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Building Homes or Extensions/Rotten sill plate and subfloor under tub…PLEASE HELP!

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Expert: Dave Johnson - 11/8/2009


Question

Rotten sill plate
We purchased our small 1943 cottage-style home six years ago and we have had very few problems until recently. We noticed our wood floor squeaking more than usual so I entered into the crawl space to have a look from below. From the crawl space I noticed there is water damage to the sill plate and some of the support beams at every door (3). I also noticed water damage from a cracked tub. Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. My questions are:
Is it possible to replace only the sill plate?

Would the house need to be jacked-up to replace the sill plate?

Is this a project a homeowner could handle?

How expensive?  

Answer
Hi Jason,

Wow, what a mess. That is surely a rotted sill. Yes, you'd need to jack enough to take the pressure off, and would only need to be done one side at a time.
Keep in mind that when this is done there will be wall/ceiling stress and a good possibility
of cracking.
If there is only the sill, the materials would only cost you about a buck a foot, and I think
you could do it yourself.

Best of luck!

Dave

Dave Johnson

Expertise

Anything in the residential home building areas. Wood frame, energy efficiency and I.C.F. homes. Green buildings.

Experience

I have been in the building business for 43 years. Owned my own company for 36 years.

Education/Credentials
B S in building construction

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