fix up my old house

I believe that in your new old house, carpet=disaster.

I am not talking about the obvious germs and mites and allergens in someone else’s old dirty carpet, nor am I talking about the ugly stains that make you wonder if the fibers ever saw a vacuum. No, I am talking of the enraging wasteland of half-assed fix-ups, and ignored problems, all covered up rather than taken care of.

I also have the same issue with wallpaper. But, what do you get with a wallpaper cover up? You get patchwork, and possible mold. Both of these can be easily fixed with patience, plaster patch, and some detergent and bleach. Easy! Annoying but easy.

But, carpet! You can hide so much under carpet. Half-ripped up staircases, broken hearth tile, puppy puddles neglected to be cleaned up in time, uncovered electrical outlets, and of course random holes you have no clue as to why they would be there. They wouldn’t have put wiring there?!?

It’s a veritable excuse not to complete projects!

I hate carpet! It’s never so simple as “pull up the carpet and just refinish the floors if you need.”

Never!

People are stupid. They slop paint on molding without ever attempting to wipe it up (it takes a wet towel people, come on!) Of course the same idiots would believe entirely that it is okay to put carpet flush against the opening to a fireplace, and of course these people would expel wasted effort on stapling carpet down with thirty staples per square inch!

People…take care of your homes. They are beautiful. And even if you don’t appreciate them, fourty years from now someone else truly will. You leave a bad taste in these people’s mouths when you pull these bad home improvement projects. Don’t make future generations hate you.

Simply put—these houses are going to be around much, much, much longer than you. Take care of them. Basic maintenance ain’t too hard, but full renovation is a killer. Someone designed this home and loved it enough to care for it and live in it until he or she died. Someone someday will love the house that much again. Just because you don’t, doesn’t mean you should have so little respect for the people and the craftsmanship.

Oh…a side note, soap and water are cheep if not free. Clean the house!

Update
We ordered the windows and they are due to ship by middle of next week. Whoot!

The Library has been painted! (not the color of the picture)

The Living Room has been patched and primed.

Room Status

Dining Room has been stripped, patched, painted, and the carpet has been removed. Needs: crown molding, wood floor refinished, cracked tile work on mantle redone.

Library has been stripped, patched, primed, and painted. Needs: Carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Living Room has been striped, patches, and primed. Needs: Painted, carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Kitchen eventually needs completely gutted to match better with house and updated. (Cosmetic Only)

Laundry/DSBathroom needs floor plan reconfigured eventually. (Cosmetic and Convenience)

Stairs need refinished and patching in walls.

Master needs stripped, patched, primed, painted, molding piece fixed, carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Guest Room needs carpet pulled and wood floor refinished.

Laura’s Office has carpet pulled. Needs tile extracted from inside closet to patch dining room mantle, closet painted, and wood floor refinished.

Eric’s Office has been painted. Needs carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Basement water needs to be gone. Sump pump, removal of plastic and cinder blocks. (WTF were they thinking?)

Attic needs finished fully down the road.

Exterior Status

Siding needs new siding.

Windows have been ordered and are expected soon.

Roof needs painted or tarred.

Gutters need to be put on.

Porch needs railing redone and columns. (Cosmetic)

Back Deck needs to be ripped out and rebuilt. Rotting wood.

Garage needs resided with house and flower box removed. Rotting wood in box and termite trap.

Dead Tree needs taken down.

Lawn needs to be eventually grated away from house.

The House
Built in 1900 by a man who owned a local lumber yard. He designed the house himself, lived in it until he died in the mid 60s. One of the first African American College Professors in the area bought it. A family owned it after and built the addition. After them came the personal care home, which is why we have smoke alarms in every room. Then another family came, who I believe never cleaned. Aside from the beautiful moldings, the floor plan is fully equipped with four bedrooms upstairs, a double staircase, and an early 80s addition.

The Problems
Siding, Windows, Porch railing and columns, back deck, moisture problem in basements, plaster re-patches, molding refinishing, floor refinishing, kitchen that just doesn’t go, laundry room/bathroom configuration, wall paper, surface mold, garage, dead tree in back, roof paint peeling, and finishing the attic.

House had quick fixes done to it during the era of the old folks home rather than correct/accurate fixes.

The Joys
Beautiful bones. Plenty of room. Cheaper than others because of cosmetic work needed done. Great street and town.

First Things First
This weekend, Eric and I will be ordering the new windows. We want to get it done before winter to ensure an easier heating bill. Boiler heating.

Room Status

Dining Room has been stripped, patched, painted, and the carpet has been removed. Needs: crown molding, wood floor refinished, cracked tile work on mantle redone.

Library has been stripped, patched, and primed. Needs: Painted, carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Living Room has been striped and mostly patched. Needs: Patching Finished, primed, painted, carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Kitchen eventually needs completely gutted to match better with house and updated. (Cosmetic Only)

Laundry/DSBathroom needs floor plan reconfigured eventually. (Cosmetic and Convenience)

Stairs need refinished and patching in walls.

Master needs stripped, patched, primed, painted, molding piece fixed, carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Guest Room needs carpet pulled and wood floor refinished.

Laura’s Office has carpet pulled. Needs tile extracted from inside closet to patch dining room mantle, closet painted, and wood floor refinished.

Eric’s Office has been painted. Needs carpet pulled, and wood floor refinished.

Basement water needs to be gone. Sump pump, removal of plastic and cinder blocks. (WTF were they thinking?)

Attic needs finished fully down the road.

Exterior Status

Siding needs new siding.

Windows will be ordered this week.

Roof needs painted or tarred.

Gutters need to be put on.

Porch needs railing redone and columns. (Cosmetic)

Back Deck needs to be ripped out and rebuilt. Rotting wood.

Garage needs resided with house and flower box removed. Rotting wood in box and termite trap.

Dead Tree needs taken down.

Lawn needs to be eventually grated away from house.

Whew…

I have stairs to refinish. A bath to redo. And old clothes to store through, donate, and let go of.

I guess I am only one out there that has an old house that needs some work.

I guess I am only one out there that has an old house that needs some work.