Thoughts on fixing a tree house
 

I built this for my kids 20 years ago. Its made with very light weight steel studs. I realize that I undersized the floor joists, one split and it it sagging. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1478720420.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1478720450.jpg

I have 3 choices, leave it, which is a liability when I sell the house (not a good option), tear it down, possibility of a few $100, or jack it up about $100.

I'm thinking of sinking some concrete piers below it and getting some pipe and house screw jacks to lift it up. I went inside it and overall its pretty solid.

wow... that thing would be rusted & rotten beyond recognition after 20 years in this climate!

If you are concerned about liability, just get rid of it. As an aside, I'm surprised that would be a liability issue if you sold the house. One would think a disclosure would be sufficient protection.

How much time do you spend in it? lol

You forget. This is America.

That'd be a mighty cool fort to play "army" in....
But Hugh is a Marine :)

Rent it out. A family of 5 can live in it easy.;)

LOL, it has a rolled asphalt composition roof and screened windows. The exterior is now faded but finished in the same ship-lap as the house and used to be the same color, it has electricity and is close to requiring a building permit. I called my contractor about ripping it out, we'll see. When building it, I decided to make it tall enough for an adult to walk in the doorway, and stand up right. Its 8' by 8' with a deck.

I only fell out of it twice when constructing it, but I had a fall arrest harness on both times, hooked to a large overhead tree branch, and it still hurt like a motherfucher. When wearing a fall arrest harness, make sure the straps are clear of "the package".

Ask a trusted Realtor if it would be a plus or a minus.
People with active boys would love it for them but it is probably a minus since it would then have to pass the inspection for the loan.

I vote 'Make the treehouse great again!'

Why get rid of it? I think its cool. Replace the subframe with 2x10 pressure treated, replace rotted floor joists as needed, level it up in the process, throw a coat of stain on everything.

My contractor says $750 to get rid of it. I may well go that route. IIRC, I spent about $1,000 on building it 20 years ago.

How many parents today woul let their kids go near that thing?

I have no idea, but in our day that would have been the coolest thing around, especially if it had a retractable rope ladder and an alligator pit to keep out the girls :D

Treehouse Masters | Animal Planet

You didn't want to call these guys and sink $100K into it?

When I bought my current home it had a pretty nice tree house. The seller asked for it. Since we had no kids I agreed and when we moved in you couldn't tell it was ever there.

If your contractor can take it down in panels, maybe you could sell it to somebody to reassemble for use as a storage shed. That way you'd get some money back, get it hauled off, and someone else would get some use out of it.

Seems it could be repurposed as a hunting blind in some parts of the country!

wait, I will destroy it for $550 !

Between my chainsaw and tractor, I'd have it on the ground in 5 minutes......No burn ban this time of year. A few old car tires and a quart of old motor oil:

"POOF"........Throw the scrap steel in the garbage.........

Thanks guys, yeah. I'm getting too old to climb up and refinish it with new flooring and such. I spec'd out the cost of putting in 2 foot pilings and screw jacks and 2 inch tube steel pipe to jack it up and its just not worth it to me.

I'd just wait till you have an offer on the house and ask the new buyers what they want.

I would first pitch a program idea to Discovery Channel. Film some of your industry buddies in serious construction clothing as they evaluate the structure, discuss codes and ordinances, etc. Film the sad homeowner receiving the news that the structure must be demolished, and of course, film the demolition. Close out with a large breasted realtor telling the homeowner that the demolition of the "hazardous eyesore" just increased the curb appeal, and that they have already had an offer of $125k over asking price on the home (even if it's not currently listed).

In thinking about it overnight, I think I'll just leave it until I sell the house in 2-3 years and deal with it based on the buyers wishes.

You could make it a Pelican Project and offer free beer and pizza.