As we lead off wipeout on ournew farmhouse , we question contractors and call for quotes so that we would have someone to oversee the progress and keep it on track when we could n’t be on situation . The labor seemed fairly aboveboard : furbish up the bug damage , add two bedrooms to the back of the house , amplify the kitchen and tot a mudroom — all of which would require extending the roof , which was in dire need of an overhaul in any event . We knew going into it that we should desire for the good and brace for the worst — and , boy , am I glad I did !
Demo started in the discussion section of the house in the worst shape — kitchen and main bath . With sag , water - damaged floor and broken fastness , the bathroom was by far our first butt . As we opened up the walls , it also became apparent that the former possessor had a rodent problem—”had ” being the operative Book . The first carcasses we came across were practically mummified , but unfortunately , a pile of still decomposing body stay in one incision of the rampart . ( For once , I was glad to be the designated errand girl . I completely missed out on the loathsome smell that nearly knock out both my husband and my father when they afford up the paries . )
The tub mean just the beginning of our risky venture in uncovering dead critters in , under and around the house . The premature owner chose to use poisons instead of bait - and - gob units , which meant that many animal not only go but also remained inside the star sign . An opossum skull , raccoon nest , and countless rat and mouse carcasses made their way to the dumpster as we get out out old ( and stinky ! ) insularity and started digging out a crawlspace under the house .
The proximity of the house ’s substructure to the ground opened it up to more destructive creepy crawlies , too : powderpost beetle , termite and carpenter pismire — the latter of which could still be catch gnawing away on the oddment of wood . While there were no signs of current activity from the white ant and powderpost beetles , the harm and even some mummified insect remain were obvious . ( Check out the picture of the powderpost beetles we find when pulling off the faceplate to reveal the flange joist — and the debris path they left behind ! )
These little monster consume , bore and demolish their fashion through the house ’s rim joist and flooring joists , result holey woods and dust in their aftermath . In the end , thanks to these bothersome bug , we ended up replacing more than half the storey joists and almost all of the rim joists supporting the theater .
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