New here and lots of work ahead!

[maironad (WavyGlass)]

Upgrading electrical is worth every penny spent! You've picked a great first project. When interviewing contractors, ask them how much experience the have doing complete rewires of old homes and how they approach it. Ask them how they determine where/how big to drill holes in the framing to maintain structural strength. The right contractor can do a total rewire with very little mess by punching small holes in the walls/ceiling, but it costs more because it takes longer to thread the cable. I've also seen some crazy holes drilled in structural supports to support new wiring, that essentially compromise the support's integrity.

Good luck with the house!

[krawdon (WavyGlass)]

I'm actually really glad/relieved to get the electrical out of the way first - I won't have to worry about it again, and it gets the work in the "guts" of the house over with. I hope.

I found a great electrician - they specialize in replacing knob and tube, and love old houses. They actually pry up a floorboard to get to the lines - although they'll do small holes if they have to. He said it's probably just one area in the floor on the 2nd floor, in the room that still needs a lot of work anyway, and then in the attic. We'll see!

They start work the day after I close on the house. Yikes!

-Katy

[Kansas.1911]

Knob and tube. ha I have a story. Our insurance company will insure knob and tube. We re-did the kitchen and baths so there's no more knob and tube there. But the rest of the house has it, and we really need more grounded plugs all over the place. The house is totally finished. What did we leave till the bitter end? The Knob and tube. We will embark on that journey, probably over the next three years sometime. We'd leave it alone if it were up to us, save one really band anecdote:

Neighbors have been trying to sell their house for two years. It's a Barber design, complete with original blueprints, on sale for $174,000. It has a great location, beautiful lot, nice neighbors, good schools, etc. However, it competes with new builds so it needs the right buyer. One came along, but cancelled because HE was afraid of knob and tube. The deal fell through.

Someday this might happen to us, were we to need a one-level house quickly. We will have the knob and tube replaced sooner rather than later, to entice some future buyer.

[krawdon (WavyGlass)]

Well, I settled on the house on Monday (after a week-long overseas trip), and already the electrical guys have spent a full day rewiring. I also had someone look at the non-functioning a/c unit, and UGH it has a major freon leak. I'm having it replaced Friday, along with the ancient furnace - both were supposed to be "later" projects. There goes all the money! I'm going to have to take up a collection to be able to afford the badly-needed new roof. Sigh...

So far I've mostly been focused on packing to move this weekend, but I did spend a few hours washing the walls. Yuck, they're dirty!! How clean do walls need to be to take paint well, anyway? I think I'm going to have to paint the ceilings, as well, which I've never done before and am NOT looking forward to doing...

I also have "before" pictures up on Pinterest, for another that's on there. I'll post some when I'm not so tired! http://pinterest.com/lemurchild/my-house/

-Katy

[Blue Farmhouse]

I also have "before" pictures up on Pinterest, for another that's on there. I'll post some when I'm not so tired! http://pinterest.com/lemurchild/my-house/

Cute staircase! I love it. It looks so inviting walking in through the front door.

I can see where the kitchen appliances may need a little updating. Don't feel too bad about your central air -- our to-be "new" furnace in the house we're purchasing was manufactured in 1976! That's older than I am, lol. It still works, though, so . . . Well, they don't build things like they used to, right? Our central air unit isn't exactly brand-new, either, but it works great (for now!). We were quoted somewhere in the neighborhood of $5,000.00 for a brand-new furnace and central air unit, should we decide to replace it. That's not exactly on the top of the priority list, though, as long as it's working.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures as you continue working!

[krawdon (WavyGlass)]

Ugh, speaking of no more money, the electricians called me today to tell me that the washing machine drain was backing up from the sewer. Hahahahaha! The PO had actually disclosed that she didn't use the washer because it "was somehow backing up" - although she had no idea what was going on. So, I guess it's a good thing that it actively backed up, someone was there to see it, and now I have a plumber on site fixing the problem once and for all? Heh, I'm going to have to get a second job to support this house...

The kitchen is my "fun" DIY project. In the next couple of days we're going to remove the old wall oven (and hopefully sell it to someone who like the old ones...) and saw out half of that shelf/counter section. I'm having a new range installed next week, so I'll have a wacked out, hideous, but usable kitchen for now.

The plan is to acquire salvaged cabinets and stain/paint them, install them with a nice countertop (maybe also salvaged) and salvaged tile backsplash, add a nice new vent hood, and heat gun up the old linoleum floor - I know there's the same wood under there as the rest of the house. So, my hope is for wood floors, dark stained bottom cabinets, either a white stone/quartz countertop or butcherblock, white backsplash and upper cabinets, and sage green walls. I have it all in my head.

For now, I'm going to put removable wallpaper on the old fridge to make it pretty (or at least interesting), and when I win the lottery replace it.

[krawdon (WavyGlass)]

For those not on Pinterest, here are some "before" pictures of the downstairs.


Front


Front entrance hall


Front porch


Living room


Dining room


Kitchen


Kitchen


Back porch.

[mattswabb]

Welcome from one 4square owner to another.

BTW I have some knob and tube and it will stay in there for the rest of my life. It's been there 100 years and I see no reason to change it.

[krawdon (WavyGlass)]

I felt the same - I saw no reason to replace the knob and tube. But the insurance companies felt differently. If you're not already grandfathered in, it's just about impossible to insure a house with knob and tube! It's a shame.

[InGeorgia (WavyGlass)]

Love your new house! be thankful you don't have lots of hideous wall paper (pasted right onto unpainted, unprimed wall board) to remove. Looks like you have a nice clean start. ... and if I HAD to live in N.J. again, Haddonfield would be in the top 5 places.