And boy, what a relief that is when the conversation turns to foundations!

 

As much as we love the unique, often one-of-a-kind craftsmanship and details of the older homes that we specialize in improving, the foundations from the turn-of-the-century era of home-building are certainly not one of the highlights!

 

Here we see a few photos recently taken from the underside of just such a house; another otherwise stunning example of the nearly lost art of fine carpentry from the floor up, but an antiquated nightmare from the sub-floor down!

 

This is a river rock foundation where the mortar uniting the rocks has failed, leaving a literal "pile of rocks" holding up this home. Notice the bright spots in the photo? That is sunlight coming in through what was originally a solid (relative term) foundation.  No amount of creativity or optimism can bring this failed condition back from the dead, but instead it must be replaced with a new footing that will take it through its next 100+ years and beyond.

 

If you or someone you know has a river rock foundation, it is quite possible that it may be in much better shape than this as they often are; the reason this one failed is due primarily to water getting at it and leaching the minerals out of the mortar that once held the rocks to one another. With that said, be sure that your perimeter yard drainage is in good shape and be sure to do so prior to another season of winter rains getting to it.