DIYers - need some opinions please!

[malta blue]

I was looking at a Victorian home in upstate NY that was in perfect, renovated condition. We were outbid on it - yes - I am soooooo sad. Anyhow, there is another house, further on the same street with 7 bedrooms and 2 baths. Granted, we don't need that many rooms, but it is nice to have the options to use them for different functions. It needs A LOT of work. Here are some pics:


Exterior:
?210847252

First floor:

?210847014

?210847077

Bedroom:
?210964342

Kitchen:
?210964244


My questions are:

Would any of you throw yourselves into a project like this?
How do you get rid of those tiled drop in ceilings? Cost?

Any and all opinions or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks DUers

[trotsky]

1. Looks like it has a lot of potential.

I would worry about what's behind those ceilings, though. They're usually easy to rip out (the outer frame is just nailed or screwed to the perimeter wall, then suspended in various points by wires), but what are they covering up?

I went back and looked at the first picture - to be honest, I thought that was the BACK of the house! But the plus side there is that you have lots of options to improve the curb appeal.

[malta blue]

2. That is my biggest fear. I want to pull those ceilings out

but I wonder what is under them.

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Am wonderng if the dropped ceilings were put into place to offset heating costs

By lowering the original ceiling height, and possibly layering insulation above the tiled ceiling areas, may have been done to curb heating the larger spaces.

Am assuming you would be having a professional home inspection if you make an offer that's accepted. If there's an ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) certified home inspector in your area, you would get the most for your money and accurate information should a member of that group be hired to check things out. The home inspection would give you a much clearer picture of what costs you may be taking on if you choose to finish the deal on buying the place.

There may be more there than meets the eye in terms of electrical (original and rewired), any renovations done and being up to building codes, HVAC, plumbing, roofing and other structural concerns. However, if you make an offer that's accepted, and the home inspection reveals areas that need to be addressed, it can also be a bargaining tool in your favor for final purchase price of the property.

Good luck! Will be looking for updates if you do make an offer that's accepted.

FYI: ASHI homepage/info:

http://www.ashi.org/

[malta blue]

6. Thanks for your thoughts

For sure we would have an inspection. I am still considering this house, but I do have some reservations about the costs of the upgrades and renovations, especially the plumbing and electrical.

[yy4me]

4. This house looks beautiful, you just have to look beyond

the obvious. We have completely redone an old house that was in for worse shape than the one pictured. My first thought on the exterior would be to get rid of the overhang on the front door. It is an eyesore plus, for later consideration, I bet there are clapboards under the shingles. Are they asbestos? As to the interior rooms, nothing looks bad, just dated. About40-50 years ago, the method of coping with old ceilings was to slap this panel stuff over them. Perhaps there is wiring lurking there or maybe pipes. A house of this age probably has calcimine over the plaster. It was to have been a way to cope with peeling ceilings. It is a pain because it peels and to paint it, it must be scraped, any rough edges fared in with a non-water based compound, and painted with a special paint formulated for calcimine. Worth the work. We have found that the best way to tackle a project like this is with a good plan but do one room at a time. If you tear everything apart at once, the job becomes overwhelming.

Is that a heating vent in the ceiling in picture 4, bedroom? Might be one reason for the drop ceiling. Hot air heat vent. That would certainly have to be redirected. Gas heat? Where are the other vents and where is the ductwork?

The basic design looks good. Kitchen is a little dated but I'm sure most of us have had worse at some stage of our lives. Live with that until you can re-do it. The advice about inspection is good but make sure he well qualified. My daughter had her house inspected before buying it. Passed with flying colors only to find major wiring problems, leaking windows, bad roof joints where dormer windows met and other things popped up shortly after moving in.

That said, if you love the house and the price is right, the potential certainly looks like it is there. You will need to take the cost of updating things into consideration when you offer plus be willing to put in a lot of hours doing the work. These days, you must be willing to do a lot yourself to save money. Contractors get a lot of $$ per hour. Your labor is free and on your own terms. Good luck. I've seen this design of house a lot in Virginia and they have been beautiful. This one could be too.

[malta blue]

8. asbestos - another thing I was overlooking.

Alas, this project is seeming to be more and more overwhelming....I think I will lean more toward a house that has had a little more work done on it...although the though of 7 bedrooms was so fun....a reading room, an arts & crafts room, a workout room, etc.

[Warpy]

9. Definitely go for an inspection before you commit

to anything. Find out whether those exterior shingles (WHAT were they thinking?) are asbestos or asphalt. Check to make sure the wiring has been updated to Romex, at least. The newer radiators on the first floor suggest the heating's been updated since the dark ages.

The exterior is an easy update: clapboard, a little gingerbread on that center peak, a porch running the length of the front, and shutters. The place would look like a million bucks without costing it.

Refinishing the floors, peeling the ugly paper, and getting rid of those dropped ceilings might be the extent of the interior work. Expect to have calcimine ceilings in a house of that vintage. They're a pain, but they can be dealt with (they were the bane of my existence in one slum apartment after another in Boston). The kitchen is dated, but if you slap in a cheap tile floor, it can be lived with while the necessary stuff is done.

Just get the inspection. Make sure you won't be stuck with asbestos removal and complete electrical renovation.

[malta blue]

10. Thanks for all the great suggestions!

I can't express how grateful I am to have such knowledgeable DUers willing to share their tips and experiences!

[jschurchin]

5. 2 questions for you.

First, do you have any type of construction background?

Second, are you able to borrow a substantial amount above the purchase price?

If you answer yes to both of these, I would say go for it, for sure. If you answer no to the first and yes to the second, I would say go for it, if you have another place to live for about 6 months.

If you answer no to both, run away from this house.

[malta blue]

7. I have no experience other than the basic

paint and spackle...DH is not handy either. We can borrow up to 50K for it, and we could conceivably live in the in-law apt that is attached, but I am really getting cold feet.

[yy4me]

11. Don't get cold feet, get an inspection, assess the job and

make an offer taking into account the cost of all the real necessary repairs. Wallpaper is easy, paint is easy,you don't need expertise to do those jobs, just time and patience. Plan your offer based on the $$$ needed for the real things that require a professional. Even if you plan to do a lot of it yourself, the realtor or current owner does not need to know that. You have great potential here, I'd go for it if I could make a deal. When we bought our house, it was in far worse shape and we managed to re-do everything one step at a time. I will admit it took a while..and we had asbestos shingles. Never regretted our purchase at all. BUT, having said that, our offer was based on condition and we made a low offer.