Show us your vintage home!

[jamespowers]

Thanks. had an electrician over today, he's going to put in a new 200 amp service and fix the knob & tube. Not free, but, less then I expected!

I know what that is. I had it done here.

 

[Edm1]

We moved here in June. Went from a 2400 SQF modern home to this 1955 cape. If you count the basement it is roughly 2300sqf. Rooms are a lot smaller though. That said, I really like it. Nice neighborhood, with a neighborhood playground you can walk to. Decent sized yard. We can still throw a football and have a garden. We found lots of little things that we are working on fixing. Pulled up carpet and had all the hardwood sanded and refinished. Replaced all the blinds. Now we need to get all the outlet covers the same..some are white..some are cream and some are brass.

 

[dh66]

Very nice! I love the mid-century ones.

 

[sheeplady]

Interesting side story, the city has her listed as being built in 1899. Seems, they did not keep good records before the 20s, so they must have had some junior kid go back and assign dates for all the old houses, so there are a bunch of 1899 and 1915 houses. I think he got lazy and just typed the date he liked. By all accounts, she was actually born in 1888! She is in pretty good shape, all new appliances, except for the water heater, but they aren't very expensive. She looks bigger then her actual size, there have been two additions over the years. The parlor is the most Victorian, the kitchen and upstairs baths are modern. Still has radiators, oddly, the downstairs ones are very plain, and the upstairs are very ornate! A few jobs, a Federal Pacific barker box, so time to upgrade to at least 150 amps. Needs a new back door and garage doors, I can do the small ones, but will farm out the overhead door and opener. I actually, can't do it as cheap as the pros. A little knob & tube in the attic, no insulation thankfully, so an easy fix. A foot thick rubble foundation skimmed with another four inches of cement, the inspector was impressed by the condition of the foundation. The inspector was a 61 year old lady, known as the "deal breaker" for how much she finds wrong with the houses she inspects. So, I was very happy when she pulled me aside and said, "this house is in really good condition!"

Our new house was built around 1853 we think, but it is listed with the county as being built in 1890, as that is how far the abstract goes back. We know it wasn't built then by looking at will's and censuses.

 

[Stearmen]

Our new house was built around 1853 we think, but it is listed with the county as being built in 1890, as that is how far the abstract goes back. We know it wasn't built then by looking at will's and censuses.

I just found out that the story I sighted above is nothing but an Old Wives tale. The real reason for the later date is simple, the town did not tax unfinished homes. So, if it took 10 or 20 years to complete, who was the wiser? They finally cracked down around WWI.

 

[Stearmen]

I know what that is. I had it done here.

I can't complain, there was only a little in the attic. I would do it myself, but, the electrician is throwing it in for free as part of the new panel!

 

[1mach1]

Sweet property, Hdm1. I love the detached 2 car garage!!

 

[sheeplady]

I just found out that the story I sighted above is nothing but an Old Wives tale. The real reason for the later date is simple, the town did not tax unfinished homes. So, if it took 10 or 20 years to complete, who was the wiser? They finally cracked down around WWI.

That's fascinating.

I know it can often be hard to pinpoint the date of when a house was built because of so many lost records due to fire, floods, etc. A few years ago the county seat of the new house was badly flooded. Fortunately not too much was lost, but think of how often things like fire and flood damaged records.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Around here there were always a lot of old houses with no front doorsteps. The reason was exactly that one: unfinished homes weren't taxed, so the front doorsteps were deliberately left off the houses so they could claim "unfinished" status. I don't know when that ended, but it was extremely common as recently as the '70s.

 

[1mach1]

Around here there were always a lot of old houses with no front doorsteps. The reason was exactly that one: unfinished homes weren't taxed, so the front doorsteps were deliberately left off the houses so they could claim "unfinished" status. I don't know when that ended, but it was extremely common as recently as the '70s.

Interesting Lizzie. Thank you for sharing. I did not know that a front stoop made a finished home, especially as late as the 70s.

 

[Stearmen]

Am I ever relived tonight! Ever since I bought the house, there has been a pretty strong cat smell. I have never had an indoor cat, so I was not sure what I was smelling. I did find a few left over calling cards on the sill of one of the basement windows, so I vacuumed them up with the shop vac. Then around 3:00 this morning I woke up and started to think, it is a kitty litter smell, the lady had the litter box in the basement for the three cats, next to an old washing machine. So, this morning I went over, first thing I noticed was the smell was not as bad, so I must be on the right track. When I went down stairs, I simply turned the washer on its face, and sure enough, a lot of kitty litter and assorted clumps. The cats did what cats do, they would try and bury there calling cards, and a lot of it would be flung out of the box and under the washer. Tomorrow I will scrape and vacuum the stubborn place, then a little vinegar and Borax. I think that should take care of it. I sure am glad it wasn't straight urine on the concrete! I read a lot of nightmare stories of that scenario, and was having a few of them my self.

 

[jamespowers]

Am I ever relived tonight! Ever since I bought the house, there has been a pretty strong cat smell. I have never had an indoor cat, so I was not sure what I was smelling. I did find a few left over calling cards on the sill of one of the basement windows, so I vacuumed them up with the shop vac. Then around 3:00 this morning I woke up and started to think, it is a kitty litter smell, the lady had the litter box in the basement for the three cats, next to an old washing machine. So, this morning I went over, first thing I noticed was the smell was not as bad, so I must be on the right track. When I went down stairs, I simply turned the washer on its face, and sure enough, a lot of kitty litter and assorted clumps. The cats did what cats do, they would try and bury there calling cards, and a lot of it would be flung out of the box and under the washer. Tomorrow I will scrape and vacuum the stubborn place, then a little vinegar and Borax. I think that should take care of it. I sure am glad it wasn't straight urine on the concrete! I read a lot of nightmare stories of that scenario, and was having a few of them my self.

Get that out of there ASAP. This is one of the reasons why my cats stay outside

 

[1mach1]

Get that out of there ASAP. This is one of the reasons why my cats stay outside

Yeah, that's a nasty smell, and impossible to cure. Always reminds me of Arkansas.

 

[jamespowers]

Yeah, that's a nasty smell, and impossible to cure. Always reminds me of Arkansas.

Reminds me of San Franfreako.

 

[1mach1]

Reminds me of San Franfreako.

Well, that and vomit.

 

[jamespowers]

Well, that and vomit.

And Patchouli.....

 

[1mach1]

And Patchouli.....

Ooooooo, that's way worse! uke:

 

[jamespowers]

Ooooooo, that's way worse! uke:

Yeah, tell me about it.

 

[Stearmen]

Unfortunately, a major setback on the cat smell front. I went by this morning, the smell was worse then ever. Seems, when I moved the old washer, I did not get one of the spigots all the way closed, the dripping water, reactivated the smell! I went and got some vinegar, pored it on, just as advertised on the internet, the smell got worse. I will see what it smells like tomorrow, since I have to be there in the morning for the new garage door. I have one more quiver left, mix half vinegar half fabric softer with some hydrogen peroxide. I may still have to seal the floor with Kilz oil base paint.

 

[sheeplady]

There's enzyme based cleaners for pets you can buy... they work a quite well. I'd give that a try before you go nuclear with the kiltz.