Fixing Up Older Home!
All,
I have a property under contract that is over 100 years old. I have done a home inspection and the report is that the home is structurally sound. Electrical and other systems have been updated and are to code.
This is the first time I have ever dealt with a property this old and I am worried that I might miss something important. Is there anyone out there who has worked on homes of this age before? What do I need to be aware of or to look out for? Any advice or suggestions would be highly appreciated.
One thing I know already is Lead Based paint. I understand that I will have to scrape off the old paint and paint over all surfaces with new paint.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
JS.
I would say to inspect the plumbing and electrical closely. Asbestos may or may not be an issue as well. Insulation or lack of is another big issue in old homes. Everything else is pretty much the same as in newer homes (30-50 years old)... structure, foundation, rotted floor joist or rotted roof rafters. Do a thorough inspection so you know waht your getting. Hope this helps.
I have two rentals that were built in the early 1900s. As stated in the other post, check for insulation. Neither of mine had any in the walls. I pulled off the plaster walls, added insulation and sheetrocked the walls. It also made a huge difference in the noise between rooms. As for the lead based paint removal of it gets into a lot of issues. Try to remove as little as possible and then paint over it. That will seal it in and prevent possible contamination. Of course, as with everything, check with your local building inspectors to make sure what you do with it is legal. Best of luck.
Thanks for the advice.
Should I have to check the building department for permits on the electrical updates? And if I do, would I go to the city or the county? How do I even start this process?
Thanks again.
JS.
Just found out today that the building has been "placarded" by the city. I have no idea what that means and it seems scary.
And of course I find about this on a Friday evening just before Presidents day weekend when the city will be shut down for three days. Just my luck.
Any ideas on what this means or entails?
Thanks in advance.
JS.
It sounds like they posted your property as unfit for humans. There should be a fine for removing the sign or posting. The only reason for entering will be to do the repairs...Better contact the city asap....
I am working on a 150 year old house.
2 important things are the foundation and the roof. The roof on this house is slate...which is expensive to fix or replace. Cheapest to remove and put a conventional type roof on.
You really need a experienced home inspector to check the foundation and settling of the house.
Like this house, you will probally find various updates in the last 100 years, some that were very half ass / amateur. To correct the area (such as badly done plaster or drywall) sometimes can be more work than u thought cause you find more of a mess underneath.
do whatever you can before you start spending money. if the town placarded the house, there is a file downtown for that.
how can the city placard your home if the elec/plumbing are up to code?
yes,it is a bad thing, it is labeled as unfit for humans.
good luck with the city/county.
[addsig]
I think someone is getting in your shorts. The sump pump is nothing more than a hole in your basement floor with a $25 sump pump and a line out away from the house for discharge (or a hose as a temporary discharge). The french drain does not have to be real deep; dig a trench, put down perforated pipe in a cloth sleeve in a cloth sleeve to protect it from filtering dirt, some gravel and and cover it over. If the problem is a high water table a french drain probably will not solve the problem anyway since the water comes from below. If you are getting water over a large area of the basement and it not from a high water table a french drain is the best answer but it should not be the so expensive if you manage it your self.
[addsig]
Oh by the way, in many cases the problem is water running off your roof. Contouring the ground so the water runs away from the house, or sometimes just long extenders on your gutter downspouts, can be a cheap and easy solution that will often solve the problem- I would try this first...
Chris ( with the dry basement)
What is the reason for removing the asbestos? The danger of this material is in fine fibers in the air. If asbestos is sealed and not subject to forces (friction) that cause fibers to be relaesed to the air, I would leave it alone.