I would try to get something in there like the dental tool and loosen it. Maybe brake it up into small pieces shop vac'ing with a crevice nozzle at the same time. If that doesn't do it, at least if you could drill some holes in the foam with a long bit to make channels, that could work as well. I think sill pans are most critical with brick veneer and stucco exteriors, probably not so much with lap sidings. If your windows are flashed properly, you might be okay unless you have brick or stucco, then you definetely need a place for moisture and water to channel out over the sill pan.

Well, the point is obviously that the repairs aren't overcoming the structural deficits in the foundation. Jacking that house up and putting a new foundation under it is pretty clearly in the cards, and in fact I would love to do that to ours - it's currently being done frequently in my neighbourhood and the bonus is that instead of a 200-y-o basement you get a solid, modern, and probably higher basement (if zoning allows) with a charming old house on top of it. Best of both worlds, in my opinion. But the long and short of it is, this house is a renovator, not a move-in. You've probably got cosmetic repairs as well as reconnecting and possibly redoing all its systems after a lift, so you're going to have live somewhere else for a while and make a bunch of decisions. Above all, you're going to have to spend a bunch of money. So even if you are game for the work, the price you pay for the house should be the resurrection price, not the renovated price. THAT way, if you do fade in the face of the work, you can resell to a renovator without too great a loss. If the price of the house can go down by about 50K or more to reflect your anticipated expenditures, then you're OK as long as you know what you're buying - a project. I think I remember the photos you've posted, and it's interesting to speculate whether the previous owners were just bandaid people in denial about gravity, or deliberately spiffing up a structural disaster in hopes that they could have their cake and eat it too - unload a failing house and still realize its full potential value. By the way, I seem to remember too (too lazy to check) that you had some issues with yard spaces - when a house is lifted, it can potentially also be moved on the lot, within zoning allowance, so maybe you can make things more to your liking in that regard. A big project is nothing to run away from as long as a big project is what you want and as long as the price you are paying is fair FOR A PROJECT. So ask yourself, if it were 100K cheaper pending a year of work, how would you perceive it? If you want it, negotiate the price at which it is worth it to you. Or run away :-) Karin L

Wood within X inches (something less than 18 inches if IRC) of grade (or below grade) in contact with masonry has been required to be pressure treated for many years. CCA used to be standard, but now use one of the newer pressure treated woods like copper quaternary. That means all the bottom plates in a basement build out need to be pressure treated (and any wood nailed on the inside of the masonry foundation below grade). Like the 2x lumber behind the electric panel. I do not think anyone has realized that most cable staples are not all that corrosion resistant. Like the ones within X inches of the panel.

An inspection won’t give you a solution, or a cost. It may possibly give you leverage with the homeowner for a discount in the price. But in this market? Maybe not. To get a price, pay a GC who does foundation repair to come examine it. IF you are still interested in the house, and will have substantial savings that won’t go to the downpayment or closing costs. It will not be cheap is the only assurrance. 40K? 50K? 90K? It depends on how far the rot goes. But the house will need jacking up some to get a replacement sill in there. And that’s the easy part. If the rot has spread further, and more framing needs replacing? Is the ground around the house sloped away from it? Or is it sloped towards it? What other water damage problems were found? Do they not have a current, kept up, termite vontract on the home? Because a termite guy crawling around would notice that. So would a plumber, or anyone vapor sealing things. So, that hints that they ignored a lot. Because that did not happen overnight. And you want to look twice at everything else. Neglected homes are money pits.