Show us your vintage home!

[Stearmen]

I hear ya. You'll notice there is no channeling going on in the ceiling and for all but a very little bit, the living room is the only room we are doing this craziness in as it had a mishmash of wiring going back to 1928 that needed to be rationalized.

That's better then mine, it has the entire history of home lighting in it, since it was built in 1888!

 

[1mach1]

Well, my 1940s Cape Cod is coming to an end with it's original facade. As families grow, and tastes change, we must make decisions. Sadly, in Arlington, VA, it is not cost effective to move. We have decided to "pop the top" and make a full second story and full attic to the house. It will go from a 2 bedroom 2 bath, to a 3 bedroom 3 bath. Our plan is to make the outside still look 1940. I am sure I will post progress shots once I start work. Time frame looks to be Jan/Feb. 2016 to start. Fingers crossed.

 

[vitanola]

Well, my 1940s Cape Cod is coming to an end with it's original facade. As families grow, and tastes change, we must make decisions. Sadly, in Arlington, VA, it is not cost effective to move. We have decided to "pop the top" and make a full second story and full attic to the house. It will go from a 2 bedroom 2 bath, to a 3 bedroom 3 bath. Our plan is to make the outside still look 1940. I am sure I will post progress shots once I start work. Time frame looks to be Jan/Feb. 2016 to start. Fingers crossed.

The Garrison Colonial style was very popular lust before and after the War, and remember that the original Seventeenth Century houses which inspired this style usually started out as single story Capes.

 

[Stearmen]

The Garrison Colonial style was very popular lust before and after the War, and remember that the original Seventeenth Century houses which inspired this style usually started out as single story Capes.

Lust, was that a Freudian slip?

 

[1mach1]

Lust, was that a Freudian slip?

lol lol

Yeah, we are pretty much going for a Colonial. It ain't going to be cheap, but we love the lot and the school district is one of the best.

 

[dh66]

Good luck with the renovation, Harv. Post lots of pics and keep us updated.
As someone who works in the building trade and has a great interest in historic renovation/restoration, I am looking forward to seeing how things go for you, and for Fading Fast as well.

 

[1mach1]

Good luck with the renovation, Harv. Post lots of pics and keep us updated.
As someone who works in the building trade and has a great interest in historic renovation/restoration, I am looking forward to seeing how things go for you, and for Fading Fast as well.

Thanks Dale. We are still working with the bank on the lending side. Funds should be available within 30 to 45 days. I plan on ripping the roof off in January or February, to avoid rain. Snow falls rather slow, and does not come on to fast, giving more time to get the tarp back on the house. A rain that comes on quickly and falls fast can destroy the rest of the house in a matter of minutes. That's the plan, at least.
We will be living in our commercial property down the street (built in 1935, with an addition in 1952) while the work goes on.

 

[kampkatz]

Thanks Dale. We are still working with the bank on the lending side. Funds should be available within 30 to 45 days. I plan on ripping the roof off in January or February, to avoid rain. Snow falls rather slow, and does not come on to fast, giving more time to get the tarp back on the house. A rain that comes on quickly and falls fast can destroy the rest of the house in a matter of minutes. That's the plan, at least.
We will be living in our commercial property down the street (built in 1935, with an addition in 1952) while the work goes on.

I wish you the best with the roof. Our roof on our 1890's Victorian Queen Anne was replaced many years ago during the summer. The contractor had torn off the old shingles and had not completely covered the roof with tarps. A sudden rain storm sent water through the rear attic into a back second floor room's ceiling. We got a new ceiling for no extra cost, but what a mess I had to clean up in the attic!

 

[1mach1]

I wish you the best with the roof. Our roof on our 1890's Victorian Queen Anne was replaced many years ago during the summer. The contractor had torn off the old shingles and had not completely covered the roof with tarps. A sudden rain storm sent water through the rear attic into a back second floor room's ceiling. We got a new ceiling for no extra cost, but what a mess I had to clean up in the attic!

Sorry to hear that! :eeek:

 

[Stearmen]

I wish you the best with the roof. Our roof on our 1890's Victorian Queen Anne was replaced many years ago during the summer. The contractor had torn off the old shingles and had not completely covered the roof with tarps. A sudden rain storm sent water through the rear attic into a back second floor room's ceiling. We got a new ceiling for no extra cost, but what a mess I had to clean up in the attic!

That's terrible! I am sure glad they reroofed my 1888 Queen Anne last year, when we were still in a drought! I have seen so much damage to uncovered wood this year.

 

[lolly_loisides]

Not my home! The link's worth a look for the "unique" real estate selling points. They really should have taken photos of the basement though

Jame Gumb's home from Silence of the Lambs for sale

 

[Stearmen]

Here are the upstairs floors. First of three coats. Man, will I be glad when this is done, manged to pick up a cold, feeling terrible! This project was suppose to take a couple of weeks, been almost a year now, it's kicking my you know what!

 

[dh66]

It looks fantastic! Keep at it, it'll be worth the trouble.

 

[Big Man]

Here are the upstairs floors. First of three coats. Man, will I be glad when this is done, manged to pick up a cold, feeling terrible! This project was suppose to take a couple of weeks, been almost a year now, it's kicking my you know what!

Looks great.

 

[RBH]

Beautiful!! Hope you get to feeling better!

 

[Fading Fast]

Stearman - the floor looks fantastic as does that beautiful door, the hardware and those radiators. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[Stearmen]

Thanks every one! Feeling a little better, one more coat in the morning, then I can rest for a couple of days.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

The floors look fantastic! Nice work!

Here are the upstairs floors. First of three coats. Man, will I be glad when this is done, manged to pick up a cold, feeling terrible! This project was suppose to take a couple of weeks, been almost a year now, it's kicking my you know what!

 

[Stearmen]

The floors look fantastic! Nice work!

Thanks Tom!

 

[Fading Fast]

A post in another thread by Bamaboots prompted this post which made sense to cross-post here (with some edits and additions):

For those following along on our 1927/8 coop apartment restoration:

We had a small delay as the plumbing inspection uncovered a few pipes that needed replacement and a vent that needed to be added, so after about a two week delay (and more $s from FF), we should be back on track by the end of this week. And some work is going on away from plumbing, so not all is being delayed.

On the good news front, we found some reclaimed red oak planks to build a kitchen floor that will echo the red oak in the foyer (that the kitchen is off of) and living room. And our tile shipment from Subway Ceramics arrived (http://www.subwaytile.com check out their tile and site - an amazing resource for vintage tiles), a "drop ship" to the sidewalk which had FF and the contractor loading and standing guard as we moved it into the apartment.

I don't really have any new pictures as the plumbing delayed progress and we did work on things like electrical and other structural items that are harder to see.

Hopefully, I'll have more info and pictures soon as we progress.