The Big Dig!  2004

Boston may a more grand version...  But don't underestimate the work we are getting done in Green Valley Illinois without the use of tax payer funding!

Who:  Specialty Corporation - Chillicothe IL.

Vik, the project manager totally shared our vision for the house.  He really made it clear that he admired our effort to restore the Mansion of Rancho de Stahlo.  

We did have a couple of other estimates.  Two others were not at the professional level we wanted.  One other was a very prestigious company in Morton.  Vik was right in the middle, and we were sure that he would not tamper with the look of the house.

 This house did not have decent gutters on it when we moved in.  We improved that situation, and started draining water away from the house.  During that first couple of months in the house, we litterly had water shooting out of the brick walls in the basement when it rained!  The floor joists in the basement were all covered with a layer of dew from the 100% humidity level.

Still, gutters did not seam to be enough.  With enough water, the gutters could not keep it all away from the foundation.  Upon closer (Or not really close) inspection, it was obvious that any moisture in the soil outside the house had a pretty easy path inside.  Parts of the foundation actually let you see sunlight through 2 layers of brick!  No joke!    

First step, dig out the foundation of the house to find out how bad the damage was.  

It was pretty bad.  But we did have one thing in our favor.  The soil here at the ranch is very sandy.  That sandy soil that lets water flow so easily also digs easily!  Shane, our hired hand with Specialty Corp dug around the foundation of the house with a spade  At some points reaching over 4 feet below the surface.  This was all dug out by day 2 of the project.  I would have retired if it were me!  

Next:

1. Clean out bad mortar joints, and re-point. 

2. Skim coat the newly filled in bricks.

3. Wait for skim coat to draw out moisture that has built up in the foundation mortar and bricks.  (1 week!)

4. Apply layer of tar coat.

5. Install non-permeable layer of plastic when doing the final fill.

Pitfall....  Gigantic rain storm that filled in our moat with lots of water.  The only thing we were missing was a draw bridge!