Bill Kibbel

That's called a "scrub joint" and it's what unscrupulous contractors sell as re-pointing. An overlay, in masonry terms, refers to applying a thin veneer over a previous solid masonry surface for cosmetics. It's most commonly done to "update" the face of a fireplace (common in some of the home "improvement" or house flipping shows).

Jerry, Change your e-mail link on your website to a button. Spam bots won't find it as easily. ONCLICK="location.href='mailto:jerry@e-mail address here'" STYLE="font-family:arial; color:000000; font-weight:bold">

A swept valley is the prettiest.

When doing valleys on my own homes, it's open with 24" wide, 26-gauge galvanized steel with a 1.5" high center rib. I then coat it with Acrymax, pigmented to match an historic paint color.

Many homes around here, with walk-out basements, have the same cracks as what's shown in your pics.

Nope - they're just goofy. An EMF meter would be good to show them there's more "danger" from the clock radio next to their bed than the nearby transmission lines.

If the 70 Amp main is the lowest rated component, then yes - it is currently a 70 Amp service.

Ceiling fans lower than 7' from the floor should be in your report. I don't have to include low light fixtures in the report. They remember it to be an issue after hearing me shouting profanities, 'cuz I'm always the first to smack my head into it.

Funny Pipe is a trademark of Toro and that tubing is not tested/rated for potable water. HDPE is what's pictured and as Jim said, is permitted for supply, not distribution. It's probably manufactured in Orangeburg, NY or SC. Anyone still see any old "Orangeburg" sewer lines?

Steel I-beams would be common for low rise urban and large suburb/rural mansions. Another possibility, although not very common, was to span openings with specialty blocks formed into shapes to create a "flat arch". The illustration below shows 2 skewbacks, 4 fillers and the key-block.Click to Enlarge 15.5 KB Not that I've seen. There are three types of terra cotta blocks - dense, semi-porous and porous. Exterior walls are usually dense, thus are the most brittle. Semi-porous are usually made with the clay mixed with coal dust. These were typically made for fireproofing, not structural purposes. Porous blocks were made with sawdust that burned off when firing. These were typically used for interior, non-load partitions. Occasionally, porous blocks were strategically placed in exterior wall assemblies, where nailing on applied details or trim. Wood "plugging" was also used for nailing points. If you're talking "wythes", that's not the case with structural terra cotta. At least not in my experience. The standard thicknesses for exterior wall (dense) tile was 6", 8" or 12". 12" was the most common for 3 or 4 storeys. Over 4 storeys, I've always seen a steel structural skeleton, with the blocks used to fill in between. The dense, structural blocks have tremendous strength and are incredibly light-weight as compared to any other masonry building material. The exterior wall blocks typically have shell walls 1" thick and the webs are 3/4" thick. The chart below shows some testing results, but this wasn't on strictly dense, load bearing blocks. Click to Enlarge 81.2 KB

Free for pick up, if committed to its re-assembly and preservation. http://www.preservationdirectory.com/hi ... spx?id=953

Location. If that were moved 160 miles southeast, it would be at least 4-6 million, depending on the exact township and lot size.

No. This one was too far. One slow winter, I inspected a farm in Enola, just north of Harrisburg. They paid me to drive out and put me up in a hotel.

Reynolds Mansion "The home is of the late Victorian period featuring an eclectic blend of Gothic, Italianate and Queen Anne styles. The stone for the exterior was quarried by The Hummelstown Brownstone Company in Hummelstown, PA. Due to its purple or blue cast, it is referred to as blue brownstone. The exterior was laid by Italian stone masons and reportedly 20 workman were constantly laying stone. Interior details include a marble vestibule, classic mirrors, handcrafted woodwork, stained glass windows, detailed moldings, and inlaid parquet floors of which no two are the same. The paneled hall ceiling is made of walnut, however, the living room and the billiard room moldings are made of heavy plaster stained to appear as wood. The staircase is hand carved and adorned with a brass lamp on the newel post. Another feature is the intricate calling system which is still quite useful". Even the carriage house is amazing. http://www.eliotdalton.com/galleries/re ... index.html

97-1/2" tall fish tank.

It's a gas furnace Mike. They have cast iron burners that last forever. The '50s and 60's furnaces of that type have the typical pressed steel sectional heat exchangers, but they're often porcelain enameled interiors. Probably why Savannah's is still there.

My guess is mid-late '50s.

I wouldn't waste any time explaining anything to this contractor or realty agent. I would simply tell them that an idiot that would "install" a pump, used for removing water off my pool cover every spring, for correcting a nasty wet crawlspace won't comprehend much of anything. Get someone with the experience and knowledge to fix it right.

Dunkirk made furnaces for both Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward.

If you can post a pic, I'm usually pretty good at guessing the decade.

Persistent condensation.

I can't answer your question about specific requirements. I deal with gates on private residences on occasion and usually find either a manual or alternative energy back-up.

What happened to tractor tire gardens? Here's some we're considering to better fit into our upscale neighborhood: Can the moderator delete the advert link in the first post?

Around these parts, there's quite a bit of synthetic top coat over traditional stucco. Appraisers often improperly identify it as EIFS and the lenders freak. It's easy to pull an outlet cover and take a pic to show the difference.

I'm pretty sure you'll find that series of Lennox Elite furnaces can be installed for upflow, downflow and horizontal.