houses are impossible

[PineappleMama]

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We're not illegal but we are on a VERY fixed budget, and can only afford to live in this nice, safe neighborhood because he IS a lazy landlord who's willing to accept low rent in order not to have to ever invest any money or do any work... if the money/work thing changes then likely the rent will and we won't be able to afford the hike. Which means moving back to the neighborhood we were in before we got this house... drug labs (including the exploding kind), sex offenders, users, robberies... just to name a few of the areas features. With two kids, 8 & 12, is it any wonder we just keep our mouths shut?

Mostly it's fine, we are fine, life is fine... mostly just an annoyance like a skeeter bite but some days is IS like a really really itchy one. Y'all happened to catch me on an itchy day.

But on a happy note... our DSL has been blipping out regularly for a while, now our phone started dropping calls (we thought it was Mom's phone and didn't connect the dots until it also did it to DH friend)... so they FINALLY sent someone out. Turns out our line was the old cloth covered kind that was (thought to be) totally replaced in this area a good THIRTY years ago. Whoops. Glen, the AT&T guy, replaced that and we're all kinds of good now. And he left us his work cell number in case our problem continues. Wasn't that nice of him? Usually the tech guys are not that nice and definitely not that thorough, especially on a day like today fluke cold and rainy... I was very impressed with him. But then he was also an older guy, 50's or so, so he's from the old school that actually believed in standing by your work... don't you LOVE those guys. So anywho, I'm a lot happier now than when I posted last... Glen = Benedryl

 

[rufus]

I think I would rather have a solid old house than the ticky tacky, plastered styrofoam ones they are building now. The studs are on 24 or 26 inch centers rather than 16.

Burglars just need a hefty hammer to bust open the walls on them. Forget about them coming through the doors.

The new houses don't have asbestos, but they do have some sort of foam insulation that out gases and makes some people sick.

The plumbing is plastic rather than copper.

Rufus

 

[PineappleMama]

^Excellent points. Sorta the same reason I drool more over a 64 1/2 Mustang than I do over a 2010.

Mmmm... straight six...

 

[Dunkopf]

Quote:
Water supply lines are still copper. They do use that vinyl stuff in applications where the water might freeze. It expands and doesn't split like copper or PVC. The PVC pipes have replaced clay pipes that disintegrate. I've had 3 new houses or very close to new. They all had studs on 16" centers. Old doesn't always equal well built and solid. Brick houses. Very sturdy but a lot of them have no insulation. New houses in storm and high wind areas are a lot harder to blow away because of improved anchoring and fastening systems.

Same with cars. I would much rather have an accident in a 2010 Honda Civic than a 1965 Chevy Impala. Much better chance of living.
Now I love older cars for the way they look and their individuality. Beautiful, high performance cars are a dime a dozen now. The engineering on a new car is so much better it can't even be measured though.

 

[chickaddict]

Our home was built in 1890.

1200 square feet of electrical nightmare complete with light switches that go nowhere. During one of hubbys' lay offs he decided to find out why the light on the front of the house wouldn't work.

Our kitchen light panel has 3 switches. 1 to the front porch - 1 to the kitchen - 1 (supposedly) to the front steps.


He did get the light to work - 3 months later - we had to remove the ceilings from 3 rooms and gut the front porch to remove and replace the wiring.

You see ------------- the genius that origonally installed the wiring ran it throught 3 rooms before doubling back to the front porch to hook it up.

On the bright side, the difference in our electric bill was staggering - almost $60 a month and that was 18 years ago.

 

[ams4776]

Old vs new isnt always the issue. Ive seen new prefabs that look nice outside bit rather cramped and yes break easy inside. Its all about how it was built. Some old ones are great. Others like mine need alot of tlc. Im gonna be usong pvc pipe for mu down drains. But it is all copper on the incoming pipes. Wiring will be the next step. Need a new box...only got a 60amp. Can't add on or do much till we upgrade it. All well i do like my house just wish the 2 previous owners actually fixed probs not just rig everything or ignore it

 

[al6517]

So is your DH not involved in any of this ???, can he operate tools ??. Can he help at all ??.

 

[mandelyn]

When my husband and I are ready to buy a house, we're either going to do a custom build on a blank lot, or completely gut the house on it to the studs and not even live in it for the first 6 months or so. Trying to remodel while living in it sucks. Trying to repair some things without having to do everything, either because of budget or living space or use... sucks.

I grew up in an 1860's giant old house. I moved bedrooms like 6 times, staying ahead or behind the remodel. They bought the house in 1983, it's still a work in progress. You knock 1 thing off the list, 3 more pop up.

We live in a house now that was built in 1927. So automatically, you know it's plumbing, electrical, and windows. The roof was already done. Problem is, the owner is on a budget, and when she chose people for jobs, it was price. So the new front porch, needs ripped off and redone. It's not supported right, nor is it level, and it's crooked.

She had the kitchen redone, before fixing the upstairs plumbing. Well, it was fixed, but leaks again because it was a poor job. So that new ceiling needs to come down. Again.

It's just.. a mess. Our arrangement is reduced rent in exchange for labor, since my husband can work under his dad's remodeling company and he has a lot of experience. But we still need an electrician. So when she has the funds, we'll arrange for a GOOD one. Not who ever tied in new wiring to the old cloth covered stuff. What was that guy thinking? There's some switches and outlets we just don't use after seeing how some of the stuff was run and tied in.

There's always red flags too when you're shopping. She bought the house because it was cute. It is, very cute. But watch out for freshly painted cast iron plumbing stacks! That was likely the biggest red flag for this house. That stack might have 6 months left, maybe 2 years. Who knows?

Everything "cheap" was done. Everything requiring an experienced contractor and a hefty budget, was smoothed over to look pretty and not done besides the roof. We're still rocking those single pane wooden windows too and the awesome energy bill.

Oh, textured wall paper! Hides a lot. I was pealing it off from the upstairs bathroom to get it ready for work, and guess what I found? Moldy plaster and the worse repair job I have ever seen to a roof leak. It isn't leaking anymore... but someone at some point decided to quickly smooth it over when it was still damp and cover it over with really thick textured wall paper. So that whole corner needs knocked out and redone and checked over real good on the wood to see if any of it is rotted and needing replaced. Hopefully not. But with old houses, you always find twice the work hidden inside!

It's never as easy as you think it will be.

 

[rufus]

Dunkopf, you live in Colorado. Come to Arizona, and I can show you some really shoddy construction. And yes, the plumbing is Pex or worse that gray stuff.

I used to think the most durable thing about those houses would be the mortgage. But, I was wrong. A lot of them are in foreclosure now.

Some of God's greatest blessings are unanswered prayers. Thank God, we never could afford to buy the house my wife wanted.

Rufus

 

[ams4776]

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Lol. My dh has very crappy hrs. So i do most of the stuff here. It saves on hiring people in so i get to stay home with the kids. But ive proven a bit better on stuff now then him. I built my coop single handed woohoo. Its a very rewarding experience to be doing this all.