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I'm just terrified. I didn't set out to buy a historic home.
Out of all the homes we've seen, it is the only home that appealed to us in addition to another home that was a historical "landmark."
I love the home. It's absolutely stunning. It's in great shape, move in condition.
I'm not afraid of old homes. Our current home is over 100 years old. But this home is way older than that.
I've done my research, as much research as time allows. We are only restricted on what we can do to the outside of the home, specifically the parts of the home that can be seen from the street. That's no big deal. We have no intetions of changing the exterior. Everything we want to change is in the interior and we've confirmed that will be handled like any other home.
I respect the responsibility. I'm just terrified it's a money pit.
We just moved into a historical home (after living in a mass-produced new construction for the past 10 years). I know exactly what you mean about the "money pit" fears, but a good inspector will really put your mind at ease. Yes, we have things that need tobe fixed and updated, but the house has good bones, is in a great neighborhood, and it is truly a one-of-a-kind-house. Our inspector said our 100-year-old house was one of only a handful of homes he's inspected that he'd actually buy himself. When a house has been well-maintained, it shows.
If you don't feel comfortable with the overall interior configuration I would recommend AGAINST making the purchase unless you have a nearly limitless budget. I have seen TOO MANY people get swallowed up "reconfiguring" interior walls to make old homes fit modern lifestyles. While sometimes it can be done without too much grief the fact is the older a home is the more likely it had all kinds of "interim modifications" lurking that be VERY costly impediments between what you have and what you want -- hidden utilities from previous eras (gas lights converted to electric, steam heat converted to hot water converted to forced air, coal burning fireplaces and flues buried where you want a doorway...) are all budget eating nightmares that few folks have an appreciation for.
If you are content to make things "look right" and not mess with walls and infrastructure then by all means go ahead, but I get nervous when someone says "everything we want to change is in the interior and it'll be handled like any other hiome" -- just because the local permitting authority won't put additional restrictions on interior modification does not mean the reality of "they don't do it like this anymore" infrastructure changes won't destroy your renovation budget!
If you don't feel comfortable with the overall interior configuration I would recommend AGAINST making the purchase unless you have a nearly limitless budget. I have seen TOO MANY people get swallowed up "reconfiguring" interior walls to make old homes fit modern lifestyles. While sometimes it can be done without too much grief the fact is the older a home is the more likely it had all kinds of "interim modifications" lurking that be VERY costly impediments between what you have and what you want -- hidden utilities from previous eras (gas lights converted to electric, steam heat converted to hot water converted to forced air, coal burning fireplaces and flues buried where you want a doorway...) are all budget eating nightmares that few folks have an appreciation for.
If you are content to make things "look right" and not mess with walls and infrastructure then by all means go ahead, but I get nervous when someone says "everything we want to change is in the interior and it'll be handled like any other hiome" -- just because the local permitting authority won't put additional restrictions on interior modification does not mean the reality of "they don't do it like this anymore" infrastructure changes won't destroy your renovation budget!
I do want to mess with the walls.
--Modern kitchen.
--Move the Washer/Dryer to the kitchen pantry because the stairs to the basement are a nightmare.
--Eliminate the servants stairs. This will enlarge the kitchen and the upstairs master.
--Tear out two walls for the master to enlarge the master via the wasted hallway space winding around the master to the servants stairs, which will create a large master suite connecting the master to the bathroom and the large walk in closet that are both located in the weird hallway.
I can live without the last one. But those servants stairs need to be eliminated from the kitchen.
I would get a copy of the historical society's rules before going much further. At the very least, make review and acceptance of these documents (along with any other subdivision docs that might exist) a contingency with the offer.
the changes you mention above could seriously damage the historical value of the home.
I would get a copy of the historical society's rules before going much further. At the very least, make review and acceptance of these documents (along with any other subdivision docs that might exist) a contingency with the offer.
The historical society doesn't have any control. The city's architectural review board does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KonaKat
the changes you mention above could seriously damage the historical value of the home.
The city is only concerned with preserving the exteriors.
The current kitchen isn't historic. It's like 1940s with a wall oven literally sitting on the counter exposed.
The house is early 1800s. Nobody in their right mind would live in a house with an historical early 1800s kitchen.
A historically accurate kitchen would have a fireplace and a table. That's it.
A historically accurate kitchen would have zero counter space, no refrigerator, no sink, no plumbing, no stove, etc.
And those servants stairs are extremely hazardous. I'm not having that liability in my home.
The pantry isn't appropriate to period. It's an addition added more than 100 years later.
I said I was willing to go without tearing down the bedroom walls. The master is acceptable as it is.
Here is a picture of an historically accurate kitchen:
Alright then, just review the architectural board's official documents or guidelines. What you want to do sounds perfectly fine, I was only suggesting that you review any governing rules that exist before you made an offer, or included review of them in your offer to give you an "out" if you found something that you could not live with. Is the house on the National Historic Register? (I'm guessing it's not, just curious)
This house is simply a historic house in a historic district. The other house we almost bought is on the National Historic Register. I researched it. There aren't any restrictions to owning those homes unless there is federal money attached to those properties. There's also abatements that previous owners could have attached to them. Unless a state or local entity has restrictions, you're free to do what you want to buildings on national historic register---even tear them down.
I know it sounds like I was wanting a historic home. They were the best financial deals in our price range. Historic homes aren't worth as much as other homes.
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