i'm currently looking into some property that was built in the 1930s and is within
an area where freed slaves settled. it now serves as a "bachelor's pad" for the
current owner and now he wants to get rid of it. a few years after he bought the
property, he renovated but doesn't appear that he did a complete gut. upon
further inspection, it appears there is no hvac and no garbage disposal....which
seem to be very costly to install. also, with older houses....the materials used in
development during that time period, mostly likely can be contaminated with
asbestos and the pipes could contain lead.

has anyone here bought an old house? if so, did you have hvac, pipes/plumbing,
etc. inspected? replaced? what has been your experience?

luckily everything was updated
but we did have to replace the ac/furnace a year after moving in
and windows the next year

______________________________________

Navem nu, cuando sol
Tutu nu, vondo nos nu
Vita em, no continous non
Nos nu ekta nos sepe ta, amen

When the sun shades the ship
We sweat and life is not safe
To swim or to touch not
When we unite we hedge amen

https://media.giphy.com/media/YJjvTqoRFgZaM/giphy.gif

Never done it myself. But this is what I envision

_______________________________________

this is what i'm afraid of but, someone has to do it right? you can either go into
some new unknown sh*t or you can try to preserve an existing structure. it's
difficult.

The biggest worries in terms of contaminants are *any* old paint, and the tiles used in some flooring. Old paint gets painted over to solve that problem, and old floors can be covered with a new layer. Remediation isn't terribly difficult either if you need to have it removed, just make sure to take proper safety precautions. Edit: Also, be wary around any old insulation. Asbestos was used for that as well.

I don't have an HVAC system in my house, but rather a gas furnace in the basement and aluminum ducting to move it around. Used to use window units for AC, but the past few years have skipped AC and used box window fans.

Original walls are gonna be plaster, and he wiring might be modern (not sure when knob and tube wiring went out of style). I only have ground wiring on the first floor, bathroom and basement. The 2nd and 3rd are the old two-prong wires.

Old houses are great because you often start with well-known issues, instead of buying new and having issues pop up all around you.

and in life, lol

>
>Old houses are great because you often start with well-known
>issues, instead of buying new and having issues pop up all
>around you.

hvac sounds expensive but at least you know it will be new. Garbage disposal is cheap as shit. That’s easy stuff.

Our house is built in the 1970’s. Not too old but far from new. There are 2 schools of thought when it comes to old houses. The bones are typically solid with old houses. I think the foundation and roof are the biggest concerns.

Our house has some updates but you can tell they skipped corners but it’s all cosmetic. Of course we didn’t really see it until after we were in it because it was our first home. If you know any old heads with the knowledge get them to look at t he house.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

what about the switch and the electrical wiring involved? and the condition of
the existing pipes that would be connected to that disposal? i know a home
inspection is a must here but i've heard horror stories about very costly
piping/plumbing issues.

>hvac sounds expensive but at least you know it will be new.
>Garbage disposal is cheap as shit. That’s easy stuff.
>
>Our house is built in the 1970’s. Not too old but far from
>new. There are 2 schools of thought when it comes to old
>houses. The bones are typically solid with old houses. I think
>the foundation and roof are the biggest concerns.
>
>Our house has some updates but you can tell they skipped
>corners but it’s all cosmetic. Of course we didn’t really
>see it until after we were in it because it was our first
>home. If you know any old heads with the knowledge get them to
>look at t he house.

i've had a couple of people look at the house and they are amazed he was able
to go without an hvac for so long, the climate can be very humid/swampy.
i'll let him slide on that somewhat because it's not his primary residence.

Biggest problem with retrofitting HVAC here is where to put it. The unit needs to be next to the house, away from foot traffic and somewhere that the noise won't be an issue. There just isn't much space since most of the homes here are row homes or twins.

If you have the space outside, the installing HVAC should be pretty straight-forward, assuming that you can use the existing ducting in the house.

in the house. the ducting and hvac system would be completely new but, i still
need to explore whether window units or something else would be suitable.

>
>If you have the space outside, the installing HVAC should be
>pretty straight-forward, assuming that you can use the
>existing ducting in the house.

Electric heating system?

>

It never gets below zero here (Philly), but it comes close sometimes. I'm assuming that you are somewhere in the NE USA.

this house is in georgia, near the swamp. to my understanding alot of those old
houses don't have hvac or heating. they tend to have a fireplace in almost every
room.

I take mine for granted.

Prolly wouldn’t bother if I didn’t have one already. I have mixed feelings when it comes to that thing.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

>i'm currently looking into some property that was built in
>the 1930s and is within
>an area where freed slaves settled. it now serves as a
>"bachelor's pad" for the
>current owner and now he wants to get rid of it. a few years
>after he bought the
>property, he renovated but doesn't appear that he did a
>complete gut. upon
>further inspection, it appears there is no hvac and no garbage
>disposal....which
>seem to be very costly to install. also, with older
>houses....the materials used in
>development during that time period, mostly likely can be
>contaminated with
>asbestos and the pipes could contain lead.
>
>has anyone here bought an old house? if so, did you have hvac,
>pipes/plumbing,
>etc. inspected? replaced? what has been your experience?

I know those can be stressful.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

seeing things I WISH i'd incorporated...but that's just the nature of being a creative...you never feel like anything you do is really DONE.

Stressful indeed. My wife was pregnant with our 2nd child during the entire build and we were living in a glorified 1 bedroom (really a studio) apartment with the lowest amount of natural lighting that's probably allowed. And then there was a solid month of rain that caused significant project delays.

what is "full scale" renovation? a gut? partial gut? is everything completely
new? new floor plan? did you install an hvac system? roof? did you have to tend to the pipes? did it become a money pit?

this house is a t@bby bungalow, and i would want to preserve as much of it as
possible. the current owner did a really good job with it but, didn't
bother with hvac and smaller modern appliances like a garbage disposal (which,
i think can affect the pipes/plumbing).

Now it's a 2-story, 4BR, 3 Bath house and fully finished basement.

>what is "full scale" renovation? a gut? partial gut? is
>everything completely
>new? new floor plan? did you install an hvac system? roof? did
>you have to tend to the pipes? did it become a money pit?

Gutted, tore the roof off, new roof & framing to accommodate & convert it to a 2-story, bumped out the side 5-ft, replaced all electrical & upgraded capacity, replaced all plumbing (copper supply & PVC waste), tankless H2O heater (already had one, but had to get a new one for...reasons...lol), new HVAC with an independent zone for each level, new floor plan but similar "flow".

I can't say that it "became" a money pit....but we did go over budget by maybe 5%. I'll put it like this though....we bought the house in 2006 or so. I started designing the work in 2014, and we didn't actually construct until 2016. As of now, what we owe on the house is about $180K more than we owed when we purchased it back in 2006. So you can maybe do the math and suss out the significance of that whether it's good or bad. But we do intend to be here for quite some time.

>this house is a t@bby bungalow, and i would want to preserve
>as much of it as
>possible.

Yes, we were in the same mindset when I initially started design. And for all intents & purposes, I pulled it off.... I kept the vibe of the original house and the scale of the front elevation, which was priority #1 for me anyway. I HATE seeing renovated houses that look like they grew a tumor and tower over the adjacent older homes....

>the current owner did a really good job with it but,
>didn't bother with hvac and smaller modern appliances like a garbage disposal (which, i think can affect the pipes/plumbing).

Same here...the previous owner had put in central A/C and upgraded the furnace. They'd also done electrical work at the outlet and at the panel, but they had left a lot of the older fabric wrapped wiring. So some outlets in the house were still the old ungrounded style and others (like 3 total lol) were modern with a ground. The pipes were ALL old and you could tell.
Garbage disposal could also be an issue with electricity capacity in your kitchen. Ideally it'd be on a dedicated circuit so that you aren't tripping breakers everytime you use it. Also need sufficient space under the sink. Also if you have a septic system, you'd need a special type of garbage disposal I think...look into that.

I'd say Electric, Plumbing & HVAC are the 1st things to address.

ALso, we had asbestos tile beneath 2 layers of flooring in the kitchen. Our entire house was also clad with asbestos shingles...and that was hidden beneath a layer of wood clapboard AND a layer of insulation AND vinyl siding... FUN TIMES!



"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

but i would assume this is what is needed when you want to make the house
your home. can't half step. are you a designer? i wasn't really into home design
until recently, i've been looking at houses that were renovated in new orleans,
some people literally took a trailer and made it into a masterpiece.

>but i would assume this is what is needed when you want to
>make the house
>your home.

Definitely a long term investment move.

>can't half step. are you a designer?

Yes.

>i wasn't
>really into home design
>until recently, i've been looking at houses that were
>renovated in new orleans,
>some people literally took a trailer and made it into a
>masterpiece.

Yeah, there's levels. THere's always a line you have to decide IF you want to cross and then HOW.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

-Foundation & 1st floor wall & floor framing.

-75% of the existing hardwood flooring. The kitchen & dining rooms weren't salvageable so we had to key in new hardwoods in those room. After sanding & re-finishing, it's very difficult to tell where the old & new portions are. I can tell, but most folks can't.

-The original bathroom... although i'd renovated that myself back in like 2009 or something. It still had the original cast iron tub and I like that.


"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

bearing in mind that it's still a smaller sized house, very modest lol...



"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

I hate that thing man.

---------------------------------
Photo zine(some images NSFW): http://bit.ly/USaSPhoto

"This (and every, actually) conversation needs more Chesterton and less Mike Francesa." - Walleye

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

I'd prefer just a standard drain.

---------------------------------
Photo zine(some images NSFW): http://bit.ly/USaSPhoto

"This (and every, actually) conversation needs more Chesterton and less Mike Francesa." - Walleye

i guess, just take care not to put anything down there that could clog it? seems like
it could be a mess.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

My mom moved into a much smaller unit closer to town and this beautiful old house is just sitting there. We have renters there currently trashing the place.

Trying to hold on to it until Retire but my folks refinanced during the heyday so their is a mortgage on it we are still carrying.

Look at this place.

https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/6a4252c2dc171003fc4594f637668318-p_f.jpg


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

so much land.

>

_______________________
We rationalize dumb shit

**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

@silentintellect

For AC: A lot of old houses are able to support high-velocity, small tubing systems, which are less invasive than the traditional ductwork systems. I had an old house (1893) that had had ductowork put in; my current house is a 1960 split level but has the high velocity system and it's way more effective for the house.
Fromm what I understand, a 2,000' house can be around $15-20k for a system.

Other issues: windows, flooring, exterior maintenance, shitty previous renos, etc. all addressed thus far. you almost have to expect stuff to come up. Electrical can be big, especially if you want to add things. Part of the challenge is how much you want to balance maintaining the aesthetic and charm of an old property against expense... ie with windows, it's a lot more expensive to get vintage style windows than modern style. It might be more expensive to repair plaster than to replace with drywall. Maybe cheaper to put in a new fake wood floor than to refinish the old wood one. The house is never going to be issue-free... but then again no house ever really is.

-------
so I'm in a band now:
album ---> http://greenwoodburns.bandcamp.com/releases
Soundcloud ---> http://soundcloud.com/greenwood-burns

my own stuff -->http://soundcloud.com/lonesomedstringband

avy by buckshot_defunct

The drywall sub explained to me how it was going to take more time (and money of course) to work around and patch up the plaster that was left intact vs. demoing all the plaster and putting in new drywall everywhere.
Ended up taking all the plaster out....
Ultimately it made for better aesthetics, access to infrastructure in the future if necessary, and uncovered a TON of water damage that we wouldn't have seen had we left the plaster in place.

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

but I'm a sucker for 'charm' and the unevenness of the old plaster was a big part of that (along with the beautifully wave but drafty old windows).

There are a few spots where I wound up having to rip out the rotting plaster in fairly large sections, used some drywall to patch but used a whole lot of joint compound and several layers of paint over it. Worked out alright aesthetically but probably would have been difficult for anyone coming after to remediate.

-------
so I'm in a band now:
album ---> http://greenwoodburns.bandcamp.com/releases
Soundcloud ---> http://soundcloud.com/greenwood-burns

my own stuff -->http://soundcloud.com/lonesomedstringband

avy by buckshot_defunct

i need to look into this:
>
>For AC: A lot of old houses are able to support high-velocity,
>small tubing systems, which are less invasive than the
>traditional ductwork systems. I had an old house (1893) that
>had had ductowork put in; my current house is a 1960 split
>level but has the high velocity system and it's way more
>effective for the house.
>Fromm what I understand, a 2,000' house can be around $15-20k
>for a system.

yeah, i can already see the windows will need to be replaced and the flooring
isn't so bad. i need to come up with a plan!

>Other issues: windows, flooring, exterior maintenance, shitty
>previous renos, etc. all addressed thus far. you almost have
>to expect stuff to come up. Electrical can be big, especially
>if you want to add things. Part of the challenge is how much
>you want to balance maintaining the aesthetic and charm of an
>old property against expense... ie with windows, it's a lot
>more expensive to get vintage style windows than modern style.
>It might be more expensive to repair plaster than to replace
>with drywall. Maybe cheaper to put in a new fake wood floor
>than to refinish the old wood one. The house is never going to
>be issue-free... but then again no house ever really is.
>

no hvac - steam boiler (just replaced)/ ac unit in some of the windows..
walls - all plaster
electric panel is fairly new, wires going to the panel not so much

plumbing is fairly new since I redid both bathrooms and..

I recently got the kitchen redone (gut it out except the walls, we just sheet rocked over the plaster after punching holes for electric and plumbing)

we had a garbage disposal before the kitchen redo (replaced it once).. with this new kitchen we didn't get it but the contractor did put a switch and an outlet under the sink for it so I can install it if need be.. right now we don't miss it.

original pine wood floors with shellac finish when I first brought the house I later found out that I don't have a subfloor.. (I'm going back and forth as to whether or not I want to throw some engineered/bamboo wood over that for insulation, sound proofing and extra sturdiness..)

all original moldings still in tact..

I wouldn't mind an ac unit and apparently (according to my contractor) there is ducting tight enough to fit in between my walls and make that happen but I would rather have my basement redone..

*taking notes*

It's mostly renovated, but I still have some updates to complete.
I hired out most of the work, but did the floors myself. Rented a flooring nailer and compressor at Home Depot inexpensively and knocked it out in a weekend.
I bought all of the wood flooring and a lot of other materials from builders auctions.
This is the main one I went to:
https://surplusliquidatorsauction.hibid.com/auctions/

Anyway, asbestos pipe insulation is fairly simple to inspect visually. https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos-Pipe-Insulation-FAQs.php

As far as the garbage disposal, the nearby electrical source under the sink seems to be the most difficult part. I'm horrible at plumbing, every attempt ever has resulted in a leak.

Also, when buying a house in need of repair, think about a 203K home loan. It's not just FHA backed, it allows you to include renovation costs into the mortgage, and you only need to pay a 3.5% down payment.
https://themortgagereports.com/14946/fha-203k-loan-mortgage-lender-rates

thank you for the links, very good information!
>
>Also, when buying a house in need of repair, think about a
>203K home loan. It's not just FHA backed, it allows you to
>include renovation costs into the mortgage, and you only need
>to pay a 3.5% down payment.
>https://themortgagereports.com/14946/fha-203k-loan-mortgage-lender-rates

yep, the 203k loan is on the radar and i recently found out about fannie mae's
homestyle program which seems a little less restrictive:
https://tinyurl.com/y6m6yu4w

but I really want to bid on these.
https://surplusliquidatorsauction.hibid.com/lot/57783309/lot-of-american-olean-mosaic-tile

& good to know about that HomeStyle Renovation option, thanks.

they can be used for decoration of different things

I'm on the hunt for some nice tiles myself. Gonna gut and redo the 1st floor 1/2 bath, and I want to tile the walk-in shower and walls as well as the floor.

and I heard about the renovation loan. Might be a great option for us since we need to buy in a great school district.

Trying to find the worst home in a great neighborhood and hook it up before moving in.

Wife once to walk into a finished project but would love to put a personal touch on it.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

and decide how to proceed AFTER you have a clear understanding of their expectations.

.. some of my new neighbors did exactly that..

brought a fixer upper
got the work all done and added the cost of the work to their mortgage

not a bad idea! get it done and out of the way before moving in is the way to go..

Going to do a total rebuild into a passive house.

Like one of those super-insulated places? That sound pretty cool. Are you gonna add solar too?

>Like one of those super-insulated places? That sound pretty
>cool. Are you gonna add solar too?

Yes and I will add solar panels.

please let us know how it goes. i need to look into that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa_OWDPrxeI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7BqObGA6ss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0lMdD5rqvM