askjake

Natural lighting under a porch or deck

Lea asks:

Jake,

I have a home with a full finished basement. My question is how would I put a front porch (I just have a stoop right now) with having basement windows. Do I use lattice to allow light? I have a family room below the living room and I have a bedroom below the upstairs bedroom. I only make $8.80 an hour so I will be doing what I can myself and would like any savings tips. Thank You

Jake's answer:

Lea,

When you build the front porch you will substantially reduce the amount of light you currently have streaming through those windows. Try placing some boards over the window wells to give you an idea of what it might be like.  

Also take into account if the windows serve any kind of emergency exit. A deck over the windows could really hinder egress, either in or out.  

I have seen glass blocks embedded in the deck flooring that is above the windows. Glass block is not that expensive. You will have to get a little creative on how to alter your floor framing to accept the glass block. Good luck!

Basement leveling

Question from Scott: 

Hi Jake - I have a concrete slab in my basement that is about 1 inch out of level. It crowns 1 inch right down the middle (full length of the basement). My basement is about 40 feet by 60 feet. Any ideas on the most cost effective/least time consuming way to remedy this? Thanks for any advice you can provide. 

Jake's Answer: 

Scott,

Basements are not typically poured flat.  They should have a crown or high spot somewhere to facilitate the draining of any water that may get into the basement.  

If you feel that this crowning is not part of the original pour then you might have an expansive soil situation.  Some soils, like clay, can be very expansive when it gets wet.  If you have a wet soils condition then you should have a drain tile installed below the slab and directed towards a sump pit. 

This is not an easy task since it will require saw cutting the concrete on each side of the crown, removing the concrete, placing the pipe and pouring new concrete. 

If your basement is remaining dry, and the crown condition is tolerable, I would most likely leave well enough alone.  However, if you like a really good workout, go for it.