Is your “starter home” now the perfect fit for your family of 6 with all the recent upgrades and improvements?
Asked by Margarita Blanco 
2 months ago
Last Updated: July 31, 2024
When we first got this house in 2005, we thought of it as just a temporary spot, a “starter” home. But as time went on, we found that 2,300 square feet is actually perfect for our family of 6. The house is really coming together nicely. We recently finished up the basement and turned it into a cozy home theater. The house was built way back in 1958. We also had the roof redone recently. Instead of the old tar and gravel, we now have Flintlastic with new sheeting underneath. We upgraded the countertops to granite and put up a new fence in the backyard too.
Impressive work! The transformation is truly amazing! 🙂
Did you take any steps to waterproof the basement aside from just painting drylock on the walls?
Based on the pictures of the basement before, it seems like there were multiple leaks from tie rods and the window, possibly a window well at some point.
I would be worried about the effectiveness and durability of the waterproofing if all you did was paint the walls. I’m sharing this information in the hope of preventing future issues for you.
I have 3 years of experience in foundation repair and waterproofing.
Want to check if your foundation walls are leaking? Simple test: run a garden hose by the area for 15 minutes and any cracks or leaks will show up. Then you can fix them from the inside with epoxy or polyurethane, or from the outside with a membrane.
Also, make sure your window well has a working drain (test it with a hose) and a liner wider and deeper than the window, along with a cover to prevent debris buildup.
We had French drains installed outside years ago, and the new roof fixed the issue with the leaking gutters.
We also included a sump pump, which really helped. The French drains and grading did the trick in fixing the problems. Plus, with the gutters no longer leaking, we have significantly less water coming through.
I have a 2400 sqft ranch-style home on a concrete slab and I think I could happily live here forever without feeling cramped haha
So, managed to secure 2700 square feet for his family of 5, and there’s more than enough space.
Congratulations! It was quite a journey to purchase our 2700 sqf home, but we’re here to stay.