Trouble With A Capital T

Any guesses on what's going on here?

Here's a hint.

We drove in Monday 4/21 to begin our week long farm "cation" where we were going to paint and assemble master bedroom closet systems and be efficient and productive all around.  The delivery truck was waiting in the driveway with our shiny newly purchased LG washer and dryer.

We opened the door from the garage into the kitchen and were rudely assaulted by the stench of the dead (I think, since I've never smelled a rotting corpse before, but if I had I'm sure it would have had this smell).  Hearts plummeting we headed to the finished basement where the washer and dryer were destined to reside in the laundry room.  As we stepped off the stairs and stepped onto the carpet we found it to be quite wet and squishy!  There was not a dry square inch to be found in the entire basement.  Wetness and malodorous smell ruled.  Panic, disbelief and sadness ensued.

We have since discovered that the Evart area experienced record rainfall the weekend of 4/11.  We remember there being thunderstorms all Saturday night and waking up the following morning to ponds and rivers in unexpected places where none had existed before. (A foreshadowing of the extreme weather we've experienced this summer.)
 

A river runs through it!

A new pond with the new "river" in the background by the trees.

We watched with trepidation as the water crept closer to the concrete patio on the lower level and the walkout French doors.  However, when we left that Sunday morning the water hadn't reached the doors or ventured much beyond the edge of the patio and we felt encouraged.  No rain was forecast for the next couple of days.

Three weeks later, after 25 fans, 1 dehumidifier and a destroyed lower lever, we are no closer to determining the entry point of the dreaded flood (revision, we have determined the reason for the flood; a backed up floor drain and an improperly installed wood foundation).
 

Two of the 25 fans used to dry out the lower level.

Four days later at $25/day the 25 fans were ready to be decommissioned.

The aftermath:  Two feet of drywall and insulation removed along the exterior perimeter walls, carpet gone, shower/tub enclosure trashed and base board trim in a heap on the floor.

We have determined our wood frame foundation leaks enough to saturate the entire lower level.  We have a builder we trust who determined the best course of action to prevent this from happening again.  We have five $00,000 digit dollar signs floating in front of our eyes.

To get to the bottom, literally, of the problem we had to excavate around the exterior perimeter of the house to correct the leaking foundation and to correct the drainage system and redirect it far, far away from the house.  

When we bought the house and had it inspected the inspector assured us that, number one, wood foundations are great systems that keep the basement dry and warm.  Ha!  Number two, that we did not need a sub pump because we sit high up on a hill.  Ha!  Number three, that wood foundations last for years. To be determined.

I originally began this post back in April.  To my shame I have not had time to complete it.  Fast forward four months.  Our builder, Joe, determined the foundation was in need of serious repairs.  That work has taken most of the summer to be completed and a nice unexpected chunk out of our operating budget.  We are now in the throes of phase two (which was originally the only phase) of our house modifications.  Joe, the builder, is earnestly striving to complete a mudroom, a kitchen pantry, lay new bamboo flooring in the living room, dining room and foyer, reassemble the decimated basement, add a wet bar for Jeff, reface the gas fireplace and paint the two story living room.  Also we are renovating the kitchen.  Our target date to move in was the end of September.  Sadly, I think we will be lucky to have all projects completed before the end of October.  Which happens to be the date of Jeff's retirement.  Yes, we have a light at the end of the work tunnel!  My last day of work will be October 1st.  I have turned in my notice.  The difference in dates? I have the whole interior of a house (other than the living room) that needs to be painted.

This is the master bedroom closet system that Jeff and I installed way back during our farm "cation" in April.  We are pretty proud of how it turned out.

This is Linus.  He helped.  Then he rested.











I have pictures for future posts of excavations, hay in the fields, Linus (of course), deer, and the summer that is quickly fading away. So sad to see you go.  "Summer, I swear, you just got here!"

"Spring And A Deer" 

Till next time.

D :)