kurt

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This was an insane deal here until the authorities forced the scrappers to refuse copper coil unless there was a job work order, paper trail, or some similar proof of chain of ownership. Stopped overnight.

Walls were pretty PLS. The rest of the house was actually decent. I'd say the nails were pulling through; they weren't overdriven. The panels were pushing out where the nails were pulled through. My take is a lack of adequate drainage behind the panels. Not even grooved tyvek. No air gap whatsoever....panels tighty tight to the WRB. There is a slight lifting/swelling at the vertical seams. Water isn't getting out. My question is....is water getting in? No way to tell without taking it all apart...which is what I'm going to say in the report. Click to Enlarge 22.96 KB

Fiber cement architectural panels nailed to framing, sheathing is Denshield gyp board (near as I can tell from a few peeks in the basement), my best guess (by peeking corners and seams) of the WRB is plain old Tyvek with some roofing felt in a few locations. Z channel between horizontal joints. Nails are pulling through in a few locations, no apparent good drainage plane, looks like some of the seams are lifting a bit. 2 year old house. Opinions welcome.... Click to Enlarge 14.67 KB Click to Enlarge 17.32 KB Click to Enlarge 23.99 KB Click to Enlarge 19.35 KB Click to Enlarge 18.74 KB Click to Enlarge 15.52 KB Click to Enlarge 23.99 KB

It's a union fitting; either water or gas.

Rocking chair thefts.....proof civilization is crumbling.

That's what I thought. Lintels support masonry, beams support any number of things. lentils go in soup or curry.

I can't imagine why it would be a problem.

Depends on whether we're talking about boats, buildings, lighting, or music. I use the term lintel exclusively regarding masonry structures. I use beam interchangeably with many different types of structures and openings. I have no idea if that's right, but I'm sticking with it.

The problem with that fireplace is you can't fit a whole cow in there.

That's right. There's always a stuck valve, regulator, or control that means draining down the system. If there's not enough isolation valves, and there's never enough, it's usually a drain down scenario meaning $500 +-.

Even better. I could sit in the fireplace, gnaw directly on the cow, and throw the bones out the window.

I've always wanted a fireplace where I could cook an entire cow on a spit.

How is it any different than undisturbed? Yes, I know, don't disturb it, etc., that releases fibers, etc., should be untouched, etc., etc.... it's a likely/possibly/certainly ACM, etc. to infinity. The risk for everyone, imho, isn't health related....we're exposed to hundreds or thousands of various microfibers and toxins on a daily basis and this is just one more. The risk is someone freaking out, losing their investment possibilities, or otherwise tanking their house as an investment/safe haven, with the fault laying with the errant home inspector that maybe didn't report it. The only way to accurately and precisely answer your question is subject the house to air sampling. That ain't happening. At least, not in my experience. Personally, I'd report it as vermiculite and it's possibility/likelihood/certainty that it's an ACM, note it was disturbed, run them through the usual discussions and recommendations, and move on to the next item. I'd probably also say a few quiet prayers and genuflections for them to not buy the thing. From the mess I'm seeing in the pictures, I'm guessing vermiculite is just one more item in a usual mess of a Chicago "rehab".

Shoot, we've had morons working on those gas mains in holes while smoking. Blew themselves up, down, and sideways. DRT, as in Dead Right There. People's Gas Chicago back around '89-90. Gas service in old cities has an interesting history. Interesting, as in completely ****ing stupid.

Jeez...In Chicago, there's places that have the meter, regulator, and vent in someone's BR.

My advice was save it. For sure save it. I know a conservator at the SAIC. We're gonna bring them in.

I've had the chance to go back and take a 2nd look. It might even be silk screening of some sort. There are some tears and minor damage so I could get a look at the paper. It's really old paper and adhesive. Old. I can't imagine it would be 1879 old, but its old. It really is quite remarkable. This stuff is not like anything I've ever seen. The pictures don't do it justice. House's been jacked back and forth in deals for the last 30 years and finally went to foreclosure. Nobody knows nothing and I'm not that jacked to tunnel in and do that much research on it. I'll let the customers; I think they're going to buy it.

Maybe it's all stencil and/or lithographic process. Some of it sure looked hand done though. I've never seen anything like it.

1879 house. I don't think this is original, but honestly, I don't know. It's stenciled with hand painted highlights and details. Anyone know anything about this stuff? Click to Enlarge 23.69 KB Click to Enlarge 41.61 KB Click to Enlarge 46.18 KB

Probably both.

What're you doing? Inspecting, touring, advising/consulting....(?)

It's not often I admit to being insanely jealous.....

Yeah. I've only ever seen a couple at most, or an area that should have blocks that doesn't, but never full tilt squashing every which way. Squashed, tilted, some of the web was fracturing, subtle drywall cracking in lots of places that could easily be misread as lousy taping and finishing. After looking over the totality of this one, I don't think there's a fix either. And we fix some ****ed up pieces of shit.

This one is a mess. One side of the house is shifting south, the other north. Some are crushed, some are tilting, a couple a just plain mangled and coming apart. I was curious if anyone had ever seen or heard of a fix method.