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My 1922 homes (I bought several on the same block because I liked them) have been really problem free... nothing inherently bad.
The only builder issue was dirt was used under the walk up concrete front porch steps which provided a path for termites... other than that very well built and have stood the test of time well...
The detached garages not as problem free but I became an expert in raising the perimeter foundation... one guy decided to demo his and start over and was in shock when the city said no... non-conforming under today's codes... cost him big time to have a home with no garage.
The mild climate free from frost and humidity has helped immensely too...
There are some great Do it Yourself books out there... my Bible was a Readers Digest book I picked up for a buck... and a companion Ortho book on Home Improvement.
Yeah I think the mild California climate helps a lot with old houses holding up pretty well out here. I’d like to think if it was a really crappy house when it was built it would likely be long gone by the time it was 90 years old or certainly showing its age, lack of maintenance and functionality pretty glaringly. An older house in great shape has, in effect, shown you the future. It is very likely to be around for several more decades with good maintenance.
Our 90 y.o. house hasn’t really had any major issues that wouldn’t be showing up in just about any house over 15-20 years old. New roof (inexpensive built-up) one exterior painting (stucco and wood windows but my brother did it for $3000 14 years ago and it still looks great) some minor plumbing jobs over the years and a kitchen, bathrooms and lower level gut remodel adding another bath that set us back $75k or so and $11k for 100% offset Solar PV system -but that is all over the course of 20 years. Honestly our friends with much newer houses seem to be dumping far more money into their homes than we are. Its well worth it keeping up the maintenance and functionality in this desirable neighborhood as old homes like ours fetch north of $1M and are usually snapped up in a matter of days.
All and all it of course depends on the individual structure and location.
While I really enjoy what are called Painted Ladies of San Francisco when done right... I would never want to own one.
The wood sided homes I have owned required paint at least 3 times as much as stucco... and this is with both properly prepared and comparable 1920's construction.
The floor-plan of a 1920's Mediterranean and or craftsman bungalow can be very functional and charming...
Then we do have a lot of Story Book homes around the SF Bay Area that boarder on whimsical and are very much in demand and almost all built in the 20's...
Not as much as I’d like... House has no problem, no issues, structurally sound, and no repairs for now. The area is an older area with homes that are the same age or older. Corner lot and has average appeal.
We live in a house built in the 1700's and I had NO CLUE about antique homes before buying. Don't be intimidated by older homes, they are such a joy to live in. These are the things I've learned:
1. Find a contractor who specializes in antiques. I live in an area where there are many 18th century homes, so finding somebody who exclusively works on antiques (and lives in one) wasn't too difficult for me. I've found mind is more expensive when I need something done, but he also honors the house and the materials used (often can get his hands on original materials since he works on other homes the same age) and doesn't try to renovate our home with modern finishes--he'll go out of his way to build something that looks period appropriate.
2. Upkeep is more costly. Mostly because everything has to be custom. Even things like painting cost more because you have to allow for extra precautions due to lead paint.
3. Your heating/cooling bill will probably be higher. We still have some walls in our home with no insulation, so our heating bill is high. There are obviously things you can do to make your house more efficient, but it likely won't be as efficient as a new build.
I'm a big fan of honoring a home and its history. Nothing hurts me more than to see an antique home gutted and all the character stripped out. I think it takes some extra commitment, though, because it does cost more and can be a labor of love. But once you've been bitten by the bug of an antique home, you find yourself gravitating toward them.
It's not about the age; it's about the quality of the build and maintenance by former owners. Most new homes can't touch the quality of older homes. A contractor I know, when I was once having second thoughts about buying an antique home, told me that he'd just had to replace the outside wall of a 5-year-old home: it was rotting and had mold. He said that he himself owned an older home and wouldn't in a million years buy new. Get a home inspector, a structural engineer, a plumber and an electrician to go over the home. If the reports come back mostly positive, and you love the house, I think you should go for it.
I've owned three houses. One was built in 2005 (high end custom build), the next built in 1998 (mid-range custom build) and my current house, which was built in 1958. Of the three, the fifties built one is the most solid. It's been a bit of a mini-money pit due to deferred maintenance by the last homeowner (the man should never been allowed to handle either a caulk gun or a paint brush, IMO) and replacement of the things that had reached the end of their service lives, but it has details that a small house of that era typically would not have had: double brick construction. Plaster on top of early sheetrock, with the public areas of the house plastered in a lovely swirl design. Coved ceilings in the living room with a large wood burning fireplace. A curved staircase. A fully tiled bathroom, including the arched walls and ceiling of the shower--all mud set. A tiny tiled half bath (half/second bathrooms that are original to the house are relatively rare in a house of this vintage in my neighborhood). An integral garage. I could go on, but I will also say this: all houses--both old and new--are going to require ongoing maintenance. If you love the house, have enough self-discipline to save for a house repair fund, are willing to learn what you can do yourself to it and have good and trusted tradespeople who know and respect older construction on speed dial, I'd say buy it.
We live in a house built in the 1700's and I had NO CLUE about antique homes before buying. Don't be intimidated by older homes, they are such a joy to live in. These are the things I've learned:
1. Find a contractor who specializes in antiques. I live in an area where there are many 18th century homes, so finding somebody who exclusively works on antiques (and lives in one) wasn't too difficult for me. I've found mind is more expensive when I need something done, but he also honors the house and the materials used (often can get his hands on original materials since he works on other homes the same age) and doesn't try to renovate our home with modern finishes--he'll go out of his way to build something that looks period appropriate.
2. Upkeep is more costly. Mostly because everything has to be custom. Even things like painting cost more because you have to allow for extra precautions due to lead paint.
3. Your heating/cooling bill will probably be higher. We still have some walls in our home with no insulation, so our heating bill is high. There are obviously things you can do to make your house more efficient, but it likely won't be as efficient as a new build.
I'm a big fan of honoring a home and its history. Nothing hurts me more than to see an antique home gutted and all the character stripped out. I think it takes some extra commitment, though, because it does cost more and can be a labor of love. But once you've been bitten by the bug of an antique home, you find yourself gravitating toward them.
100% on all points.
I would add that for point 1, it's not only about keeping to the original look of the home but also that the use of some modern techniques and materials can be very harmful to old buildings. For example, I've owned old masonry homes and the use of modern concrete mortar can be detrimental to old brickwork. Likewise, modern drywall does not breath like lime plaster and can destroy an old home over time if used on external walls. Just a couple of examples but there are many others.
Many contractors don't understand this stuff or they are not comfortable working with old fashioned materials or techniques. Or they make more money doing it the fastest way and moving on to the next job.
Indeed. I've had a few of over the years but unfortunately I've moved around a lot and they don't come with me! There is so much joy in engaging a true quality contractor who understands what you want and understands the building. When there is that level of earned trust, I will spend much more money and be happy to do so. My number one obstacle to doing more work on a home is lack of trust in who will do it. And the more complicated, old, and precious the building, the more trust is required for comfort.
Our first house was built in 1900 and the next one in 1870. I adored both houses, after growing up in a modern ranch house. I couldn’t understand why my parents didn’t love the houses they grew up in, they had so much more character.
I loved the alcoves, stained glass windows, sunrooms, French doors, stairways and all the unique things I didn’t grow up with. We hired work done and did some easy DIY projects too in our old houses.. We quickly learned about non-standard sizes and the plumbing stores that carried the oddities we needed and were strictly open 8-5, weekdays only.
We replaced the Orangeburg clay sewer pipe that crumbled under our drive and had replaced several cast iron piping areas in the 1870 house. We sold that house two months ago with a sigh of relief and regret. The rate of repairs were accelerating causing problems, but we still loved the house, which is the way we wanted to remember it.
I’ve gone full circle and am in a modern house again and appreciate being back in this century again. There are advantages to both types of home and I’m glad I’ve experienced both. I also came to realize why my parents loved their modern house. They spent their childhoods steaming wallpaper and making old houses liveable, something they did not want spend their time on as adults.
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