The Waiting is the Hardest Part
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I've been on vacation these past two weeks, and have spent a fair amount of that time meeting with contractors and pondering our preparedness for home-ownership. We had the official inspections. The inspectors have to disclose every single issue, and as you can imagine, an eighty-four year old house has quite a few issues. When all the flaws are written on one document, it's sobering.
Today, Robb and I plan to tackle our garage. We've accumulated a huge mass of goodness-knows-what (crap) in the past six years, and today is the day of reckoning. Two nights ago, I "slept wrong" and since that time I've had a very unhappy left shoulder. I have limited range of motion, which is a bother.
Here's the before-and-after image that Robb worked up in Photoshop. I think that this paint scheme gives the house so much more charm.
I want to get started on all of this, before I get terribly busy again at work. Of course, we don't actually own this house, so we've been spending our free time researching shower fittings for historic bathtubs, grey-water systems, and downspout diverters -- among other things. We really live an exciting life, don't we?
I've been on vacation these past two weeks, and have spent a fair amount of that time meeting with contractors and pondering our preparedness for home-ownership. We had the official inspections. The inspectors have to disclose every single issue, and as you can imagine, an eighty-four year old house has quite a few issues. When all the flaws are written on one document, it's sobering.
Today, Robb and I plan to tackle our garage. We've accumulated a huge mass of goodness-knows-what (crap) in the past six years, and today is the day of reckoning. Two nights ago, I "slept wrong" and since that time I've had a very unhappy left shoulder. I have limited range of motion, which is a bother.
Here's the before-and-after image that Robb worked up in Photoshop. I think that this paint scheme gives the house so much more charm.
I want to get started on all of this, before I get terribly busy again at work. Of course, we don't actually own this house, so we've been spending our free time researching shower fittings for historic bathtubs, grey-water systems, and downspout diverters -- among other things. We really live an exciting life, don't we?
Comments
Super inspirational!
Once you are established, if you decide to take advantage of Oakland's allowance of urban chickens (sans roosters), Dave and Molly raise them for the eggs. I am sure they would love to share their experiences. The hens are great eaters of green table scraps and producers of guano for the garden. Molly also has bees in their Oakland backyard.
Grinch/Susan
Consider painting a strip of color other than green at the house base- when everything dries up due to drought, you wont have a washed out-looking yard. Install a post that both you and Robb can access to accomodate a bird feeder/birdhouse, as well as a place for a birdbath.
Plan out a place outside when you want to escape the paint fumes- take a leisurely bike ride around the neighborhood, get to know your neighbors- they will be invaluable one day.
People think they have to spend a lot of money to fix a place. Luckily, that is not an option anymore! We learned to get many things for free/cheap. Our local Craigslist is a godsend- free materials/plant exchanges. We also check out local papers to see who is selling/trading.
We made a list of what we need immediately, what is long term, and what we WANT. There is a difference. It's been 3 years now and we still have that "new house" feeling, so dont think you need to get everything done all at once, cause it cant happen anyway. Even if you were both able bodied, with no jobs to go to and tons of money, it will still take a good long while to get done.
Installing ceiling fans is a must, and there are plenty of old-style ones. I believe you have to bolt them thru the upstairs ceiling/floor for California, in case they fall during earthquakes. They affect heating/cooling bills CONSIDERABLY. Spray foam is great, since older houses have cracks that leak air year round. Old house do breathe, but it doesnt mean you have to go broke to heat it. Our basement has old windows- when we got our radon emmissions test, it said we had "fresh air quality" down there. No kidding- the glass barely stayed in the window frames! Make sure your windows are good- ours are new (and cheap), we still put plastic over them, since the windows are not the top of the line, yet. For cracks you may find, put in as much exterior expandable spray foam as you can, since critters WILL move in and make BIGGER holes, chew wiring, etc. Shoving steel wool deep into holes first also helps prevent rodents.
I know you love birds- but get those drain guards that fit into/over your gutter/downspouts- or birdies will build nests and you will have serious drainage problems- This was a part of the problem at my sisters Wyoming place and cost her over $30,000 to fix. My affection of local birds goes only so far.
Become friends with your local Habitat for Humanity. There's a group here called "Restoration York" that partners with HFH. They get antique stuff to be re-used, as well as new. I'm sure there is a web based community of people who love the type of house you want, and that support group will help you with the authentic character of whatever house you get.
You could volunteer at HFH or a local antique salvage warehouse, and qualify to get discounts, etc. It's a great way to get what you need, make connections and meet like-minded people. You may remove something from your house that is impractical, and it will be the exact thing someone else has been looking for. When we replaced the beautiful/impractical bubble glass windows, we sold them for $7,000. I got tired of snowdrifts INSIDE the house every winter.
You will not be living in a museum- the place should be comfortable and safe. Don't keep a certain feature of the house if it is impractical. Trust me on this. This house has sagged and shifted over 130 years, angles of doors do not always match up, nor did the hand forged latches and their closing ability. Even repositioning them didnt do the trick, so we replaced those latches with newer ones that still look like they are from the same period. That kept us from paying to inadvertantly heat the attic in the winter- for 6 months.
I can always sell the origonals latches, or keep them in a "history box" of origonal house stuff.
Annalisa
I feel your pain. I have had a pinched something on my left side, neck and shoulder, for over a week. It will fade away and then come back with a vengeance. Today is a bad day, and it is hindering my workouts, which stinks!
I've had fun using the Ben Moore program that allows you to upload your own photos and used their color pallet.
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/003800.php
If you search their archives, I think they have lots of material of that type--maybe you're already there, I seem to remember talking with Robb about something on Cool Tools at the derby party...