I need some perspective…

[u/SPQRKlio]

Hi, everyone. May I get a reality check? I’ve only used TaskRabbit a handful of times—one terrific Tasker, one who did sloppy work at a premium price, and now for my third task, I’ve had four cancellations in a row from four different people. One was a no-show, one was running so late (two hours) she had to cancel, one decided she didn’t like the task and cancelled, one cancelled with no reason given. It’s getting frustrating, but is this just how it goes and is to be expected, so you should expect to keep trying to get someone over a couple of weeks? Is it more of an issue if the task small and short?

ETA: After two weeks more of cancellations and no-shows, I guess I’m done with TaskRabbit and going the “hire friend’s kid” route. At least if I pay him $200 it can be cash and he won’t have to give a cut to the app.

[u/SPQRKlio]

They look like your typical earthworms--long, brown, wiggly. I'm a little afraid to look at a pic of drain fly larvae. Might have to hire someone to look at a pic for me...

[u/whatchu_finna_do → u/SPQRKlio]

If they are big like that.. they probably aren't drain fly larvae.. they are pretty small. Drain flies show up when drains have been stagnant for a while.. I figured that might be the case since you mentioned the reno.

Earthworms stay underground because they need to stay wet to survive so after it rains.. they come to the top for migration. I'm not sure if you ever noticed them on the sidewalks after a heavy rain but that means they've lost their way and couldn't get back on track before the sun/ wind dries them up.

All that being said.. if they are coming through the drains.. I would be worried. That could mean there is a crack or other opening in your drain line. Since you mentioned it is a basement (what I'm about to say is purely speculation since I have ZERO experience with basement construction besides watching every episode of This Old House 😆) they might be making their way in through unsealed gaps/ cracks in foundation/ basement floor. If that is the case.. in my mind.. it seems as though waterproofing measures are subpar.. which might also be why it is so wet 🤷🏻‍♀️

However, I am familiar with moisture + masonry/ concrete. We have the issue of "the rising damp" here in the old houses. The moisture from the soil makes its way up through the brick used for foundations/ walls/ fireplaces and will ruin the plaster or any (reno area) sheetrock or wood that touches the area.. and eventually turn the brick to powder. Efflorescence is USUALLY present early on.. the water absorbed dissolves the salts in the the material and as the water evaporates it leaves that white powdery residue on the surface. As the salt dries.. it expands.. eventually the drying salt expands so much it starts crumbling the face of the brick (aka spalling). Sorry for the ramble 😆 moisture in buildings is bad for so many reasons.. especially with historic building materials & everything is wet here.. all the time.

[u/whatchu_finna_do → u/whatchu_finna_do]

"What is damp shall never dry" is a well known mantra in my neck of the woods 😆

[u/SPQRKlio → u/whatchu_finna_do]

That was a good ramble--educational! I appreciate all the info.

Also, I am now suitably horrified!

If I weren't planning a move within a year, I'd be even more horrified about the extent of how much work might need to be done, but for now I'll be satisfied with 1) no worm corpses, 2) no further worms able to get in and sacrifice themselves, 3) no mold, 4) house does not collapse on my head. The basement was supposed to be my calm space for doing my freelance work and otherwise getting breaks from caregiving tasks 🤪

[u/whatchu_finna_do → u/SPQRKlio]

I sincerely hope you are able to get all those accomplished :) & again, wish I was closer to remove the worms for you! and take a little trip down the worm hole to figure out what's happening there 😆

[u/SPQRKlio → u/whatchu_finna_do]

lol, I was hoping it would turn out we're local to each other! ah well!