Buying an old home

peppy · 11-01-2009, 11:05 AM

My wife and I are buying an old home, the home I grew up in. The house needs work, but has some potential.

We will not be living in it for a few years, but would like to get started on modernizing the home.

Are there any good web sites like Pelican for advise?

Danny_Ocean · 11-01-2009, 11:27 AM

HandymanWire - Expert Advice and help for do-it-yourselfers

Far right side of home page, 1/3 way down, click on "Ask The Experts" forums. They even have an "OT"!

Hugh R · 11-01-2009, 12:13 PM

applianceguru.com for appliances. Search is free, asking questions is a one time $5 well worth the bucks.

peppy · 11-01-2009, 12:25 PM

Thanks guys.

john70t · 11-01-2009, 03:41 PM

Building & Construction - DIY Chatroom - DIY Home Improvement Forum

peppy · 05-19-2010, 08:39 AM

New railings installed and I had the roof painted.

Pcar home

Talewinds · Talewinds's Garage

That's a great looking house! But how old is it?

peppy · 05-19-2010, 10:10 AM

The tax office says it was built in 1935.

I have spoken with a lady that live in the upstairs (there was an apartment) in 1940 the year she was married. She told me the floors had just been redone, I'm thinking 5 years is quick to have to refinish hardwood floors.

The house was turned to the left before the wings where added, and I do not know if the chimneys where built before or after.

I have heard that the house was a stable and at one point was the Manes for the Presbyterian church. I have no documentation, just word of mouth.

The registrar of deeds has been helping me trace back the ownership, I hope to get more info soon. I have a name of another owner.

look 171 · 05-19-2010, 10:30 AM

Tell us what kind of work it needs and the type of work you are planning to do to it.

peppy · 05-19-2010, 10:58 AM

We are in the process of redoing the downstairs bath and replacing the windows. For now we a working on the downstairs. Putting in some new electrical outlets and running CAT5 to the rooms. Changing a formal living room to a family room.

We need to refinish 2 hardwood floors and paint every room.

Wish list is long: Central air, pave driveway, new storm doors, fix front stoop, electric service underground,remove back porch and build a new kitchen with a master bedroom above $$$$.

masraum · 05-19-2010, 11:11 AM

I'd skip the cat5 and just use wireless unless you really need the network drops.

I guess the one possible need could be that as more and more stuff gets connected you might want to start connecting things like TVs, DVD players and toasters to the network. (well, maybe not toasters, at least, not yet).

masraum · 05-19-2010, 11:13 AM

Super cool house, BTW. I'd love to get into something like that some day.

peppy · 05-19-2010, 11:35 AM

Steve this was the family home so I really did not pay market for it. We just wanted it to stay in the family.
The attic used to scare the crap out of me.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

You want CAT6 and I'd run it where I could, so that you can have multiple strong wireless access points. It's how my house is setup.

The house looks very similar to my house in Western Mass, except that your house is wider, by one window in the original section. Placement and style of the front door and the back door, upper windows, etc., are identical. My house was built in 1824.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Attic pics, are the rafters nailed or pegged?

peppy · 05-19-2010, 11:49 AM

Crap we have already ran CAT5. I don't think it will be that bad.

Wow James 1824 that is an old house.

Jame how do you heat your home? We have an oil fired boiler.

peppy · 05-19-2010, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

Attic pics, are the rafters nailed or pegged?

If you are talking about the top where they butt together I think they are nailed. I have not found any pegs just what looks like cut nails.

Zeke · 05-19-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peppy

We are in the process of redoing the downstairs bath and replacing the windows. For now we a working on the downstairs. Putting in some new electrical outlets and running CAT5 to the rooms. Changing a formal living room to a family room.

We need to refinish 2 hardwood floors and paint every room.

Wish list is long: Central air, pave driveway, new storm doors, fix front stoop, electric service underground,remove back porch and build a new kitchen with a master bedroom above $$$$.

The new EPA lead laws have everyone in a tizzy. Bone up on the requirements in case you plan on hiring ANYTHING done by a contractor. I read that window replacement falls right in the middle of this mess. Since I used to replace windows, this new law was of interest to me.

Painting will be prohibitively expensive from this point on unless you do it yourself.

I don't think I can even get liability insurance any more.

In short (very short) here are the only exemptions:
Houses built >'78
No children in house any more than 3 hours a week.
Senior citizens and handicapped (whatever the definitions are there, I have no idea.)

So, if you live in an old house, are old or handicapped and no kids come around, you don't have to comply.

Compliance is insane. I'ts basically the same as asbestos abatement w/o the wash at the entrance to the work area. Still, you have to have a foot wipe.

peppy · 12:32 PM

Milt is this only if someone under 6 is living in the home during the renovations?

look 171 · 05-19-2010, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milt

The new EPA lead laws have everyone in a tizzy. Bone up on the requirements in case you plan on hiring ANYTHING done by a contractor. I read that window replacement falls right in the middle of this mess. Since I used to replace windows, this new law was of interest to me.

Painting will be prohibitively expensive from this point on unless you do it yourself.

I don't think I can even get liability insurance any more.

In short (very short) here are the only exemptions:
Houses built >'78
No children in house any more than 3 hours a week.
Senior citizens and handicapped (whatever the definitions are there, I have no idea.)

So, if you live in an old house, are old or handicapped and no kids come around, you don't have to comply.

Compliance is insane. I'ts basically the same as asbestos abatement w/o the wash at the entrance to the work area. Still, you have to have a foot wipe.

Milt,

I am thinking about getting the cert. It isn't that much money but I think it would be worth it in the long run. 50% of my business is ripping apart older homes.

I havenot looked into it yet, do you know what's involve?