite things, not questionning you.

[duality.livejournal.com]

i can see it but i had to squint. it's that really light colored ribbon that is snaking up that back left post to about halfway up.

[grrlplay.livejournal.com]

yep, what they said. I have a fairly large computer monitor so it was easy to see on it.

Termite "mudtunnels" are hollow tubes of dried mud/clay that lead from the ground up the sides of a houses walls, porch, foundation, etc to lead to the wood rich interiors. They will even make these hollow tubes/tunnels on wooden posts to allow them faster or more routes to the new food sources. The "mudtunnels" are often the first warning that homeowners get that they have a termite problem.

I have also been told that having plants or wood mulch/compost in the 3 feet closest to your home is like putting out a welcome mat for termites. Some termite contracts have clauses in the that state that putting in new flower/planting beds against the foundation of your house will void the contact completely because of this, so check your contact carefully!! The UGA Extension Service recommends that you *not* plant anything for the first 3 feet nearest your homes foundation. Instead try putting down gravel or pebbles. That way you can easily see the foundation and check for those pesty mudtunnels.

[moncrief.livejournal.com]

amazing. i had some similar work like that in my old house. just add duct tape