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200 miles under the keel in one day ... or, how a house fire ruined our cruise

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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    Thanks.  I'm glad the fire didn't happen in March.  We would have had major problems trying to rebuild during the pandemic.  
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    edited November 2020
    Today was a shi#tty day to be me, and I mean that literally. 

    Overnight, 1000 gallons of raw sewage backflowed into my basement.  Yes, the same basement that I just finished renovating after the house fire.  We're talking five inches of ... well, there's no need to get graphic about it.  This wasn't storm water.  When the neighborhood sewage pumping station stops pumping, that stuff has to go somewhere.  In this case, it went into my house and two others.  

    Carpet, gone.  Fans and dehumidifiers, running.  Drywall, getting torn out tomorrow.  

    But I am an optimist and a positive thinker.  The county is taking full responsibility, which means I don't have to pay my insurance policy's huge deductible!  
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    Aqua_AuraAqua_Aura Member Posts: 2,535 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I always wondered how sewer systems worked with hills and houses at the bottom, I guess we have an idea now. Has this ever happened in your area before? Seems like a 1 in a million chance. Either way that is awful and hopefully you are not out in anyway and they cover all aspects of the issues. 
    1997 Bayliner 3988
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    IanIan Member Posts: 2,778 ✭✭✭✭
    I guess in this case you were really trying to push s^%t uphill @LaRea ...

    Sorry to hear and surprising there wasn’t some form of back flow preventer.

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Secretary, Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dang Chris! You have a black cloud over your house or what? I’ve had to clean that stuff up before. The smell is horrible!
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    The pump station is right across the street.  The same thing happened in 2014, and we thought it was a freak accident.  Backflow preventers are not required, but rest assured I'll be installing one.  

    Such a hassle.  As just one example:  they have to move my driving simulator, so I have to take it apart (not an easy task) and then rebuild it after they finish the work.  I appreciate you letting me vent here on the forum.  
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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,459 admin
    @LaRea that really sucks. If it wasn't for bad luck you would have no luck at all. Wishing all the best for you and the family.....
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    Not to mention, while I was on the phone with ServPro, I got the call from my mechanic that the crane was available to pull my engines.  I'd been waiting for a month to get him, so I jumped on it.  The timing worked out great ... I finished before ServPro got there, because they had to respond to the other two houses that got shitified.  

    People who run tree companies never get a day off unless it rains.  Kudos to Rick Wright from Moore & Wright Tree Service for coming over on his day off.  
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    Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Awesome that it worked out on the crane. You’ll be boating by Christmas :) horrible on the flood but it sounds like you have the right attitude. I would have melted down
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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    Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,558 mod
    Oh geez!  I'm so sorry to hear about another problem in that house!  You have such a beautiful house in a fantastic neighborhood.  Sure hope things get better.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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    aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,797 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @LaRea , glad to hear everything is in the works with the clean up. 
    2008 330EC
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    Well, we STILL haven't started basement repairs from the sewage backflow two months ago.  They'll be here Thursday to start.  Don't ask why because it'll only make me angry.  On the bright side, I did some upgrades (of course).  Installed shiplap on one wall, and built this Craftsman-style fireplace mantel to match window trim that I built a few years ago.  

    Before.  Boring.



    Ready for paint.  The shiplap will be the same dark gray as the brick, and the other walls will be a light gray.  Gonna look really nice.  


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    oscar1oscar1 Member Posts: 737 ✭✭✭
    great job 
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    aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,797 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very nice @LaRea
    2008 330EC
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How much was that shiplap?
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    The shiplap was only $325 at Home Depot.  Total cost for the project was around $800 (not including wall paint).  The mantel is made from primed finger-joint boards, which are reliably straight and easy to work with.  
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    reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice work.
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    I didn't post many pix after the fire ... always worried about oversharing online.  This is the garage, with the attic where the fire started.  They were able to save the end walls with the original 1976 cedar siding.  Also shown is one of the many dumpsters that our neighbors put up with for eight months.  We have awesome neighbors.  



    Here's some of the crazy-a$s plumbing I did for the master bathroom.  Tore out everything floor to ceiling.  



    And here's the finished product.  Marble, marble, marble.  Double shower with six body jets.  The shower floor and niches are basalt herringbone.  Note the Craftsman trim around the shower, window and mirrors, like the basement fireplace. 

    I am never doing tile work again.  AND THIS TIME I MEAN IT.  Tile saw for sale, cheap.  


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    YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,907 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021
    Looks great. I’m surprised you can cut that sewer pipe into the joists without sistering them. 
     
    The only thing worse than tile work is drywall work. 
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    Here's the Dream Garage, version 4.0.  Everything you see here is work originally done by me and the Admiral, and rebuilt by the contractor.  Drywall, flooring, crown molding, cabinets -- we did it all over a period of ten years, and they rebuilt it for us.  The Admiral is the designer ... I'm just the engineer and laborer.  



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    Aqua_AuraAqua_Aura Member Posts: 2,535 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Never do tile again. I say the same thing after every project 😃. Looks great 👍
    1997 Bayliner 3988
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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,459 admin
    Awesome job @LaRea. Very nice work 
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,558 mod
    That really looks great!  Love the tiles in the bathroom!

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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    WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,185 ✭✭✭✭✭
    YYZRC said:
    Looks great. I’m surprised you can cut that sewer pipe into the joists without sistering them. 
     
    The only thing worse than tile work is drywall work. 
    I wondered the same thing. Maybe different code in the U.S.? Nice tile work. Agree on drywall. Hate doing the sanding.
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    For the bathroom, we were able to reuse the existing holes in the joists.  The 3" holes at the top of the photo are actually sistered with pieces of hardwood flooring (from 1976) nailed under the holes.  
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    skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    "sistered with pieces of hardwood flooring (from 1976) nailed under the holes."

    That not providing any support to the beam, but I guess it's help up for you up until that point.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,547 mod
    It was the 70's.  They were pretty high at the time.  
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    rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,238 ✭✭✭✭✭
    congrats for sure! Good ending to a nightmare I'm sure...
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    Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Overwhelmed with garage envy. Are those vinyl floor tiles pretty easy to install? Assume you need to level out the years of salt divets in the concrete first and then install? Once I’m done with this bathroom remodel I may have to do the garage! 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Use an epoxy
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