LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 So, if you had the opportunity to purchase a 2700 sq ft, two story, 110 year old farm house, on 10 acres, for under $90K, barely 30 min from the city, would you do it? This house still has the original electricity, original windows, no furnace or a/c (wood stove heats the whole thing presently, supposedly :rolleyes:), but does have plumbing, original woodwork, doors, floors, and is structurally sound. The ten acres are mostly in front of the house (long driveway), it has a big ol' barn with the stone foundation, but it has rotting toward the top and an awful roof. We would spend the next couple years remodeling it before we'd be able to move there. The back of the property was sold to another person who will be building a house quite far back (think a typical farm field length - it's the other 30 acres of the farmer's land). According to the realtor, these people are "into" organic farming. But the present crop surrounding the house is soybeans, so the soil needs a lot of time and amending. Would you do it? Is it insane? *Everything* needs to be ripped out and replaced or refinished. We are going on Tues to look at the inside (beyond the pictures she gave us). We have seen the land and outside of the house in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintedlady Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 If you've got more time and money than you know what to do with, go for it. We live in a 140+ year old house, and while it's charming, after 12 years of living here, I'm pretty sick of giving all my free time and extra (yeah right) money to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 At one time, absolutely. It was my *dream.* Now? I really don't know. I'm tired, & new houses look. so. EASY. I think ages of kids is a factor, too. 10yo could really enjoy helping w/ renovations. 4yo & under could really get hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Nope, never, not a chance. Did I mention no? I have multiple friends with 100 year old houses. The charm fades as the bills pile up. The decision to buy is almost universally regretted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Original electricity? From 1901? You mean...candles? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnL Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 In theory, it sounds wonderful. But dh is not very handy and we don't have much money at all. If we were handy people and had enough money to renovate, I'd absolutely do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Unless I had plenty of money to have the work done by someone else, then no. We did that once, and I will never do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Honest answer: In my dreams, I would love it. In reality, it would be a nightmare. Isn't there a movie called The Money Pit? I'm thinking it would be like that. If you have a lot of money and you can do most of the work yourself and if you have a lot of time...then it could work. Since I have none of the above, it wouldn't work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 It would be insane for *my* family. ... I could see it being *fabulous* for others I know though. And you might be one of them. :) I can definitely see fun, appealing aspects of the project. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) Have you got an extra $100,000 and 5 years to donate to the property? Original, I assume also means uninsulated and that is another HUGE issue that you need to consider. By the time you rip out all of the plumbing to put in new, all electrical (including electrical box) to the pole, new septic (I assume it is not on city), insulation and deal with any water issues....you're going to drop a mint. If you don't want drafty windows, those are next on the list. Then you get to deal with the quirkiness of old homes. No closets are a common one. Odd shaped rooms that are not furniture friendly. Kitchens don't have many outlets and the bathrooms may not have any (will hopefully be solved during the rewiring phase). Functioning but inefficient fireplaces and areas of the house that are open to the damp ground (ie mold issues). The land around the house needs to be looked at too. How old are the trees (trees that live to 100 may be at the end of their life) and are there plumbing issues away from the house. Tree roots and old pipes are a nasty mix. I lived in a house from the 1800s growing up. My father could never rest, there was always a project to do. I vowed to NEVER live in an old house again. They are wonderful and full of charm....for someone else....not me. You can pretty much assume there is only one bathroom and no laundry room too. Any room with plumbing is very, very expensive to add on. Edited August 22, 2011 by Tap, tap, tap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 As long as you are cognizant of the amount of work and cost.....absolutely. Soya also brings in the deer and they make good eating as I am sure you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Original electricity? From 1901? You mean...candles? :lol: Lol! No, I mean from when electricity was original :lol:. You know wires and little glass tubes and stuff - a fire waiting to happen behind those horse hair walls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Only if we wanted it to suck up every ounce of energy, every moment of our time, and every dollar we ever made. Whatever you think it will cost to refurbish, double or triple that. If you think it will take 2 years, it will take 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 You know what's funny? Except for the $$ part, these responses are making me drool. Apparently, there's still a part of me that would love it. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Lee Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I have a friend who did that. She and her husband bought a farmhouse that had been in the family for many years. It was a huge drain on their time and money. They spent lots and lots of money on gas driving back into the city regularly. They were able to sell it to another family member and get out from under, but it was not a good thing for their family. Don't do it unless you plan to live your life out in that rural area and are able to spend the money on the repairs/upkeep/renovations. I have known several families who moved out to the country to fulfill their dream. They all imagined an idyllic lifestyle with chickens and various livestock and neighbors who were the salt of the earth. Instead they found that animals are a lot of hard work, people are the same everywhere, and they wanted their kids to have things that aren't available out there. Every. Single. Family. moved back to the city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We live in a 95 year old house that was maintained fairly well, but most things were original (windows, no insulation, floors, wood work, furnace, hideous/old bathrooms, electric, ugly 80's vintage kitchen). We've been here 8 years and done a bunch - including replacing the furnace, building a new 3 car garage, replacing electric, insulating, slowly updating the original windows, stripping paint down to wood and painting exterior, replacing gutters, I think we've replaced ever appliance (although any "used" house will have this issue - we had a 10 year old house before and had to replace things already). Bathrooms are quickly coming up - we had some landscape projects this summer unrelated to the age of our house. For us - TOTALLY worth it. We're in the city, we love our neighborhood, our house oozes charm and it is so us. I will say it has made me more patient and handy. It has required a certain level of "zen". But then again, so does homeschooling. Come to mention it, we'd probably be further along were in not for homeschooling. :D It was livable when we moved in, so we're on the long term update plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Most definitely... in a heartbeat... but my hubby would likely say no. My kids would love it too, until they tired of all the work and its uniqueness and realized its shortcomings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Of course if people are interested in this type of adventure, look at this web site. http://www.historicproperties.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 So, if you had the opportunity to purchase a 2700 sq ft, two story, 110 year old farm house, on 10 acres, for under $90K, barely 30 min from the city, would you do it? This house still has the original electricity, original windows, no furnace or a/c (wood stove heats the whole thing presently, supposedly :rolleyes:), but does have plumbing, original woodwork, doors, floors, and is structurally sound. The ten acres are mostly in front of the house (long driveway), it has a big ol' barn with the stone foundation, but it has rotting toward the top and an awful roof. We would spend the next couple years remodeling it before we'd be able to move there. The back of the property was sold to another person who will be building a house quite far back (think a typical farm field length - it's the other 30 acres of the farmer's land). According to the realtor, these people are "into" organic farming. But the present crop surrounding the house is soybeans, so the soil needs a lot of time and amending. Would you do it? Is it insane? *Everything* needs to be ripped out and replaced or refinished. We are going on Tues to look at the inside (beyond the pictures she gave us). We have seen the land and outside of the house in person. Are you attached to the house? You could always bulldoze it and build new. Might be cheaper in the long run. Get the new house build in the style of the original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Have you got an extra $100,000 and 5 years to donate to the property? We have the 5 years, but I think we might only have about $50-60K above any offering price to play with. We did this once before the kids were born, but it was a whole different situation; that house had been renovated/updated every 30 or so years, so while we had a ton to do (8 months worth before it was livable), it still wasn't as much as this place is going to require. And it was an investment. The next place would be the last place for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Yes, definitely. Starting from an original house is soooo much easier than fixing someone elses poor renovation! I'd aim to live there though, it will be a bit of a nightmare (btdt) but you will get it done quicker if you are on site all the time, plus there will be more money for the renovation instead of paying for somewhere else to live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Are you attached to the house? You could always bulldoze it and build new. Might be cheaper in the long run. Get the new house build in the style of the original. Did anybody else just have a convulsion, as if she said, "Bulldoze your grandmother & get a new one?" Or was that just me? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 If I could afford the repairs to be done all at once. Lead tested before hand, of course. So, air ducts place for heat and air, electrical wire pulled and replaced, outlets tested/redone, outside and inside painted, floors repaired and ready to go....(an in the country, especially, some type of floor you can sweep and mop up) Pipes checked for lead and replaced. I'd want the a/c and heat to be central, but if you can do wood.... really.. it does an awesome job. (Which reminds me, after the ducts are put in, you'll need some insulation....) (walls and under floors, probably. I wouldn't worry tons about the windows, but just figure them in to what you will want to replace.... and.... well... if you have the $10,000 (to $15,000??) or so to take them out, have the place painted... and then repaired, all the better.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 As long as you are cognizant of the amount of work and cost.....absolutely. Soya also brings in the deer and they make good eating as I am sure you know. And an abundance of wild turkey, which are everywhere - even in the road, just hanging out (alive ;)). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We have the 5 years, but I think we might only have about $50-60K above any offering price to play with. We did this once before the kids were born, but it was a whole different situation; that house had been renovated/updated every 30 or so years, so while we had a ton to do (8 months worth before it was livable), it still wasn't as much as this place is going to require. And it was an investment. The next place would be the last place for us. Honestly, if you can "only" (sounds crazy to say that!) put in another 50-60K, you might not want to get into it. We were looking at house up to 100K higher than what we paid for this house (our area is $$$, I know in some areas you can buy a very nice house for that). So we were ready to throw some more money in. The other thing is we've been able to hire some of the work done, which has been huge too. The setting sounds wonderful if you're looking for rural, but I'd think you'd probably need at least 100K to play with what you're talking about? Renovations are SOO costly, and old houses always reveal surprises. You can find mold, or rotting subfloors, plaster starts collapsing, etc etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Well, we did. Actually the house is 200 years old and "some" of the wiring/plumbing was "newer." Not enough for the insurance company (USAA) who said we had to have the entire house rewired within 30 days. Apparently, there are a lot of unemployed electricians in Texas just waiting for people to call them up so they can start a 30 day project at the drop of a hat. Not here. The electricians you would want working on your house are booked 6 months out for a project that size. We found a new insurance company. The septic is grandfathered in our state, but some states require it to pass an inspection before the transfer. We had to replace the kitchen floor right away because there was a spot where the linoleum was holding everything else up. And the Harvest Gold appliances. In the last 10 years, we've replaced the roof, redone the chimneys, replaced half the foundation, about half the wiring and plumbing, all the appliances, the windows, the pump at the bottom of the 900 ft well and some floors. It's still not "done." But we love it. Definitely watch the Money Pit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I live in a 120 year old farmhouse. There are a lot of things to love about it, but there are many, many times when I think I want to pack it all up and move to our rental house in town, but the thought of having townies for neighbours makes me physically ill. :tongue_smilie: It is a endless series of repairs and repairs and more repairs. It is always something. There has never been a month where something didn't need work. Almost nothing works like it is supposed to work. When I'm feeling charitable, I say the house has a lot of quirks. When I'm being realistic, I say the house is a disaster waiting to happen. :glare: I have chosen to cultivate a state of blissful ignorance when it comes to this house. When something goes wrong, I don't want to know what it is. I don't want to know how to fix it. I just want it done. Luckily for me, dh is well versed in the trades necessary to do just about everything that's ever needing doing around here. Just be realistic about what you're getting into and don't expect anything more than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We have the 5 years, but I think we might only have about $50-60K above any offering price to play with. We did this once before the kids were born, but it was a whole different situation; that house had been renovated/updated every 30 or so years, so while we had a ton to do (8 months worth before it was livable), it still wasn't as much as this place is going to require. And it was an investment. The next place would be the last place for us. There is no way I would try with $60,000. Please realize, that you are going to basically gut this house. Lath and plaster from the walls will have to be torn down to get the electrical/plumbing in place. All of the siding will have to be removed for insulation (blown in won't work because the walls are likely stuffed with things like paper, hair or debris. Every stitch of plumbing/pipes/electrical wiring (including phone/cable) will need to be ran. Floors and stair cases will need to be assessed for safety/rot and replaced or repaired accordingly. At least one point in this project, you will likely have just the studs left standing. Wood built-ins will likely need to be sanded and refinished. If they have been painted, this will be a nightmare with many, many layers of paint. Any glass work that needs to be replaced will be expensive to match. Doors and hardware are hard to refinish in place. Once you take them down, the hardware is not too forgiving and then you are the quest to replace a hinge or a door knob. Easier now with the internet, but not easy or cheap. If there is real crown molding (wainscoting and mop boards) you will need to pull it all, number the pieces and try to put it all back when you rebuild the walls. Add in at least $10,000 for some kind of water damage or rot...and adjust UP as needed. It will be more expensive than building a house. You will be paying someone or doing a tremendous amount of tearing down, before you even get started on the rebuilding. It is much harder to rewire/plumb the old, than do new work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Sounds like a dream! Absolutely. Provided the $90K is a good deal, considering the work you'll be putting into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Yes, yes, yes. 17 years ago we bought our house, built in 1880. Knob and tube wiring, old plumbing, drafty windows ( in a cold climate!). We LOVED this adventure. We've done a lot of the work ourselves, and would do it again if the opportunity arose. Currently we're redoing the kitchen. So much fun! This house has charm and our kids have all grown up here- it's been a blast. BTW, original hardwood floors have lasted 130 years and still look beautiful. I don't know that new construction will last like this old house has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Please realize, that you are going to basically gut this house. Lath and plaster from the walls will have to be torn down to get the electrical/plumbing in place. All of the siding will have to be removed for insulation (blown in won't work because the walls are likely stuffed with things like paper, hair or debris. Every stitch of plumbing/pipes/electrical wiring (including phone/cable) will need to be ran. Floors and stair cases will need to be assessed for safety/rot and replaced or repaired accordingly. At least one point in this project, you will likely have just the studs left standing. We actually did NOT do all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We actually did NOT do all that. Us either. We ran new wiring without ripping down walls and had insulation blown in the walls and laid in the attic. Our house is now almost too airtight and we had to actually ADD airflow when we had it energy assessed, which is pretty amazing for a 96 year old house. Our staircases and flooring are all really solid. Our biggest flooring issue is the kitchen floor right now is currently original hardwood, linoleum tile, CARPET, plywood, current cheesy plastic tiles. Can't wait to rip all that up! Good times! :D It literally sits over an inch above the other original hardwood. If you are serious about bidding on this house though, I'd have a really thorough inspector and maybe even pay a general contractor that specializes in old houses come out and look at it and see how the general structure looked and what they'd recommend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in OH Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 no furnace or a/c (wood stove heats the whole thing presently, supposedly :rolleyes:) We farm, and have lived in 90 year old farmhouses. There is no way I would believe that one woodstove heats a 2700 sq. ft. two story farmhouse. I'm also guessing that the heat only gets to the 2nd story through floor registers? I think you're right to :rolleyes:! For an upper midwest winter, I would expect to have to put in ductwork, a large outdoor woodburner, and a forced air system if you want to heat the whole house. Another annual expense will be the cost of gravel for that long driveway. Call the quarry and ask how many loads it would take and what the cost would be to have it spread. Expect that cost every year. I think it will cost more than $100K to bring it up to standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We didn't have to do any wall removal to replace the electricity. There's no need to remove the knob and tube- just run new wiring and disconnect the knob and tube. The plumbing wasn't an issue, either. As for insulation, the windows are HUGE in his house- 85 inches high- but the plaster walls have kept this house quite insulated. Far better insulated than any other house we've lived in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) Oh, I don't know if I'm supposed to do this, but here is a picture of the outside of the house (I'll come back and delete it tomorrow). The outside does have vinyl, which is definitely not original, lol. But the top part (the scollops) are wood. The front screams wrap-around porch to me, which would mean a roof over that weird looking middle window. The barn is on the other side of the driveway. (pics removed) Edited August 22, 2011 by LauraGB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 In my dreams, I'd say "Yes! That sounds awesome! What an adventure for your children to remember!" But reality screams "You'll be putting money into a house that old forever and the renovations will really get to be a pain!" Not sure which one I like better LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) Oh, I don't know if I'm supposed to do this, but here is a picture of the outside of the house (I'll come back and delete it tomorrow). The outside does have vinyl, which is definitely not original, lol. But the top part (the scollops) are wood. The front screams wrap-around porch to me, which would mean a roof over that weird looking middle window. The barn is on the other side of the driveway. You only live once and if you can affort it and if this is your dream give it a shot. Regrets are hard things to live with. Nice looking house, and yes a wrap around porch would work nicely. Edited August 22, 2011 by pqr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2read Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 If it has a flagstone foundation, and it must if it's that old, I wouldn't consider it. We lived in one briefly and the mice, moles, bug problem was constant not to mention the damp basement problem. The floors creaked waking the kids up if we walked down the hall, water pressure was weak, plumbing problems because the pipes were old and they were smaller back then. If your husband is a carpenter with time on his hands and you want to flip it, then maybe consider it, but not as a long term family home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Did anybody else just have a convulsion, as if she said, "Bulldoze your grandmother & get a new one?" Or was that just me? ;) Yes, yes I did. I felt a bit faint for a moment. I would buy it and love it, no matter the cost to fix it up. I feel bad for old houses. I feel bad for the families that lived in them and loved them. It makes me sad to see them wilting away while the new houses march on in, row after row. But that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 You only live once and if you can affort it and if this is your dream give it a shot. Regrets are hard things to live with. Nice looking house, and yes a wrap around porch would work nicely. :D You're making it hard for me to delete the picture tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) If I was absolutely in love with the house; if it felt like it was the 'forever' house. If an experienced contractor confirmed that the structural elements are solid, the YES! (We are in a 60 year old house, that we fell in love with, and we ended up buying it, even if there were some issues with it. No regrets! We love it! It also seems that some 100 year old houses are structurally sounder than the 60 year old houses.) It is so absolutely charming! I'd be drooling over it, that's for sure. I think whether to do it or not, depends on your personality / family dynamics and level of skill. Did I get it right that you already renovated an old house and then sold it? I'd definitely have an experience contractor to inspect the house. Is there a way for you to live there, while you renovate? Even if you stay in a camper? Do you have more pictures? (drools) I understant if you don't want to post them here, though. Edited August 22, 2011 by sunflowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 It is a nice looking house :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Yes, yes I did. I felt a bit faint for a moment. I would buy it and love it, no matter the cost to fix it up. I feel bad for old houses. I feel bad for the families that lived in them and loved them. It makes me sad to see them wilting away while the new houses march on in, row after row. But that's just me. Me too, me too. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 :D You're making it hard for me to delete the picture tomorrow. Fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 That's not insane! That's an adventure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Fixed. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) Is there a way for you to live there, while you renovate? Even if you stay in a camper? Do you have more pictures? (drools) I understant if you don't want to post them here, though. No, we can't live there. Our job is where we currently live (as in, our house) and they are tied together. Eventually, we'd like to rent our current property out and live in the new one. But, it's only 1/2 hour from here, so not a bad highway drive at all. I do have more pics. Here is the upstairs (I think, from what I can gather, there are 4 rooms up there, plus a wide landing - and the hallway is 5ft wide?!): Here is...something - they listed it as the "library", lol : Edited August 22, 2011 by LauraGB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Fixed. It took me a while to figure this out, but now mine is fixed to. (I'm slow today, I guess :lol:. Sorry.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We would spend the next couple years remodeling it before we'd be able to move there. *Everything* needs to be ripped out and replaced or refinished. We actually did NOT do all that. In my experience with my parents home and the 17 remodels they did when I was growing up......it is the easiest way, if you are not going to be living there. Keep the bones and rebuild from there. In my parents home, anytime someone did work on one side of a lath and plaster wall....the other side needed to be repaired due to damage and cracks. We did live in our house while my parents worked on it, and it was never fun. There were many times when my father would go to replace the electrical in one room at a time to find burnt wires in the walls. The old plumbing and new, didn't work great because the old lines were much smaller than the new ones. The kitchen never really had water pressure. The water came out....but well not very quickly. LOL He said more than once that they should have just done it all at once and been done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 No, we can't live there. Our job is where we currently live (as in, our house) and they are tied together. Eventually, we'd like to rent our current property out and live in the new one. But, it's only 1/2 hour from here, so not a bad highway drive at all. That makes sense. And my heart beat literally increased when I saw these other photos! I'm with the 'you live once, go for it' camp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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