Carlsbad - Which decade houses are the best to rehabilitate (hardwood floors, appliances)

[mike.o]

My wife and I have been house hunting for more than a year, and have decided we are interested in some of the homes around Chestnut Ave (West of the Village). There are several that were built in the 1974-76 timeframe. As well, I have seen a few nearby built in the 1960s. Does anyone have any experience rehabilitating these homes? If you were buying a house to rehab and live in would you avoid these? We like the larger lots and lack of HOA. We also think the neighborhoods seem charming. Any thoughts are very appreciated.

[snpdragr]

Try finding a realtor that specializes in listing homes in that area. Or maybe ask on next-door.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by mike.o

My wife and I have been house hunting for more than a year, and have decided we are interested in some of the homes around Chestnut Ave (West of the Village). There are several that were built in the 1974-76 timeframe. As well, I have seen a few nearby built in the 1960s. Does anyone have any experience rehabilitating these homes? If you were buying a house to rehab and live in would you avoid these? We like the larger lots and lack of HOA. We also think the neighborhoods seem charming. Any thoughts are very appreciated.

Check for aluminum wiring and Chinese sheet rock. Both are bad.

[DKM]

Are you doing a studs out rehab? Then it doesn't really matter. You are going to re-wire and re-plumb anyway (right?). Lots of difference in codes from 60's to 70's that are hard to fix with the sheet rock in place. Asbestos is an issue too. Roof. Sewer lines. Really should consider the overall condition of a house rather than its decade... I went with 70s because the architecture is great, the landscape should be mature and the lots big. You get into the 80s and the lots are usually worse and the style is ugly.

This looks like a fun project:
https://www.redfin.com/CA/Carlsbad/3...0/home/3415182

[Chapelo]

Not quite the decade you were looking for, but I live in a post-and-beam ranch that was built in 1959. I didn't do much restoration to mine, except remove the carpets to uncover the beautiful hardwood floors that had been hidden since 1971, and upgraded the electrical. I wanted an original house, I don't like the flips I've seen with the "Home Depot contractor special", so I haven't changed anything, even down to the seafoam green tile and fixtures in both bathrooms, the casement windows, original kitchen, and beam ceilings.

I would go with a house from the 60s if you can. Earlier in the decade, they would have still been building walls with real plaster. By this time, it would have been rocklath (a precursor to drywall) with a three-coat plaster. Drywall didn't start becoming ubiquitous in residential construction until later in the decade, around 1967 or so, although it was being used as early as the 40s and 50s. You'll probably find you'll want to upgrade the electrical as well, since the original systems are not up to the demands of modern appliances.

The downsides? Most houses from the 60s and 70s, if they are not post-and-beam, will have popcorn ceilings. Pink tile was popular well into the 70s, you may run into that too.