Replace. Repair. These are the words I hear when watching my favorite home remodeling shows. Suspect wiring, bad plumbing, shoddy roofing. These are some items that a home remodeler like Mike Holmes sees in his everyday work. But what happens when a contractor builds a house with a porous foundation and it infests with mold? What if that mold has been growing for seven years and moisture has taken over the entire home? In almost all cases the best alternative is to simply level it and start the building process over.
This analogy is a perfect fit to the ongoing battle with Obamacare.
Built by a shoddy contractor in 2010 and riddled with poorly framed walls by untrained carpenters, Obamacare has survived by hiring fly by night journeymen who have come in to do patch repair jobs when necessary, and pushing off the high cost repair jobs to future dates.
The house itself looks spectacular. Shining bright above the beautiful oak table is the glittering new light fixture hanging in the dining room. The brick wainscot is an image of craftsmanship at it's finest. From the outside this is what we see. This is what we want to see. We don't want to believe that the beautiful home would ever have any defects.
However, buried between the walls where very few people ever look is a problem. Growing rapidly due to a foundation that isn't solid, is the mold of Obamacare. Seven years of moisture has completely engulfed the beautiful house and it is rotting from the inside out. The mold has spread from room to room and threatens the joists holding up the flooring and the frames of the windows. In a few spots it has shown itself through the painted walls only to be covered up by a quick touch up of paint that leaves a slight discoloration on the wall.
We don't want people to know about this issue. The mold has been in there for so long and has spread so much that a contractor simply can't come in and repair it. The foundation is so unstable and weak that it can't be patched and repaired either.
We can look at replacing the foundation but that would come at a very high cost. And, only replacing the foundation won't eliminate the moisture that has penetrated the wood frame and created the deadly mold. To make this home right is going to require more than repairs and replacement.
It's going to require a complete tear down and new fresh start. It's going to take a full repeal.
For all those decrying tearing down the house please have patience and hope. Because when the tear down begins rest assured, the beautiful brick you saw and the glittering new light fixture have both been removed.
The new house will be built. It will use the same brick wainscot and light fixture. Only this time the foundation will be stronger and waterproof. The wood used to build will be mold resistant. So will the insulation and drywall. This will come at a price. A price that has to be higher than what was originally spent on the first house. We can't cut corners on this. Doing so will create the same outcome we had on the first try.
There will be some changes to the house that we don't all find attractive. The view from the outside will be slightly different. Some of the finishes will have less glimmer and others will look immaculate. Normal wear and tear will occur and some repairs will be made. We might even add an addition down the road. Personally, I would prefer an outdoor space with a pool. But that may not fit the yard or be best for future resale.
It's time we all realize that building the perfect house will never happen. Some of us like a modern look while others prefer a more traditional style. We are going to have to compromise on fixtures and paint colors, countertops and flooring. Cosmetics can change. But, the one thing that must be agreed upon is making sure that the foundation is strong and dry. Because this is what allows us to live safely in the house.
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