How much of a lean is okay?

[SouthernLady]

If your inspectors say it's ok, it's ok. As has already been stated, most old houses have a lean to them. My house is approximately 135 years old, and the front end is rediculously slanted. As just an example, the front wall of my bedroom is about 2" off from the floor to the ceiling. The door frame has plenty of space from the wall at the floor, but by the time you get to the top of the door frame, all of that is gone. My inspector says the house appears to have been built from green wood and as the wood seasoned in place it drew all cattywampus. It just makes for interesting details.

[Gothichome]

Good to see you stopping by Southernlady, cattywampus? Is that southern thing?

[GinaC]

I've lived in South Georgia for the past ten years, and I would say that yes, "cattywampus" is indeed a Southern phrase.

The thing is, I know that old houses are seldom level. But my little house is still a whippersnapper compared to everyone's grand old ladies and gents, and that's what's got me worried.

[phil]

that word was new to me too.. Thanks for that

adjective. The definition of cattywampus, often spelled catawampus, is not lined up or not arranged correctly, or diagonally. An example of something cattywampus are the positions of the items on the top of a coffee table after a two year old has been playing with them and moving them around.

describes my workshop perfectly

[Nicholas]

See my signature?

True about building methods back in the day, sober or not.

My house had been walking down our sloped street over the years, we bolstered the one side, I still have one of the original (leaning) brick piers under what use to be the other half of the porch, now an expanded bedroom, so it still has that porch lean. Our bathroom had the leaning sink, because they eyeballed it when it was installed. I re leveled it after foundation repair.

But I do understand your concern, good luck and let us know what you find out.

[GinaC]

Thank you, Nicholas! Reading your post about how your had your house leveled is what calmed me down enough to decide to get it checked out.

I think once I move up there I'm going to talk to the neighbors about it, the ones who have the three other houses that were built along the street at the same time, presumably by the same "tiny subdivision" builder, and see if they have had any problems. If it's the side of the hill we're all on that is causing shifting, they might have had some issues as well.

[awomanwithahammer]

Cattywampus, of course! I knew immediately what you meant. So funny how words you take for granted are unfamiliar to others.