Speaking of rescuing an old house...

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TheBeachHouse

TheBeachHouse

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Gillum said something about the type of people who rescue an old house. I love that thought.
It reminded me that I saw my realtor yesterday - the one who represented us when we bought our 120 year old house last year. She said she hears from so many people that they wish they had had the vision we had. People all over town regret not buying our place. The place was for sale on and off for three years. We knew that a bit (more than a bit to be honest) of money, time and dust would fix the place up to its former glory.
I felt really good hearing about it. Sometimes it's ok to be the 'talk of the town.'
 
so many people say that about the property we are trying to take on next door "could be fabulous but needs £X spending on it don't know if we could cope" when we finish it you can guarantee they will say the same or "oh you are so lucky" and I will smile and laugh!
 
Joey Camb said:
so many people say that about the property we are trying to take on next door "could be fabulous but needs £X spending on it don't know if we could cope" when we finish it you can guarantee they will say the same or "oh you are so lucky" and I will smile and laugh!.
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Exactly. It isn't always easy, but it sure is worth it!
 
i really like the show Rehab Addict ... (rather an unfortunate name?) the show is all about restoring old places and replicating things ... salvaging old windows and wood ... scrubbing and refinishing and painting and re-using ... exactly my kind of show! the host (Nicole Curtis) is extreme in her passion and her talents far exceed mine, but i like her.
years back, i went to my nephew's new house and his wife was crying about the disgusting old claw foot tub. i took one look at it and said 'it's just dirty'. it took me all afternoon and i sacrificed a shirt to the cause, but when i was done that tub was gleaming. then we painted the feet and i loved it. she was still not really happy since there was no shower, we searched for a shower adapter that attaches to the ceiling and a circular curtain rod that would fit under the eaves without having to change the plumbing. we ended up buying parts on craigs list and got parts on a restoration website and one lonely part on freecycle. wish i had pictures!
 
seashanty said:
i really like the show Rehab Addict ... (rather an unfortunate name?) the show is all about restoring old places and replicating things ... salvaging old windows and wood ... scrubbing and refinishing and painting and re-using ... exactly my kind of show! the host (Nicole Curtis) is extreme in her passion and her talents far exceed mine, but i like her.
years back, i went to my nephew's new house and his wife was crying about the disgusting old claw foot tub. i took one look at it and said 'it's just dirty'. it took me all afternoon and i sacrificed a shirt to the cause, but when i was done that tub was gleaming. then we painted the feet and i loved it. she was still not really happy since there was no shower, we searched for a shower adapter that attaches to the ceiling and a circular curtain rod that would fit under the eaves without having to change the plumbing. we ended up buying parts on craigs list and got parts on a restoration website and one lonely part on freecycle. wish i had pictures!.
Click to expand...
seashanty said:
i really like the show Rehab Addict ... (rather an unfortunate name?) the show is all about restoring old places and replicating things ... salvaging old windows and wood ... scrubbing and refinishing and painting and re-using ... exactly my kind of show! the host (Nicole Curtis) is extreme in her passion and her talents far exceed mine, but i like her.
years back, i went to my nephew's new house and his wife was crying about the disgusting old claw foot tub. i took one look at it and said 'it's just dirty'. it took me all afternoon and i sacrificed a shirt to the cause, but when i was done that tub was gleaming. then we painted the feet and i loved it. she was still not really happy since there was no shower, we searched for a shower adapter that attaches to the ceiling and a circular curtain rod that would fit under the eaves without having to change the plumbing. we ended up buying parts on craigs list and got parts on a restoration website and one lonely part on freecycle. wish i had pictures!
Click to expand...
you are a good aunt. My favorite is the woodwork in an old house. The detail is so cool. Our doors are real wood with raised panels. I love them.
 
seashanty said:
i really like the show Rehab Addict ... (rather an unfortunate name?) the show is all about restoring old places and replicating things ... salvaging old windows and wood ... scrubbing and refinishing and painting and re-using ... exactly my kind of show! the host (Nicole Curtis) is extreme in her passion and her talents far exceed mine, but i like her.
years back, i went to my nephew's new house and his wife was crying about the disgusting old claw foot tub. i took one look at it and said 'it's just dirty'. it took me all afternoon and i sacrificed a shirt to the cause, but when i was done that tub was gleaming. then we painted the feet and i loved it. she was still not really happy since there was no shower, we searched for a shower adapter that attaches to the ceiling and a circular curtain rod that would fit under the eaves without having to change the plumbing. we ended up buying parts on craigs list and got parts on a restoration website and one lonely part on freecycle. wish i had pictures!.
Click to expand...
seashanty said:
i really like the show Rehab Addict ... (rather an unfortunate name?) the show is all about restoring old places and replicating things ... salvaging old windows and wood ... scrubbing and refinishing and painting and re-using ... exactly my kind of show! the host (Nicole Curtis) is extreme in her passion and her talents far exceed mine, but i like her.
years back, i went to my nephew's new house and his wife was crying about the disgusting old claw foot tub. i took one look at it and said 'it's just dirty'. it took me all afternoon and i sacrificed a shirt to the cause, but when i was done that tub was gleaming. then we painted the feet and i loved it. she was still not really happy since there was no shower, we searched for a shower adapter that attaches to the ceiling and a circular curtain rod that would fit under the eaves without having to change the plumbing. we ended up buying parts on craigs list and got parts on a restoration website and one lonely part on freecycle. wish i had pictures!
Click to expand...
We have a clawfoot tub set up like you describe in one of our suites. There's a 2 person jetted tub and the clawfoot is the 'shower'. Here's a picture. It's interesting how the old and new have been mixed in 'this old house.
StarlightSuite3.jpg

 
Good comments from the neighborhood here too. And one neighbor who asked to buy the place from us a month after we purchased it. It had previously been sitting for 3 years.
 
seashanty said:
i really like the show Rehab Addict ... (rather an unfortunate name?) the show is all about restoring old places and replicating things ... salvaging old windows and wood ... scrubbing and refinishing and painting and re-using ... exactly my kind of show! the host (Nicole Curtis) is extreme in her passion and her talents far exceed mine, but i like her.
years back, i went to my nephew's new house and his wife was crying about the disgusting old claw foot tub. i took one look at it and said 'it's just dirty'. it took me all afternoon and i sacrificed a shirt to the cause, but when i was done that tub was gleaming. then we painted the feet and i loved it. she was still not really happy since there was no shower, we searched for a shower adapter that attaches to the ceiling and a circular curtain rod that would fit under the eaves without having to change the plumbing. we ended up buying parts on craigs list and got parts on a restoration website and one lonely part on freecycle. wish i had pictures!.
Click to expand...
For 10 years the shower for our claw-foot was a "telephone" shower head - still is for the tub. I did not want one of those ceiling deals because knowing how Himself operates anyone doing likewise would cause a disaster. DH would grab that shower bar to get in/out of the tub and bring the whole thing crashing down around his ears.
The shower thing I got was $400 because it was brass. Chrome would have been less expensive.
 
My place isn't for sale, but I wish somebody would at least ask!!
 
Joey Camb said:
so many people say that about the property we are trying to take on next door "could be fabulous but needs £X spending on it don't know if we could cope" when we finish it you can guarantee they will say the same or "oh you are so lucky" and I will smile and laugh!.
Click to expand...
We bought our b and b in foreclosures and, man, I can't wait to get to the "you're lucky" stage. Currently stuck in the "you did what?!" stage
 
We bought our 1905 B and B almost 2years ago. It had been run as a boarding house since the 1920's. We actually discovered it when we went to a yard sale there. It had been on the market for over 2 years. The floors were slopeing, the windows all had 1-2" gaps at the top. Doors had been cut and pasted together and the foundation was crumbling. We opened last July 14 after a year of renovation. The house was lifted and a new foundation/ basement was built. All of the woodwork was saved. We went from 6 rooms down to four, and now have amazing bathrooms in each. I like to say we have a new old house, but I know that we have saved the soul of the house. The neighborhood has been wonderful in embracing the work we did, and in keeping the historic ambiance of the house. I feel so good when I look around the house. It lives again!
 
Wen we bought our house, it was grown up with weeds and the house had been neglected for years. We took a community eyesore and turned it into to something special.
 
Lea Ann said:
Wen we bought our house, it was grown up with weeds and the house had been neglected for years. We took a community eyesore and turned it into to something special..
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My house had been empty for 3 years BUT they kept ALL the utilities on - including the phone.
First thing we did was unplug all the extension cords (one outlet in each room). Second thing was to upgrade electric service from 60 amp to 200. Then it was new windows - 29 and 3 of them were within 1 inch of being required to be 2 windows due to size. Back in the day, glass was expensive so the size of your windows facing the street were expressions of your financial status. The person who built my house was bragging that they could afford large windows. Then the plumbing and the furnace........
 
sachi3679 said:
Joey Camb said:
so many people say that about the property we are trying to take on next door "could be fabulous but needs £X spending on it don't know if we could cope" when we finish it you can guarantee they will say the same or "oh you are so lucky" and I will smile and laugh!.
Click to expand...
We bought our b and b in foreclosures and, man, I can't wait to get to the "you're lucky" stage. Currently stuck in the "you did what?!" stage
.
Click to expand...
sachi3679 said:
We bought our b and b in foreclosures and, man, I can't wait to get to the "you're lucky" stage. Currently stuck in the "you did what?!" stage
Click to expand...
hahahhahaa - I got a lot of that too!
We've done furnace, oil tank, basement water, fireplaces, electrical (a couple different upgrades), windows, landscaping and a big ole kitchen.
 
TheBeachHouse said:
sachi3679 said:
Joey Camb said:
so many people say that about the property we are trying to take on next door "could be fabulous but needs £X spending on it don't know if we could cope" when we finish it you can guarantee they will say the same or "oh you are so lucky" and I will smile and laugh!.
Click to expand...
We bought our b and b in foreclosures and, man, I can't wait to get to the "you're lucky" stage. Currently stuck in the "you did what?!" stage
.
Click to expand...
sachi3679 said:
We bought our b and b in foreclosures and, man, I can't wait to get to the "you're lucky" stage. Currently stuck in the "you did what?!" stage
Click to expand...
hahahhahaa - I got a lot of that too!
We've done furnace, oil tank, basement water, fireplaces, electrical (a couple different upgrades), windows, landscaping and a big ole kitchen.
.
Click to expand...
We purchased in 1999, opened in 2007. Lotsa work from foundation on up. There is STILL one room yet to be finished.
 
Yes...you gotta love it or it will break you! It has been almost 27 years since we bought this 1865 Greek Revival Farmhouse and totally rehabbed it for the B+B with an addition for ourselves. That meant new septic system, electrical service and all wiring, all new plumbing and heating, new windows as needed, new siding and de-leading old siding, totally stripping all paint off interior woodwork and doors, repairing and replastering old lath and plaster walls, adding new bathrooms, new kitchen, new roof, new landscaping....Oh my, I'm tired just thinking of it.
But we have not regretted one moment of this loving attempt to save a historic house and act as its stewards for its continued use as a family home. I can't imagine living anyplace else, although I suppose the next 26 years here will present its own set of new problems.
 

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