A: The answer to whether it’s worth fixing depends on the extent of the damage. But the level of satisfactory repair is also important. Targeted repairs and fresh paint can do wonders, especially when you need the building to last just for your daughters’ playhouse days. After all, a small building like a shed or playhouse isn’t collateral for a 30-year mortgage.
The photo you sent shows damage to the bottom of the siding and to the twisted corners (probably metal flashing).The adult height door at the end also has some rot on the bottom. But other than that, there doesn’t seem to be much that scrubbing and new paint can’t fix.
The inside may be a different story, but it’s hard to assess it unless you’ve cleared the debris first. Spray from a distance at night or early in the morning. Seek professional help if you have a severe allergy to stings. Fox Pest Control (fox-pest.com855-953-1976) said that they work in northern Virginia and various parts of the country and that their fees typically range from $150 to $200. You can ask the company to treat ants at the same time at no additional charge.
Judging from the photos you sent, the inside of the structure looks dry. Put on a disposable mask and gloves and go inside. If the floor seems hard, move large items outside and rake small debris into a pile. Dust off the spider web and sweep or vacuum up any leftovers.
If part of a wall or the underside of a roof is black, it’s almost certainly water ingress. Pierce the wood with a screwdriver or awl. If it’s over 1/8 inch, it may be starting to rot. This isn’t a good sign, but if the damage isn’t extensive, it’s not necessarily a death knell for the shed or playground equipment.
On the other hand, if the floor seems too soft to walk on, or if many of the studs and roof rafters are spongy, you might conclude that it would be better to have a junk removal company dismantle the building and move it out. I can’t. According to 1-800-Got-Junk, your bill can be around $200 to $2,000. We also provide advice on the steps involved if you want to tackle it yourself.
However, the building may still have many years of use. In that case, you may want to turn around before embarking on repairs. If you have friends who work in construction or landscaping, invite them over to talk about the process and ask for help. You or your landscaping crew should prepare the new site prior to the move date. The structure should be placed on a level bed of 3/4 inch crushed gravel 4 to 6 inches deep (or deeper if low spots need to be filled). A shed or playhouse is usually placed on a 4 x 6 inch pressure treated skid between the floor and gravel, but a 4 x 4 inch piece to support the structure is sufficient. Trim them after moving so they don’t stick out of the building.
Purchase enough Schedule 40 PVC pipe (4 to 6 inches in diameter) so that you can cut 3 to 4 pieces one or two feet longer than the distance between the 4×4. (A 10-foot, 6-inch-wide pipe is $101 at Home Depot; a 4-inch-wide pipe is $52.96 for him, but more cumbersome to move.) Four jacks, like Husky’s 6-inch Is required. 1-ton hydraulic bottle jacks ($32.98 each at Home Depot).
Before you buy make sure your highest setting is high enough to lift the corners of your building furthest off the ground at least slightly. Get two thick planks. Additionally, have a plank that you can insert under the building to keep it level when rolling, and a piece of plywood to place under the jack. Don’t let it sink into the ground.
On the day of the move, a helper will be present to use the jack to lift the building so that the concrete blocks can be moved. She places the pipe perpendicular to her 4 x 4, places lumber underneath to level the pipe, and uses a jack to gradually lower the building. Then use people to move the house to a new location. Once the pipe is free from the back, move it forward so the building stays on the “wheel” all the way through and insert more scrap wood to keep the house level. You may need to change these directions depending on which direction you are moving the building. For example, you can add another pair of her 4x4s perpendicular to the existing one first to place the pipes and rotate the building. another direction.
To repair the exterior, wash and dry the siding. If the siding is plywood, the rotten bottom edges of the siding and adult door can probably be repaired by first applying epoxy resin hardener and then he fills with epoxy putty such as Abatron LiquidWood & WoodEpox ($42 for 24 pieces) . Amazon ozkit). If your siding is made of wood flakes, take a tip from our June column, How to Repair Damaged Shed Siding.
Then, finally, there’s the fun, transformative final step. New paint and decoration inside and out.
Only you can decide if all this is worth the effort.
Having trouble with your home?send a question to localliving@washpost.comType “How To” in the subject line and attach your location and a photo.
