I live in a house that was built in 1871. Over the last 136 years gravity has had it’s way with parts of our house. In fact, there probably is more in our house that isn’t perfectly level than there is that is perfectly level.
Recently I was putting in a new kitchen counter. The floor wasn’t level. The cabinets aren’t level. But after shimming up one side and thumping the hammer here and there I was able to make 2 unlevel things support a level counter top. Sometimes when a new visitor is in our house they’ll say something like "wow, I felt a little dip there" or "the porch seems like it may be a little crooked." They are right. It’s an old house and that happens over 136 years of settling and bowing under the weight.
Outside it only gets worse. Our garage probably needs to be leveled rather than trying to take care of the major structural issues it has. A lot of years after an exceedingly poor design has led to the roof "swaying" a little in the middle. The south wall is buckled by about a foot at the top and the whole structure somehow stands. The patio leans just a little one way.
I’m even noticing a couple of things about stuff that I’ve done that isn’t quite level. The kids new tire swing isn’t quite level. The play structure we had placed there last spring… it’s a little cockeyed.
I can defintiely say this about almost our entire house. "It’s about a half a bubble off."
That about says it all, doesn’t it?
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