Q. My son just acquired a residence in Northern California and wishes to change the two-car or truck garage into place of work space, but the concrete slab/basis is pitched for h2o runoff. He was advised it was around ¼-inch per functioning foot, and the garage is 14 by 20 feet. He thinks the adjust in height is about 4 inches from entrance to again. The floor is in superb situation over-all, in accordance to the foundation inspector who just lately evaluated it. The flooring has a slender underlayment product with vinyl plank flooring on top, but the garage isn’t usable due to the fact of the tilt. My son explained to me a chair on wheels would drift downhill, so he’s looking for a fairly priced remedy to amount it off. Do you have a advice? He’s seeking for a long term deal with that will not raise the general flooring peak considerably much more than needed simply because the ceiling is by now small. A contractor proposed using high-compression cement. Is that a realistic suggestion in your working experience? I study about leveling compounds, but assume 4 inches may be inquiring also a great deal.
I.F.
A. Somewhat than go with a masonry solution (which could crack in the thin spots), you may well want to look at the following: Lower 2-by-4-inch pressure-taken care of stock on edge into tapered parts from the widest aspect down to on the other finish. Use them 12 inches on heart, then implement a ¾-inch underlayment and, about that, a ¼-inch laminate wooden floor. You would get rid of 1 inch in ceiling peak at the significant conclusion but have a strong, very good-searching, and stage flooring.
Q. Our property was constructed in 1808. It has its original chimney stack, 3 flues, and 3 hearths. For security, I want to line the chimney, if possible with versatile metal flue liners. The chimney expert told me that is not feasible with no building the fireboxes smaller. I do not want to rework the hearths/fireboxes they are first to the house. Can you endorse a remedy?
M.S., Winery Haven
A. Doing the job with aged chimneys and fireboxes is always a challenge. We used to have a chimney division where by I do the job, and we would by no means advocate for the installation of a steel liner in a wooden-burning fireplace. The two most effective solutions are masonry: a solid-in-put chimney lining or a sprayed-in-put relining. The solid-in-location solution will almost certainly require you to make a decision and sacrifice a single of the fireplaces in get to retain a significant ample flue. The relining system does not acquire up as considerably area in the present flues and could get the job done properly. There are code challenges relating to fireside measurement, so possibly way you go, talk to a number of qualified installers.
Mark Philben is the undertaking growth supervisor at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Ship your queries to [email protected]. Questions are subject matter to modifying. Subscribe to our absolutely free actual estate e-newsletter at internet pages.e mail.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.