Renovated an old house, anyone?

[gijanet]

If so, please share your headaches and heartaches! What to look out for? Was it worth it? Would you do it all over again if you had a choice?

We are trying to buy a house on some land fairly close in to the metroplex for obvious reasons.............well, one, named Katie. I just won't have peace of mind if a hospital isn't within 15 minutes...........don't bother arguing with that one............it 'tis what it 'tis. My longtime American dream about buying a little place on twenty acres or so out in the middle of BFE, Texas, has been modified somewhat. The problem is that nothing close into the metroplex on acreage is affordable.................except for a couple of places. ONe involves a 1940 farmhouse and one involves a 1907 farmhouse. Both have barns and stables in pretty good shape, but the houses..................well, let's say they don't look internet ready. A family is living in the 1907 one, so some modifications have been made...........like indoor plumbing, thankfully. The 1940's one is vacant and hasn't been lived in in about five years.

Any insight at all - even horror stories - would be greatly appreciated 'cuz I am not sure that we are quite up to this "project." Thanks much.. Hugs. J.

 

[geebee]

Janet,

This type of project can be really fun (but major hard work) if you can do the renovations while living elsewhere. It is very difficult if you have to live in the house and work on it at the same time (especially with your little fireball).

We converted a 1930's summer lake house into a year-round home in northern NJ in the late seventies. This involved knocking down walls, installing heating and appliances, removing paint from the exterior (using a hand torch and scrapers), etc. It was a LOT of hard work but unbelievably satisfying once it was completed.

The important thing is to have the house inspected for a sound foundation to work with. If the main beams are rotted, concrete cracked, etc. you probably will not be able to do anything except tear it down and rebuild. If the basic house is sound, and you have the time, only surviving OHS and finding the right mate can be more gratifying than finishing this kind of project.

When you have the house inspected, they can usually tell you what is required from a "needs" standpoint. This means what MAJOR work must be done like walls replaced, floors redone, bathroom work, windows and so on. It usually DOES NOT include cosmetic things like painting, carpeting, appliance replacement, etc.

Do your homework and you will be OK as long as you realize the work involved. Have fun.

 

[mntbiker]

*sinister laugh* (obligatory credit to Cort)

Welcome to the h*ll that is our life!

Seriously though, the house I bought before this one was a 50 year old handyman special. It had not had any work done to it in about 20 years and had been vacant for about six months. It only had one owner.

I ended up gutting the entire house, replced all the sheetrock, plumbing, electrical, whole new kitchen and bathroom and rearranged some walls. Replaced the roof on the garage down to the beams and replaced the wall in the living room with a french door due to the extensive damage.

All in all it was not a bad experience. I did do all the work myself though so it kept it much more affordable. I have no problems doing electrical work and a friend of mine who is a plumber did most of the plumbing. The worst surprise was the amount of termite damage to load bearing walls.

If you and your husband don't mind the work (which I get the idea you don't from other posts) and are reasonably handy it is definitely something you can do. Just be prepared to spend much more on the repairs then you expect.

For context, the house we live in now was a brand new custom built house that I did NOTHING to.

 

[lance]

Home inspection--a really good idea

Home inspection--a really good idea

Hello Gijanet

In real estate the most important criteria is--location, location, location.

So if the location is totally acceptable I'd get a home inspection done. Then you will have an accurate idea of what will be required and how to priortize the work. Speaking from experience, things take longer and cost more than we orginally thought and you will discover problems you never knew existed. We had to remove a wall to replace a mixer valve in the shower that had been incorrectly positioned.

We did not have a home inspection done when we bought our farm complete with a--are you ready for it--brick house built between 1860-1870 and the original bank barn built about 1880.

The house came complete with bats (still in residence and welcome) honey bee hive in the walls, (we removed pounds and pounds of honey, I thought the smell was familiar but couldn't place it when we inspected the house, a leak in the roof, wasps somewhere (still have the occasional one in the house) and when the toaster was plugged in in the kitchen the light in the next room came on. There was no heat at all on the second floor and the windows in the bedrooms were original. The first winter we were here we slept on the main floor because you could see your breath on the second. The hardwood floors looked like they had been used for livestock--you get the idea. It did have indoor plumbing of a sort. The toilet worked but the shower would alternately freeze you or burn you until the mixing valve was replaced.

Anyway, 15 years later the location is perfect, the house mostly renovated and we have complete privacy on our 125 acres. Hard to believe that a property that old did not have one shade tree, even the grass was dead--probably too much fertilizer.

So was it worth it--YES. It was frustrating, worrisome and the repairs seemed to be without end. But we did it and in so doing increased the purchase price over and over and I sit on our deck and gloat over how much the place has improved (shade trees, split rail fencing) and it gives such satsfaction just being here. We concentrated on updating one room per year and when it became frustrating concentrated on the projects we had finished.

Oh and this is important too, it's better the home is antiquated rather than been subject to cheap, shoddy questionable updates that will probably have to be re-done.

I'm sure whatever decision you make will be right for you and you will be happy in the end. It just takes time and lots of patience.

Whatever your decision I wish you the best of luck.

Cheers!

 

[lovejoy]

we bought a 100 yr.old farm house 6 1/2 years ago. had not been officially lived in for 17 years, but from time to time squatters had taken up residence in it. we just happened to drive by ot one day, and something about it compelled us to wade 5' tall weeds to have a look. The rest is history. We rented out our house in Branson,mo, bought a camper and lived in it for 4 months until we could get a bathroom and bedroom complete. It was the most gratifying work I have ever done. we didn't have temite damage, but did have significant carpenter ant damage. Home was orginally 3 bdrm, we tore everything out. It is now a beautiful 1 bedroom home, done completely in orginal oak. Hubby opened up the attic and turned it into a loft. Took us about 3 years of living in it and working full time jobs to comlete. We had to replace all windows, electrical and install plumbing, it did not even have a kitchen!! Floors were eat up from ants, had snakes and skunks in residence, but it was so worth it. Have made it clear to all, I'm not moving ever again, when I die, just bury me out back!!
On a lighter note, might be interesting to do some background search on the homes. Ours was a "showpiece 70 years ago, people came from all over to see this home. It also has the foundation still standing for what was the jail, general store,post office in our yard. It was on the main trail from Harrison to springfield in the wagon days. Our home also did time as a "house of ill repute" lol. There has been a murder on the property and a suicide.( Years ago!)
I would much rather have our home with its "character" than a new home that looks like everyone elses home.
Enjoy yourself if you decide, it is quite an experience.We did all the work ourselves, nothing was hired out out, not even the cabinet making.
(In tearing out floors, we even found an old newspaper with headlines from the Lindberg baby kidnapping. Had it matted and framed.

 

[gadgetman]

Janet,

As one who lives in a pre-1900 house, I would say the first key is a complete inspection by someone that is both knowledgeable and who you can trust. The best way to find a good house inspector is ask around. As Gina said, the number one thing is foundation, to include beams, supports, etc. If ANYTHING MAJOR is found here, stay away, unless you can get a fantastic deal. The next would be the roof. Any major problems here can get expensive very quick.

Number three on my list would be electric and water. Unless they have been upgraded, a lot of OLD houses don't meet the electric requirements of our modern times. In addition, some of the older homes date back to the times when they tried to use different wiring than copper. As long as you didn't mix the two styles you were OK but look out if something made for one was used for the other. Water is also lumped in here. Unless you are handy or have a real good friend (and hope they stay that way) that is good in that area, extensive replumbing can get expensive. Just like electricity, older houses were not designed for modern requirements. Also, is the water city/county fed or by well?

Now to the 1907 or 1940. It's funny, but around here an older house that is "lived in" is sometimes in better shape than one that hasn't had a family in a few years. I heard one fellow explain that he feels it is the energy being given off by the family that keeps the house "alive". Yeah Right!!!! If all things were equal, I would now look at the two structures. Are the rooms big enough (remember our modern family and the accumulation of THINGS)? More than one bath? Kitchen require work to make it liveable (especially important to the woman)? Heating and Air Conditioning? What renovation has already been done (and how well)?

Next would come location. You don't want to buy a place that is in the path of that new four lane that is being planned in 10 years. Or what about that new school or shopping center? What about current schools? What about the work commute? What about taxes? Also, the neighbors and surrounding area should be considered. Is that new townhouse subdivision being built in your backyard? As Mtnbker said, you might have to remove walls, etc. Can you live in it while you do it? Also zoning sometimes comes into play. You say each has a barn and stables but is the area zoned for horses, etc?

Finally (seems like I've written a book), I would say as long as you are both handy, don't mind doing the work, KNOW you will find the time to do the work and can work WELL TOGETHER, then go for it. One additional caution, don't buy with the plan of making an investment that may pay you back later for all your work.

Good luck and,

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[Christina L]

It just depends on what

It just depends on what

you really want to do - has your heart been stolen by one of these farm houses you have looked at? We moved into our circa 1909 home four years ago. We came to look at it out of curiosity - Estes Park missed the Victorian era (darn) and most of the big old homes are craftsman style (which is what ours is).

Wayne is not "handy" in the least - one way where he is NOTHING like my Father. Anyway, we have had to hire workers to completely bring up the electric to code, put in a whole new heating system, etc. etc. The house was rented for around 30 years and had originally been built as a summer home by an Upstate New York family.

This house is a money pit, but I love character in a house also. Give me character over brand-spanking new (boring to me) any day.

We have wood floors and a small kitchen and an even smaller bathroom, but it works for the two of us. We have dreams to finish the attic into a bedroom and small living space, but money doesn't come easy living in expensive Estes Park.

Good luck with your decision - go with your heart - and a little bit of practicality also.

Christina L

 

[ClickerTicker]

Our places dates back to, we think, about 1550 - but thankfully had some work done in the meantime
We've done a fair amount of relatively superficial stuff - rewiring, re-plumbing and most recently re-thatching (ouch). As the place is on our national list of historic buildings, there are strict rules on what can and can't be done to it.
OK, the thatching wasn't done by me -- now that IS a skill -- but pretty much everything else.

We're lucky and have the UK's main museum of historic "rescued" buildings close to us, a great place for inspiration and to see how things should be done if money is effectively no object. http://www.wealddown.co.uk/home-page-english.htm

I would agree with the previous comment about location, location, location. The one thing you can't do is to move the location (not quite true - I have seen whole houses being moved, but not in this country).
If the building is sufficiently old, there's the argument that "it's been there for 400-odd years and isn't really likely to fall down now". But nothing beats a professional survey. Having said that, any survey on a very old building is very likely to read like a horror story - you just have to accept that some things like damp are almost inevitable when you have no modern foundations or damp-proof course.

Oh, and if you do decide to live in it whilst renovating, be prepared for dust with a capital D - it gets everywhere.
Best of luck.

 

[Cris N]

Not to throw a damper on the fun you're anticipating but beware of asbestos & lead. They can both be dealt with either by removal or by other forms of remediation (often by sealing rather than removal). Always assume that any house built before 1978 has lead paint. Even if the disclosure form says the owner has "no knowledge" of lead paint does not mean it's not there. The asbestos you may find will most often be in floor tiles and in heating pipe and furnace wraps. I'd be sure to test for both substances so you know what you're facing.

Cris

 

[Guest]

Thank you, mtnbiker ... much appreciated!


*turns to Janet*

Darlin', a friend of mine (from my Monte Carlo circles) and his family could tell you horror stories ... and thrilling anecdotes of the times they've had renovating several of the houses in which they've lived. And, some of those (both ways), I've seen....

But, it seems as if plenty of people here have already chimed in for ya . So...GOOD LUCK with whatever you decide!


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html
"Don?t you knock on my door, I won?t be home anymore" ... Jennifer Warnes ... 'I Know A Heartache When I See 1'

 

[gijanet]

Dunno............

Dunno............

If I am feeling more intrigued by your posts, or completely intimidated. I'm not sure those goosebumps I got reading your posts were from excitement or fear! Gosh, you are a talented lot, but I'm not surprised.

Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences with me. I just had a feeling that some folks on here would have taken on a project like this. I am printing these out, as some of these things had not even occurred to me. The foundation............yes! because everyone around here is suddenly having foundation problems because of the severe drout we are having. And the wiring, but most of the rest would never have entered my mind...........there's so little left............sigh! And the bee hives, carpenter ants, bats, murders, suicides, and termites, I will pass on.

Don and I are not the handiest of people, I'll have to admit. Plumbing and wiring would have to be contracted out (Don THINKS he can do plumbing, but since I presently have a gaping hole in my back shower from his current plumbing project that has been going on for a month now, I think we would be safer contracting that out. Unless, of course, we are looking at 2025 for a move-in date.) The rest we could most likely do. I'm also afraid that the Katie factor might be the biggest problem. I can just envision her "helping" and getting shellacked to some floor or wallpapered to some wall somewhere............hmmmm.........I'm getting evil thoughts. At least I would always know where the little imp is.

And Old Clicker, a house from the 1500's? WOW! You might have an original Shakespearean manuscript there somewhere. And we thought 1907 was old. Do you have pictures posted on a site somewhere?

Well, again, thank you all so much for your valuable input. You have definitely given me food for thought..............and yes, both of these are in a great location...............course the way the metroplex keeps expanding, who knows 15 years from now as they are both on major highways (read that as a quick route to the hospital should we need it, knock on wood, but it probably wouldn't be for Katie. It will be for me when I have my mental breakdown upon finding out that one more thing needs to be renovated......... )

I don't suppose anyone wants to come visit Waxahachie, TX for a couple of years and share your expertise and relive the "fun"? Gina, come on, I know you're up to the challenge.

Will let you know what we finally decide and if you think of anything else, don't hesitate to shout. P.S. Chris, thanks for that asbestos reminder. We almost bought a beach house a couple of years ago.........2nd row, cute little house, until they revealed it was asbestos siding. Once we investigated and researched, we decided that it just wasn't worth the "bargain" price. Many hugs. J.

 

[ClickerTicker]

Your wish is my command... a couple of photos attached. One during the thatching and one after. It makes a hell of a mess

 

[Ross]

Now that is awesome!

 

[joy]

speaking of moving houses...

speaking of moving houses...

When I was about 5 years old we actually moved our house. It was a 200 year old dutch colonel style house, and man, that house was a headache! We pretty much renovated everything in the place room by room as we were living in it. It had a small kitchen and a tiny bathroom off the kitchen. The basement never did get finished(well, not while we were living there). It was a nice house that had a lot of charm, BUT unlike what a lot of you guys have said, I prefer newer places to older places. I like having all the conveniences of a new place. I guess it comes with being young...

 

[Ross]

I like having all the conveniences of a new place. I guess it comes with being young...

Yeap, when you get older and slow down, you'll appreciate the finer things in life such as old homes, etc. I know I do!

 

[ClickerTicker]

Not to throw a damper on the fun you're anticipating but beware of asbestos & lead Cris

Oh &Deity...
I stripped a whole load of paint layers, dating back to at least the 1920's, in an old flat of mine - all with a blowlamp and scraper
Also had a summer job whilst at college as a pipe fitter's mate in a Victorian mental hospital, working with steam pipes lagged with asbestos (I hope at least it was white asbestos not blue)

I guess I don't need to worry about the longevity of my valve... either of those two or the booze will probably get me first

 

[Mary]

ClickerTicker,
I love your home. It looks just like I imagine an English home should look like.

Janet,
Have you lost what's left of your mind! Have you forgotten that Katie had to paint a portion of her bedroom? What do you think she will do with an entire house to remodel? It boggles the imagination just to think about it!

I'm worried about you. I'm going to track your butt down, and overnight it back to Texas. Your loss seems to be affecting your other center of reasoning! Who says you need to be looking for a new house in Texas anyway? Why don't you move up here, and let us provide you with some needed R&R from Miss Katie? (contingent upon Trip's presence)

 

[Georgia]

Ron, your house is awesome indeed. What a treasure. There aren't many places in this country where thatch is even legal (fire issues)!

Janet, we overhauled our house a few years ago - roof, siding, plumbing, electrical, furnace, air, removed plaster & new drywall. The only thing that I'd never do again is live in the house while the plaster is removed and drywall installed. I've heard of drywall dust, and plaster dust, but never knew that @100-year-old plaster dust is BLACK (thanks to the original coal furnace, I guess) and there is no way known to man to keep that plaster dust out of everything in the house. GAG. You would not want your children in the house while this is being done.

All the other stuff is manageable.

Now, this was a house we'd lived in for 20+ years, and upgrading like this was financially a much better option than buying (we'd paid it off). So I have the house I want for a much lower price, obviously, than buying.

And we didn't do any of the work ourselves - contracted it all out.

So - if you're planning to do it, make arrangements for your selves to be out of there while the interior work is done.

And follow all the inspection advice you've received. Be particulary alert to the cracked foundation - my daughter and sil got in trouble due to that and lost their house.

 

[geebee]

Hey Janet,

As soon as my winning lottery ticket shows up - I am there!!!!!

Seriously, I don't know about 2 years but a shorter visit just to tell you how crazy you are might be in line.

It sounds like you are covering all bases and the locations are great. I know you are familar with adventure so I say, "Go for it". You only go around once.

 

[Guest]

*shrugs*

When I get a place, the BEST place for me ... and old place with new appliances, conveniences, etc.

Actually...early last year (right before I was released from Sears), I had met up with a guy there who owned a couple loft-type residences in an old building here in Elgin. The building itself was an old Shoefactory that had been renovated into several different lofts/condos. It was AWESOME. I so wanted the apartment, but the asking price was a bit too much and the garage space (1 only) was too little.

*sighs*

That was ssssooo neat. He even took the time to show me one that I wasn't even considering (a lot more expensive) ... it included the factory's original walk-in safe (now a walk-in closet).