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Thoughts on buying a historic home? *UPDATE*

iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
The house in question.

This house was built some time in the late 1800's or so. We walked around it today and we both really like it, however we are unsure about the work necessary to keep such a house up. It has newer electrical (circuit breaker, new switches), mostly copper pipes, original windows (the frames, at least), half the foundation was replaced and the basement has a cement floor, however the front half of the house is still on the original stone foundation (looks solid, no water lines), new septic tank, new roof (tear off, I believe), newer well.

Obviously, a house like this does need some attention, but I would like to know what to look for. We have a friend of ours, who is a very competant builder, looking at it next weekend, but I would like to educate myself, as well.

*EDIT* Update at the bottom

 
I like that house...one thing I would definitely do is find out if there is a governing "historical society" in the neighborhood. If so, you can't do anything with the exterior of your house without getting the approval of people that don't give out approvals. Other than that, electrical is the biggest issue and it sounds like that may not be a problem with that house. Are the walls plaster? Could present problems with hanging pictures, etc.
 
Originally posted by: SearchMaster
I like that house...one thing I would definitely do is find out if there is a governing "historical society" in the neighborhood. If so, you can't do anything with the exterior of your house without getting the approval of people that don't give out approvals. Other than that, electrical is the biggest issue and it sounds like that may not be a problem with that house. Are the walls plaster? Could present problems with hanging pictures, etc.
Click to expand...

The only plaster I saw was in one of the original closets, and it is starting to come down. The rest of the walls seem to have been knocked down by previous owners, as there is rolled insulation in them.
 
Check for insulation in the outside walls, I bought a house built in 1902, and it had none, had to spend a couple of thousand to blow some insulation into it. Hopefully it will be cheaper to heat this coming winter. Also check the walls for cracked horse hair plaster, check the ceilings for crack or dipping. Check the actuall wiring running through the house, despite the newer circuit breakers etc, bring a screw driver and take off some of the face plates on the light switches and outlets, and check to see how old the wiring is.
 
Originally posted by: SearchMaster
I like that house...one thing I would definitely do is find out if there is a governing "historical society" in the neighborhood. If so, you can't do anything with the exterior of your house without getting the approval of people that don't give out approvals. Other than that, electrical is the biggest issue and it sounds like that may not be a problem with that house. Are the walls plaster? Could present problems with hanging pictures, etc.
Click to expand...

Good suggestion. You definitely want to make sure that the house is not a designated landmark which would severely limit your options when it comes to repairs and remodeling.
 
I am closing on a 80+ year old home in 3 weeks. Here are some things to look out for:
(note - a good inspector will find ALL of this stuff)

Lead pipes - check where the line comes into the house.
Lead paint in the windows
cracks in the foundation (settling occurs over 100 years. Vertical cracks can be patched. Horizontal cracks are a BIG problem)
moisture in the basement
mold in the basement
what type of heat is it? How old is the system? (note steam can be converted to hot water)
Was there EVER an oil tank on the property? If so, was it properly decommisioned?
Is there any brass / galvanized pipes left or is everything converted to copper? (note - checking water pressure can give you a clue as the old pipes corrode and get clogged)

Old houses were built to last and WILL last if the are taken care of. Make sure the foundation is SOLID. If it is and the electrical and plumbing are all updated, then you could have yourself a great house.

good Luck!

 
Originally posted by: Mwilding
I am closing on a 80+ year old home in 3 weeks. Here are some things to look out for:
(note - a good inspector will find ALL of this stuff)

Lead pipes - check where the line comes into the house.
Lead paint in the windows
cracks in the foundation (settling occurs over 100 years. Vertical cracks can be patched. Horizontal cracks are a BIG problem)
moisture in the basement
mold in the basement
what type of heat is it? How old is the system? (note steam can be converted to hot water)
Was there EVER an oil tank on the property? If so, was it properly decommisioned?
Is there any brass / galvanized pipes left or is everything converted to copper? (note - checking water pressure can give you a clue as the old pipes corrode and get clogged)

Old houses were built to last and WILL last if the are taken care of. Make sure the foundation is SOLID. If it is and the electrical and plumbing are all updated, then you could have yourself a great house.

good Luck!
Click to expand...

The foundation seems solid. The front half of the house has the original foundation. It protrudes about 3-4 feet into the basement and is stone and motar. The rear half of the house has a newer basement with a poured floor and cinder block walls.

The pipes are mostly copper, from what I saw, though the disclosure sheet does say there is some galvanized somewhere.

As far as oil, I am not sure, I do not think that there was an oil furnace, though they may have been. The current one is forced air.
 
1. Check that you have deep pockets
2. Hire a structural engineer to check it out. Joists under bathrooms tend to rot (although the wood in that house will be better than any modern wood)
3. Ditto w electrician & plumber
4. Ck if historical means you cannot any changes, some or whatever.
5. Ck w neighbors if they know about the house.
6. Watch the movie "The Money Pit" a few times.


Looks pretty solid from the picture. Good luck!
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
As far as oil, I am not sure, I do not think that there was an oil furnace, though they may have been. The current one is forced air.
Click to expand...
Think of it this way. If some prior owner just abandoned a full oil tank buried somewhere on the property and it rusts through on your watch, it is going to cost more than you could imagine to fix the problem... It pays to get some info and at the very least a stipulation from the owner that no oil tank remains on the property...

 
Originally posted by: Mwilding
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
As far as oil, I am not sure, I do not think that there was an oil furnace, though they may have been. The current one is forced air.
Click to expand...
Think of it this way. If some prior owner just abandoned a full oil tank buried somewhere on the property and it rusts through on your watch, it is going to cost more than you could imagine to fix the problem... It pays to get some info and at the very least a stipulation from the owner that no oil tank remains on the property...
Click to expand...

thank you for that advise.
🙂
 
Originally posted by: NumbersGuy
2. Hire a structural engineer to check it out. Joists under bathrooms tend to rot (although the wood in that house will be better than any modern wood)
Click to expand...

Definately do that. I'm a structural engineer who has looked at several historic homes, and they can certainly have their share of problems.

I've not looked at the pictures, but I'll assume the house has a crawlspace with typical wood floor framing. One thing that I see alot of is the crawlspace floor is a few inches lower than the outside grade, and any water than stands along the perimeter will simply seep into the crawlspace through the brick foundation walls.

Over a period of time, this excessive moisture can lead to mold/mildew growth on the framing and promote weakening of the wood framing and attraction of termites. Also, if there's not a vapor barrier on the crawlspace floor, then consider putting one down.

Just a few things to look out for. 🙂

 
My home was built before the turn of the century and is included in the historical zone of my village. It is actually the second oldest house in the town. If I remember I will post some pictures and links tonight.
 
Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Originally posted by: NumbersGuy
2. Hire a structural engineer to check it out. Joists under bathrooms tend to rot (although the wood in that house will be better than any modern wood)
Click to expand...

Definately do that. I'm a structural engineer who has looked at several historic homes, and they can certainly have their share of problems.

I've not looked at the pictures, but I'll assume the house has a crawlspace with typical wood floor framing. One thing that I see alot of is the crawlspace floor is a few inches lower than the outside grade, and any water than stands along the perimeter will simply seep into the crawlspace through the brick foundation walls.

Over a period of time, this excessive moisture can lead to mold/mildew growth on the framing and promote weakening of the wood framing and attraction of termites. Also, if there's not a vapor barrier on the crawlspace floor, then consider putting one down.

Just a few things to look out for. 🙂
Click to expand...


No crawl space, it is a half michigan/half regular basement.

The thing that suprised me was the lack of creaking of the floorboards as you walk. The only place I noticed it was on the stairs. Every other place felt solid, more so than my parents house, built at least 60 years later than this one.
 
all the homeowners on "This Old House" seem like they have boatloads of $$ to spend fixing their houses.
 
Originally posted by: MisterJackson
You know there have to be a few ghosts/unavenged souls up in there. Just be nice to the spooks, and they should leave you alone.
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LOL! i know! that has been our running joke throughout all this!
i actually found out that this house was the baptist parsonage for the church across the street from it 50 years ago. It will take some major "spookage" for Iamwiz82 to be convinced that it is haunted though!!
 
Like someone else mentioned, make sure it isn't under a "historical house covanent" of any sort. It will greatly hinder your ability to make cosmetic changes to the outside of the home.

As for oil heating - Been there, done that. Won't EVER do it again. 1, it's expensive. 2, you HAVE to keep an eye on the levels. Nothing sucks worse than running out of oil on a weekend that's 20 below zero and having to pay double the already expensive price to have somebody come in and pump more into your tank.

Natural gas heating is SO much more convenient.
 
:thumbsdown:

Aging materials can need maintenence/replacement, low energy efficiency due to old materials, possibly even safety concerns, often restrictions on what you can do, etc etc etc.... Newer is better with homes, no ifs ands or buts. "Quaint" gets old fast when you get reamed from behind in repair costs, heating costs, etc.
 
Originally posted by: Gurck
:thumbsdown:

Aging materials can need maintenence/replacement, low energy efficiency due to old materials, possibly even safety concerns, often restrictions on what you can do, etc etc etc.... Newer is better with homes, no ifs ands or buts. "Quaint" gets old fast when you get reamed from behind in repair costs, heating costs, etc.
Click to expand...

The builder I talked to said he would take an old home over a new home any day because of the shoddy workmanship.

Once again, there is rolled insulation in the walls, I saw it with my eyes.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: Gurck
:thumbsdown:

Aging materials can need maintenence/replacement, low energy efficiency due to old materials, possibly even safety concerns, often restrictions on what you can do, etc etc etc.... Newer is better with homes, no ifs ands or buts. "Quaint" gets old fast when you get reamed from behind in repair costs, heating costs, etc.
Click to expand...

The builder I talked to said he would take an old home over a new home any day because of the shoddy workmanship.

Once again, there is rolled insulation in the walls, I saw it with my eyes.
Click to expand...

Well, opinions and houses will vary, just giving mine based on what I've seen. I also have an a bias toward all things modern. Price factors in as well, of course, and newer homes tend to cost more per square foot in the same area.
 
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