Historical Winnipeg discussion

[Archiseek]

So what should I buy a house that turning 100? And being slowly restored?

[drew]

^ yes of course.

Where is it?

[Archiseek]

River Heights

[drew]

^ River Heights... is the house still relatively straight and level?

[Archiseek]

Relatively yes. Not as straight as mine, but only one room with a slight undulation in the floor.

[drew]

^ just be extra careful, especially if the foundation walls are poured concrete, and covered up from the inside. I have done some work in ~100 year old homes near Kelvin, and time hasn't been nearly as kind to them as compared to the Wolseley area.

It might be because the scale of the houses is generally much larger, but I think that also the soil conditions in River Heights are notorious for seasonal movement.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by Archiseek

So what should I buy a house that turning 100? And being slowly restored?

I don't understand the questions.

[1ajs]

beware of foundation issues as mentioned about tat region of town is nitorious for this. and make sure to take proper precautions for mold prevention in the basement

[Archiseek]

No you misunderstood. I live in the area already - I know what to expect. But a friend is planning a 100th birthday party for his house, so I should bring the house a gift. Wondering what.

Thinking an old light fitting.

My own house has its 100th next may.

[drew]

^ha! Opps.

When my own house turned 100, 5 years ago - we celebrated by hosting a centurion.

100 shots of beer over 100 minutes. One shot per minute, for 100 consecutive minutes.

The trick is you aren't allowed to move from your chair.

Centurion, it's the gift that keeps on giving!

Otherwise, I dunno, maybe some old dusty books for the bookcase?

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by drew

^ha! Opps.

When my own house turned 100, 5 years ago - we celebrated by hosting a centurion.

100 shots of beer over 100 minutes. One shot per minute, for 100 consecutive minutes.

The trick is you aren't allowed to move from your chair.

Centurion, it's the gift that keeps on giving!

Otherwise, I dunno, maybe some old dusty books for the bookcase?

Did anyone complete it? I've seen many great men try, but none succeed...

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by drew

^ just be extra careful, especially if the foundation walls are poured concrete, and covered up from the inside. I have done some work in ~100 year old homes near Kelvin, and time hasn't been nearly as kind to them as compared to the Wolseley area.

It might be because the scale of the houses is generally much larger, but I think that also the soil conditions in River Heights are notorious for seasonal movement.

Did they pour concrete foundations 100 years ago? What's the issue? I have a 65 year old Riverview home with a concrete foundation ... slowly sinking into the muck.

[drew]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Did anyone complete it? I've seen many great men try, but none succeed...

Yes, I think we had 7 or 8 participants. Only one dropped out (in spectacular fashion).

[drew]

Originally Posted by flatlander

Did they pour concrete foundations 100 years ago? What's the issue? I have a 65 year old Riverview home with a concrete foundation ... slowly sinking into the muck.

Yes, there are 100 year old poured foundation walls around. Not too common though.

The issues are no vertical rebar (or rebar period for that matter) and horizontal pour joints. These walls essentially have no strength to resist buckling inwards from the soil pressure. They are fine for holding up your house though.

If your house is indeed sinking, it's likely because of a narrow footing and/or pour drainage around the base of your foundation (i.e. weeping tiles not there, or not working).

Rubblestone fdn. walls are far superior IMO to crude concrete used before reinforcing was really put to use. This would include most residential concrete poured pre-1960.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by drew

Yes, there are 100 year old poured foundation walls around. Not too common though.

The issues are no vertical rebar (or rebar period for that matter) and horizontal pour joints. These walls essentially have no strength to resist buckling inwards from the soil pressure. They are fine for holding up your house though.

If your house is indeed sinking, it's likely because of a narrow footing and/or pour drainage around the base of your foundation (i.e. weeping tiles not there, or not working).

Rubblestone fdn. walls are far superior IMO to crude concrete used before reinforcing was really put to use. This would include most residential concrete poured pre-1960.

Gotcha. Thanks. I insulated my basement 5 years ago when i moved in and aw no evidence of cracking. Used rigid foam and i thought you were going to mention moisture issues. But the whole house has shifted, as have my neighbours. Pretty sure it's bad soils and I live in an old creek bed or something. Also 1946 wasn't a great year for building.

[Archiseek]

Originally Posted by flatlander

Did they pour concrete foundations 100 years ago? What's the issue? I have a 65 year old Riverview home with a concrete foundation ... slowly sinking into the muck.

Mine has a poured foundation - 1913 house - designed for and by an engineer who worked for the railways. It's in great condition.

[Bluenote]

Originally Posted by Archiseek

Mine has a poured foundation - 1913 house - designed for and by an engineer who worked for the railways. It's in great condition.

This is a very good point, as the person who did the work knew what he was doing back then. So many things can go wrong even now. It really has nothing to do with using Tyndal Stone for the Walls or Concrete, but more so how the site was prepped. Back then they did not usually clean it to raw CLAY, we have different layers of CLAY here in Manitoba, undfortuntaly the West side of the red is poor quality, but you can still work around it.

Homes that were rushed or guys that did not know what do to and did not remove the topsoil etc properly, and did not lay weeping tiles and back fill properly ended up making a mess. This STILL happens today where PILES are not mandatory. But we now stripe all the topsoil off before any new contruction.

Also the mix of that concrete is crucial. I have worked on driveways and basements that are 100 years old and no rebar and that concret is so thick and strong it is unreal. Yet I have worked on some really bad stuff where the lime has seeped in and the walls are falling apart. This is the same with a Tyndal Stone build. When the Mortar goes, so do the Stones eventually.

Best way to fix is from the outside, lay new weeping tiles, spray the tyndal stone, if you can, put on a rubber membrane, and back fill properly with the right materials and make sure all your New down spouts are not shared with your sewer system as they were back then. You will just under mine your basement. After this, you can do two things, if your floor is great, leave it, if not redo, if it is really bad tear it out. After that you can either use cinder blocks ( you will loose some basement space ) and make fresh walls around the entire house. You then back pour cement behind the walls to fill the void. Now insulate with rigid foam, 2X6 studs with a spray foam works awsome as you need no vapour barrier.

Sorry for the spelling, I am half asleep

[DTFan22]

PUMPING STATION CONUNDRUM
Old James Avenue building a jewel with a big problem

By: Brent Bellamy

Posted: 7/9/2012 1:00 AM

In the spring of 1997, as a prairie ocean slowly formed around our city, we anxiously followed along as the provincial flood forecaster reported the rising water levels each day, describing it as 21, 22 or 23 feet above James. The term became a local catchphrase, but few people knew that "James" referred to the James Avenue Pumping Station, an unassuming little building along the Red River in the Exchange District.

As the waters receded, the spotlight dimmed and the building's last moments of fame faded away. A century earlier, however, the pumping station was one of the most important buildings in our growing young city........

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...161757625.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by DTFan22

PUMPING STATION CONUNDRUM
Old James Avenue building a jewel with a big problem

By: Brent Bellamy

Posted: 7/9/2012 1:00 AM

In the spring of 1997, as a prairie ocean slowly formed around our city, we anxiously followed along as the provincial flood forecaster reported the rising water levels each day, describing it as 21, 22 or 23 feet above James. The term became a local catchphrase, but few people knew that "James" referred to the James Avenue Pumping Station, an unassuming little building along the Red River in the Exchange District.

As the waters receded, the spotlight dimmed and the building's last moments of fame faded away. A century earlier, however, the pumping station was one of the most important buildings in our growing young city........

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...161757625.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Nice article.

However in reality. Unless someone throws a big bag of money at a developer to develop the building, nothing will ever happen to it.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Archiseek

No you misunderstood. I live in the area already - I know what to expect. But a friend is planning a 100th birthday party for his house, so I should bring the house a gift. Wondering what.

Thinking an old light fitting.

My own house has its 100th next may.

how about a barn board table that all of u contribute into a pot to get made