“The Other Contractor Guaranteed
That I Had Dry Rot!”
A lot of things can be said when a dry rot contractor comes out to give a free estimate. The property owner is relying on the experience of the contractor and should expect to get quality answers to the questions that are asked. But how do you know if the answers are correct?
Sometimes just having some common sense will lead the owner to question the answers given. Does the response make sense? There is nothing wrong with follow up questions to get a better description or explanation of the problem at hand. You can certainly contact another contractor for his advice too! That's why I got called on this property.
There was some pest infestation inside one of the units and a contractor was called out. He insisted that there was dry rot damage in the lumber behind this stucco wall. I can not say for sure whether the wood is bad or not at this point but I strongly doubt it.
In the photo, you can see that there is some hairline cracking on this wall. This is something that should be addressed but certainly not worth tearing open the wall. When this other contractor “guaranteed” that there is dry rot damage, even I had to question that statement. In fact, I'm pretty sure that there is not damage to the framing of the wall.
There were no signs of moisture intrusion, no large cracks or openings, no moisture detection inside either of the units. If the owner still has some concerns about the condition of the wood inside the walls, we can open some exploratory holes to check things out for damage. That was the free advice that I passed along to this property owner.
A second opinion doesn't always lead to a good answer but it does help to get a better understanding of what is going on. If time permits, it is also best to get a couple of estimates for the cost of repairs when it comes the dry rot repair. This must include a clear description of what the repairs include.
Looking for a dry rot repair contractor in the Sacramento Region?
Tromler Construction
916.765.5366
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