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Virginia Basement Project Gallery

Virginia Basement Project

Water and Wood Floors Are Not Friends

It’s the discovery no homeowner wants to find. Late one evening our client, who had just returned from a week-long business trip overseas, went into his finished basement. As he stepped off the last stair onto the engineered hardwood floor, he heard and felt “squish”. He saw that numerous boards were cupping and pulling up. It looked like the floor was attempting to uninstall itself!

After expressing some choice expletives, he got on the phone with us. The first thing needing to be done was figuring out where the leak was coming from and fix it before there was any more damage.

The leak was coming from the condensation hose that leads from the HVAC unit into a drain in the basement. It had been a hot summer in Virginia (Yup, we travel) causing the air-conditioning to work overtime.

The plumber our client contacted was able to determine that the drain had gotten blocked, made worse by the excessive rain in the previous week. The scenario had caused the condensation water to back up under the floor, spreading out over the week. The plumber was able to clear the drain thereby resolving any further damage. But what about the floor?

Regrettably, the floor was a complete loss. It had been installed circa 1990’s and there was no way to get a match and only replace the damaged parts of the floor. We were going to have to do a complete tear out and replacement. Thankfully for the clients, a husband and wife, their homeowner’s insurance would cover the floor replacement; all 1,000 square feet of it.

Our clients had several things needing to be taken into account before choosing a floor. They have three young, very active kids and two beautiful, Huskies; also very active. They wanted this area of the home to be a combination of a play area for the kids as well as for entertaining family and friends. This meant a high traffic area, that had to stand up to puppy paws, and running, jumping, stunt kids. They also did not want to ever have a problem with water again.

We came up with a solution that hit all marks. A vinyl floor wouldn’t warp and cup if for some reason there was water in the basement again. Additionally, it would hold up to whatever challenges the kids and dogs could throw at it.

We recommended a product we found easy to work with, LifeProof Click and Lock Vinyl Plank from Home Depot. The clients chose Sterling Oak for the color. Now it was time to get to work.

The client had started the tear-out himself, getting most of the water damaged floor pulled up. He had also followed through on our recommendation to run fans and a dehumidifier. He was able to get the moisture level in the basement down to a normal range; avoiding issues with mold or mildew before we arrived.

While we were onsite, the clients decided to add another room to our to-do list. It was a carpeted room on the other side of the basement from the damage. They wanted to turn it into a home gym with a matted floor. We do love a challenge, so of course we were happy to do it.

We got started removing the remainder of the old floor, as well as the carpeting and padding. A good portion of the engineered floor was still in great shape. We found someone who had a small floor area that he could use the remainder of engineered oak on. We applied that money to the gym room floor job, saving the client’s a little money. (This add-on was not included in the insurance coverage portion of the job).

We spent three days installing the vinyl plank flooring as well as replacing the baseboard throughout. We learned a couple of valuable lessons during this job. First, always have a checklist for tools, etc. when traveling out of state. We had all the necessary equipment, but Aidan’s knee pads were left behind. That leads to the second lesson which is, always go for the more expensive kneepads! Cheap ones don’t have enough cushion to support the knees, and the straps can cause abrasions behind the knees.

Multiple bandaids and a tube of bacitracin later, the main area floor was complete. Now it was time to tackle the home gym.

The clients had done their homework and found a floor to install that was made from recycled rubber. This was no flimsy yoga mat material they had found. These were 3/4 inch thick mats, weighing 100 lbs. each from McCarty Fitness Supply located in Rockville, Maryland. The robust mats would protect the floor beneath from the weight of equipment. It would also hold up well to high impact workouts, saving the clients from having to replace it, or their knees, over time.

It took a day to install these mats in the 10 foot square room. Some had to be modified to fit the space and were challenging to cut to fit, which is testimony to how tough they are. Once down, they appeared seamless. Bonus, they were super easy to clean.

Though this job started with headaches and worries for our clients, we’re happy to say, we left them smiling and ready to enjoy their multipurpose basement.

Please feel free to look through the Virginia Basement Gallery photos above. Let us know when you’re ready for help with repairs or makeovers around your house. You can call: (727) 900-6858, or email: aroundthehouse727@gmail.com

Lake Valhalla Home Gallery

Lake Valhalla House

We Bought a Fireplace with a House Attached to It...

The one thing I have to say is, my husband, Aidan, has a great eye for a house with promise. When he says it has "good bones", I trust him and get onboard with the project.

We found an old A-Frame in the Poconos, built circa 1960-something, It had a basement, main floor, a made-over loft, and one bathroom. It had signs that a deck used to be attached to it; based on the exterior door and two broken sliders that each led to nowhere.

When Aidan went to look at it, the realtor refused to go inside with him. Can't say as I really blamed her. My reaction wasn't much better seeing it the first time. The local kids had used it for a hangout, so, graffiti and garbage everywhere. There was no way to know if any animals had taken up residence since the walk-out basement door was ajar; with no way to secure it.

But it had this fireplace...

It was all hand-laid stone, floor to ceiling. It was the kind of fireplace you only see in very old ski lodges, a throwback to a long gone era. It had a stone mantle and hearth. It was gorgeous. Even the graffiti couldn't mar its beauty.

That fireplace sold us. We bought it and went right to work.

First thing to be done was a tear out down to the studs on the main floor and loft. The good news was that the tear-out didn't include the oak floor in the main living area itself. It still had life left to give; it just needed a sanding and polyurethane.

The walls were old paneling that had been painted over. Everything on the main floor was dark brown, except for the once white ceiling. The cobwebs had cobwebs between the exposed rafters. Upstairs, the loft had been turned into two very small bedrooms. The basement had received no love at all. It was poured concrete with some interesting walls added that made no sense. They of course had to go.

It wasn't all bad. The house's setting was wooded. The whole development was actually woodland that had only been cleared enough for homes to be interspersed. The central focus was the lake that the development had grown around, which could be seen from the house. Every season painted a new picture to enjoy. Lake Valhalla had been created at a time when people came to the Poconos to enjoy nature and the outdoors. We wanted the home to reflect it.

We chose warm paint tones on sheet rocked walls. We carried the stone into different areas like the kitchen floor tiles, backsplash and front of the island. The six panel doors throughout were kept natural and given a coat of polyurethane. We installed a natural polyurethaned pine tongue-and-groove for the vaulted ceiling in the living and dining room area. This allowed the light from the new sliders to reflect and brighten the whole area. The sliders led out to a deck we added to the front of the house, affectionately referred to as "Biggus Deckus" (If you know, you know...)

We gave every part of the house a use. We created a bar/entertainment area in the basement, as well as storage and a laundry room. We tore down the dividing walls in the loft and turned it into a master bedroom ensuite with walk-in closet. The space at the top of the loft stairs became a cozy office nook. The two bedrooms on the main floor weren't too bad, so we gave them a facelift with new paint and closet doors. There was nothing worth saving in the kitchen and bathroom. We gave them a total overhaul; all new everything, including the floors.

We knew it was a house that was meant for entertaining and enjoying the outdoors all through the year. We kept the fireplace the central focus of the main floor and had an insert installed to make it a more efficient heat source. We also installed a ductless wall mount mini split that both heated and cooled the main living space.

This was our first whole-house renovation together, and a true labor of love. You can see what we started with under the title to this article. You will be able to see the completed home in the pictures in the Lake Valhalla Home Gallery.

As much as we enjoyed this project and our time in Lake Valhalla, once everything was finished it was time to move on to our next project. Check back soon for our latest.