Getting Started on the PEI House

Removing trees from our new "old" driveway

The house was still standing when we got back to check on it however a lot of freezing and thawing throughout the winter did cause the east foundation wall to bow inwards a bit more.

It's been raining most of the week which means the current driveway, a path through the middle of the corn field, can get very muddy.  Last year 2 trucks got stuck on it. Before we left last October we discovered another driveway on the side of the field. It is built up higher then the field, has ditches,  is somewhat overgrown with trees and is very rutted.  We need a proper driveway so the first step was to cut back the trees and clear the way.

Current Driveway

 The "backyard" is very soft. The tractor got stuck, there is a plywood bridge in place now. 

A little stuck

On Friday Mackay's, a local excavation company we are working with turned up. They dug out the east side of the house so Scott has access to foundation and dug out the ditches a little more to drain more water. Hopefully it won't rain too much and they'll be back this week to work on the driveway. 

Ditches dug out a bit. 

Monday, May 27th, the start of a new week.  We had a productive day.   It going to be largely my job to do the house demolition. Started with the Rec Room.

Lots of fibreglass insulation

Before Shot - Rec Room

Nice to see plaster already gone downstairs
Only lath left

Managed to get one wall cleaned up, the whole ceiling down and everything into the trailer.  

It's wild to see the 20" boards on the outside wall and real 2 x 6 studs 

on which we can't even see any saw marks.

Scott spent the morning cleaning up the balance of the trees we cut off the driveway and the afternoon installing 6 jacks into the basement to support the house better while we demolish the inside. Eventually he'll be replacing the sills and beams in the basement.

 

The basement is a wet, mucky mess.

The door is open for the first time since we bought the house thanks to Scott raising the floor level a bit.  Notice the sagging above the door.

Tried and very happy with our progress today.