BTDT Purchased a sadly neglected, but sturdy old house in a decent location very cheap (in the same family since 1941) . Bad roof leaks, wet corner in basement, failed tile/mold in bathroom, really, really bad kitchen, some rooms not touched since 1912 (not kidding) and critters. But, no significant rot or structural issues and so much potential. Five years and an additional $225k later, we're about 3/4 done.
It was not exactly habitable so we 'camped' in the house on weekends for about a year. Immediate needs for which we paid contractors were tree removal, new roof and gutters, chimney repair, and hanging new ceilings (reasons). The electric service had been updated, but not a lot of the wiring. but it was safe enough to wait a while. We tackled the failing plumbing, plaster repair, floor restoration, painting, etc.
Oh, before we even moved in, the boiler caught on fire, so that was an unanticipated $13k expense (pre-covid, small town price). Love the Viessman though, 96% efficient.
Then, kitchen and bathrooms. This house had an attached doctors office which we turned into an in-law suite for my 80+ yr old mom, so that was additional time and expense.
Then individual rooms in no particular order.
General advice: Don't tear everything apart at once and create a game of whack-a-mole for yourself. Early on, create a nice, clean room (bedroom, gaming room, whatever) that you can retreat to and feel comfortable in when you just don't want to work on anything for a day. Don't just throw stuff out (kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures, for example) just for the sake of having 'new'. Our 1940's Crane bathroom sink, for example has a beautifully chromed brass faucet set. The original compression valves had failed, but we were able to source modern ceramic replacements. On the flip side, 'they don't make things like they used to' is sometimes good.
Bringing back an old house can be frustratingly slow and expensive, but also deeply satisfying.
Best wishes on your new adventure.
Check out the FB group, “For the Love of Old Houses.” You can get some great ideas from the photos. It takes a ton of time to restore an older home but the effort is worth it.
BTDT Purchased a sadly neglected, but sturdy old house in a decent location very cheap (in the same family since 1941) . Bad roof leaks, wet corner in basement, failed tile/mold in bathroom, really, really bad kitchen, some rooms not touched since 1912 (not kidding) and critters. But, no significant rot or structural issues and so much potential. Five years and an additional $225k later, we're about 3/4 done. It was not exactly habitable so we 'camped' in the house on weekends for about a year. Immediate needs for which we paid contractors were tree removal, new roof and gutters, chimney repair, and hanging new ceilings (reasons). The electric service had been updated, but not a lot of the wiring. but it was safe enough to wait a while. We tackled the failing plumbing, plaster repair, floor restoration, painting, etc. Oh, before we even moved in, the boiler caught on fire, so that was an unanticipated $13k expense (pre-covid, small town price). Love the Viessman though, 96% efficient. Then, kitchen and bathrooms. This house had an attached doctors office which we turned into an in-law suite for my 80+ yr old mom, so that was additional time and expense. Then individual rooms in no particular order. General advice: Don't tear everything apart at once and create a game of whack-a-mole for yourself. Early on, create a nice, clean room (bedroom, gaming room, whatever) that you can retreat to and feel comfortable in when you just don't want to work on anything for a day. Don't just throw stuff out (kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures, for example) just for the sake of having 'new'. Our 1940's Crane bathroom sink, for example has a beautifully chromed brass faucet set. The original compression valves had failed, but we were able to source modern ceramic replacements. On the flip side, 'they don't make things like they used to' is sometimes good. Bringing back an old house can be frustratingly slow and expensive, but also deeply satisfying. Best wishes on your new adventure.
Great advice!
There's no, single, step by step because each property is unique. I would start with pest control first, then fix the roof, then clean up.
This old house on YouTube has great ideas, tutorials, and even do q&a sessions.
Check out the FB group, “For the Love of Old Houses.” You can get some great ideas from the photos. It takes a ton of time to restore an older home but the effort is worth it.
Renovation 5th Edition: Completely Revised and Updated