Sill Damage from Termites - Repair?

20 years ago

I recently received an estimate of $3600 to replace roughly 30 feet of sill at the foundation, and four feet of drywall above the sill due to termite damage.

My insurance company will not cover this, so I will have to foot the bill, which I do not mind (but would rather not have to pay).

We previously had some settling (prior to the termite damage) which caused some very minor drywall corner separation. There is one new 12" crack in the drywall in one room only.

The company that provided the estimate did not remove all the base mouldings, so we really don't know how much of the sill and vertical studs are actually damaged.

Here's the problem. The adjuster said that jacking up the house (to replace the sill) can cause more problems: additional drywall damage, skewed doors & windows, damaged ceilings, and plumbing issues.

I want to tend to my home properly but don't want to make this into a major, expensive deal if its unnecessary. Any thoughts?

Much Thanks!

Marty

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Comments (2)

gw:garden-guy
20 years ago
You'll need to be able to get at the sill from both the inside and the outside. If the inside is drywall it will be fairly easy to open up. Not sure what the outside material is. Usually the outside material is more difficult to open up. I'd start with the inside and use a zawsall to cut nails and pull out the sill plate. You can then prepare an new sill plate (suggest pressure treated material) and drive it into place. Be careful about using too much force when driving it it place. you will crack stucco and other areas if you're not careful.
pjb999
20 years ago
Gardenguy's idea are good, I guess he means a reciprocating saw? I don't know if this is a good DIY job though, it's major and structural, and must be done properly.

Pressure treated's a good idea, and you should take action to kill any remaining colonies, get in the experts.

No simple answer and you won't know the full extent of the damage til the walls come off.....but don't delay, and don't skimp.

if the house is jacked up properly, problems should be minimal, and it's better to suffer a little now, than have major sags or collapse later.

Don't take the lowest bid unless the person really knows their stuff - repair/renovation is 10 times harder than building new.
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