"campkropp" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello all,

I have a badly rotted rim joist under my back door running a 8' span.
I can't seem to get any contractors that are willing to do the
job....either to small of a job or they don't the type of work.
Question is this:

Is this a type of job that someone who is as my father says "jack of
all trades, Master of none". I have been around tools and general
home improvement all of my life. If this is a job for the DIY in us
all, How exactly would I go about it(Kinda step by step). Working
around rainy weather is not an issue here in Richmond VA since we are
in the middle of a drought.

I currently have the deck and siding removed and I am
patiently(Quickly evaporating) waiting to get this done and on to the
rest of my remodel.(Wife is starting to get involved now.

Please Help Me Out, anyone.

Thanks,
campkropp


If you're a fairly competent do-it-yourselfer, and rent the appropriate
house jacks, you should be able
to do this with no problem. If the rim joist runs perdendicular to the
floor joists, and you have a basement
or crawl space it will be easier. I had to do this several years ago on my
cape cod when the wall sheathing,
rim joist and mud sill all were rotted out from moisture and carpenter
ants. I jacked up the side of the house
a fraction of an inch so I had just enough room to remove the mud sill and a
rim joist and replace them with treated lumber.
I made the mistake of buying several basement jack posts to do the lifting
which was a big mistake, since they
aren't designed our intended to lift. It worked, but what I really needed
were several house jacks which are made to lift.
You want to adjust each jack a little at a time and lift evenly. You'll
also need a reciprocating saw to cut out the bad portion
and possibly cut thru nails.