Barn Find/Kentucky

I'm not so sure. The columns could be removed one at a time, (yeah, yeah, with bracing) and a new bottom portion pieced in. A simple steel tube could replace the inner beam, if needed. Or, piece in a new bottom for the support beam as well. The first one would be the toughest, then you could really roll. I wish I lived next door and could get involved in this.

 

I forgot to put est prices in my post!


That said, the re-manufacture of the coloumn and crown is the big part. It looks custom so I would figure that may be up to $2-5k right there if you make them in the same manner as the original.

And remember this is also assuming that any issues are just in the column and noting at all wrong with the base or the portico once you get into it.

 

Several column options around the web. Here is a guy who restores and reuses the original wood ones.

http://www.gyrestorations.com/notebook/node/125

 

Ha! I know that guy. We almost used him but found an local gent. Too Funny! He was very nice on the phone when we spoke a few years ago.

 

+1 on that beautiful house but what a ton of work. I do similar work here in the historic districts of Alexandria VA-
I wonder if the house sits on a historic marker or has any historic status, because this seriously can change not only the options for the new owner but the cost of a restoration.

 

You said it!!

 

I do this type of work for a living and I have to say that you are RIGHT on the money, With little to no insulation value in these homes, you run big bucks trying to heat it and cooling-didn't exist. Like I posted earlier, if there is any historical provenance- Your locked into age old materials, in my area we have to actually restore the single pain glass windows, god help you if the glass is as old as the house - because it cant be changed out.
Issues with updating the electrical, plumbing- in some cases if we have the room, we create chases and work out from the chase- still there is a lot of retro work involved, plus all the plaster work associated- +1 on finding an artisan that can do the complex moldings. WOW Big job to say the least.

Other issues that can come up are the permits which cost money- and if there is a need for a structural engineer,(which on a house this old, it may not be a bad idea anyways to have someone throw an eye on it ) this can be another cost associated before you even break ground so to speak. Also in my area we still have to have plans drawn up showing all the new electrical detail/gas and plumbing details. In the historic district we have to have cut sheets for things like the column details and any other architectural details on the exterior.

Also there is a very good chance that you have lead paint on the property in large quantities and I know that in my are of VA- we have to show how it is properly being handled, meaning if it is being sanded off the exterior, it is being collected and the parties involved are wearing the proper safety equipment.

Another area that most people don't fully understand is that during this whole process, you have to have a place to live and at times it can really be a very large strain.

Other factors if your going to do the work yourself are the costs of:
1. eating out a lot at different phases of the project
2. the cost of all the tools you are going to have to have to invest in if your not in the biz.
3. added cost of the utilities
4. time lost on research and learning a new trade
5. time frames being tossed out the windows on special orders or hell just dealing with Home depot
6. delays associated with your real job
7. contractors and all the time to baby sit the wrong choice

Please don't flame me- I'm in no way trying to sway anyone, having a little bit of experience in this area- I'm just giving some insight on some items people don't consider.

Another area where I advise my clients is, don't go out and buy anything for the house in the way of furnishings or accessories until it is needed, cuts down on lost/broke/un needed items.

 

Check out the original pictures in post #1 on this thread. In the "modern" pictures, the decorative railing above the portico is gone. In the historic pictures, it's shown. The difference in elegance is dramatic.... and it's just one tiny part of the project. To rebuild that decorative railing, as the historic picture shows it, is probably a $10-$12k project..

How do I know? A grandaughter of the original owner of our home brought us old photos about 6 years ago. We knew the house was missing something -- but couldn't exactly pinpoint it. Well, just like the house in post #1, ours was missing the decoartive railings on the widow's walk. We have two areas of the home, one at the front, and one off Luca's room which needed the decorative railing added. Never missed it, until I saw historic photos.

Ours were rebuilt by a cabinet maker, using pressure treated wood to (hopefully) last a while. None of the railing sizes matched stock lumber. None of the cuts were simple. It took about 2 months, and cost (in our case) about $5k. (We don't have Corinthian details, our house is Colonial Revival). Each railing is 12-feet long, 3-feet tall, and extends about 3 feet from the exterior of the house. My *guess* is that the home in post #1 needs railing 50-feet long, with curves and columnar detail.

Just another observation. FWIW.

p.s. I still say "DO IT!" if your stomach and wallet can handle it. The world is a better place with these homes than it is with a bunch of condos/McMansions and strip-malls.

 

Whoa, that's some find.

 

Actually those are "Ionic" columns.

 

I stand corrected. You're right. I should know the difference. Ionic = 348 (simple, pure). Corinthian = F355 (elaborate, complex, purely decorative)

hahahaha

 

They can also be strapped and filled pumped full of a product that with bind them and restore support. Then the rot holes can be filled with crack shot, then scraped and painted, Much cheaper. It really depends if the house is going to be fixed for 30 years use or 300 years use. There are many ways to reduce the cost of restoration. Reminds me of that Tom Hanks movie though. I have redone MANY homes and know many cost saving methods which produce the exact same results as methods costing 10x more. I love the house in this thread and I can see it in all it's glory.

Fact is no matter how well you fix it there is always a better way to do most anything and no matter what you do someone will point out how you made the repair wrong. As long as it;s not a building inspector doing the critiquing who cares.

 

I have seen them. They are good for small jobs. Its a resin like a glue that sets to a paintable finish like liquid Bondo, for lack of a better word. If what it looks like is true that may work on a few but the real problem is termite infestation which by code requires the removal of the whole thing. Also, as the wood will connect directly to other wood, this is still not a good idea because of the bug issue.

The other problem is it looks like some of the wood is paper thin if not rotted to paper strength. In other words, it will not hold the weight of the polymer to even allow it to set and bond. Pidgin math would say if the polymer is 50% the weight of water than you would have a bout 80 lbs /inch2 pushing at the base of the column. Rotted wood would never hold that and I suspect with out serious forming (Which would have to be custom too so $$$$$) the whole thing will blow out like an over filled tire.

 

Historic- that is fantastic!
I don't know much about the Geo Thermal deal either, but in a recent renovation, I did a Space-Pak system-its a heat pump but....space was very tight- the structure was 13 foot by 30- city living. its a high output system that runs off a common trunk and runs smaller arms off the main. http://www.spacepak.com/ - after a year the client has been very happy with the results.

As far as going over the plaster with drywall-its been done on most of the houses I have worked in. Would I do it, no. My current project was like that and if you remove the molding, you can do a decent job of covering but in some of the rooms you run into transition issues.

Other options with updating the electrical and plumbing. What I have done on a few projects is install the systems from the out side. Meaning the siding was going to be replaced on a majority of the structure, So instead of killing the plaster, we went in from the out side. It helped with the insulation issues ( which on the balloon framed houses we blow it in- rent blower from the big box stores)and we were able to update the entire house. With careful planning this might be an option for you as well. From the pictures you have some serious rot on the exterior anyways.

It looks like this isn't your first walk in the park- PM me if you have any thoughts or questions.
If you already dont get it- This old house is a great source and so is Fine Home Building.

 

+1- great for small issues but not for the issues evident in the pictures.

 

Leave the trim as is. You have bigger problems before you call in the decorator.

And GeoThermal??? You have a hot spring near by??

+1 on Rob's question.

 

I'd leave the trim natural, but, perhaps, bleach to a lighter shade.

Maybe, when this thing gets going, we could have a BYOB get together down there to see it? It would be well worth the drive from Detroit. I love Lou-ah-vul anyway.'
All I see in those pix, is beauty.

 

You are blessed that the house is "out in the county" as they say. When we renovated our home and put electricity in for the first time, we called the REMC for a rough-in inspection and they said, "well, I guess we can do that."
Permits and inspections seemed to be something more of a bother to town hall so we were pretty much left to our own.
As far as rural Ky goes, I have found that there are a good number of competent tradesmen and the work ethic is good. No problems on our jobs anywhere in Ky getting people, and the Union and Non-Union craftmen will work side by side generally.

What is going to become of the other 3100 acres?
And how long has it been since anyone hunted there?