Risks with a house built in 1905

Firsty of all, fixie bikes are for retards, but a decent record player will deliver audio pleasures well beyond your years.

Secondly, any older construction that remains presently is still present because of its superior build (usually). Just like today, many buildings are built well and poorly: the well-built buidlings remain, the others are a fast-diminishing flash. People who poo-poo old construction due to age are trying to sell you something. Always, and with abject lack of guile. Avoid them like friable asbestos.

I've had 75 year old and 120 year old houses and some in between and I've renovated several of them. I've just finished my 4th major old-house renovation. I've seen stuff that would make your blood run cold, such as a cracked bathroom waste pipe that had been repaired with old newspapers and electrical tape. And in a ceiling, of course, so no one knew about it until it finally gave way.

One thing you want to check is whether any 3-prong grounded outlets you see really are properly wired. Yeah, I've seen a house with 3 prongers that were just two prongers in fact. I had a house once in which the so-called electrical updating was poorly done -- seemed, on the surface, to have been fine. But it wasn't.

Get something like this (it's inexpensive and most any hardware store will have one):

https://www.amazon.com/InstallerParts-Circuit-Receptacle-Electrical-Detector/dp/B01DQ6RR9G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493002994&sr=8-2&keywords=ac+fault+tester

and go around plugging it in. Obviously if there aren't any 3 prong outlets, you don't do this.

See if you can pull off a couple of ceiling fixtures and inspect their wiring. You could have single wires (as in "knob and tube"), or you could have old sheathed 2 wire runs.

As for plumbing -- galvanized? If so, it may be all crudded up inside.

And so on. Asbestos, lead paint. Others have said you should get a serious inspector, and I agree.

I'd say the biggest thing to watch out for on something like that is diy projects where the homeowner didn't know what they are doing. Most will be hidden but you can usually see signs of it

better built wrote:

typical jabroni wrote:

what does that even mean? do you have any experience in construction at all? houses are built 10x better now then they were pre-1970. You may have a valid point if you're talking strictly architectural design

You're right. I'm just speaking out of jealousy because I wish that the two foot structural stone walls of my 1896 home were built out of something durable like sticks and siding.

How long you planning on living there, brah?

Sticks and siding are just fine.

Old house; new house.

My 1763 home (last addition ~1850) is on the *best* land around. Flooding *not* a problem. House can withstand abuse. 12- and 18-inch wide oak and pine floors a plus.

My 1910 home is a behemoth. Even my garage is built like a bomb shelter.

In the attic of my dad's 1998 condo, the roof doesn't quite meet. Plastic sheeting and shingles cover the gap.

To each his own. I *like* the fresh air that makes it in through the walls...

Lived for many years in a century-old sort of craftsman/cottage house in a small town in Michigan. We had no significant plumbing or electrical issues, but certainly you need to have those checked out carefully. The basement was unfinished and except for the laundry room sort of grotty. The attic was blazingly hot in the summer; frigid in the winter, and incredibly dusty and dirty, and generally off limits. Both we would have addressed had we decided to stay there.

The only problem we had was a slope in the chimney. The fireplace was about five feet further north than the chimney on the roof, so when we had a new hot water heater vented out the chimney the guys had to get creative dealing with the section the height of the second storey that ran at about a 30 degree angle.

We're now in a cookie cutter home in a suburban development built in 2000. No issues at all, and no character either.

Surely the main problem with something so recent is the unavoidable whiff of new money? :)

I would say this is accurate ^. For old homes, I've seen stone foundations that have crumbled/collapsed even when the building itself is well made. I looked at a house 2 weeks ago built in 1920 that was built on a giant sloping rock - it had water running across it. Same with newer homes - both good & bad.

1) Have a home inspector look at it. My parents live in a house that was built in the 1860s, and it is awesome (lots of updates since then of course). Don't be afraid of it just due to age.

2) So, you aren't a hipster, but you want to buy a Craftsman in Portland? Oh...you WILL be.

oh please wrote:

200 amp service, modern grounded wiring.

Plumbing. Are the sewer and water lines ancient?

My first house was built in 1863, so it probably saw electrification and running water around the same time your 1905 house did (which is to say some time after 1905).

I had to rewire and re-plumb the entire house. I knew that going in. It's a lot of work and many times you will have to cut up the floor or ceiling to make proper runs.

Of course hopefully your furnace is less than 10 years old, same with water heater.

How about the roof? If they are slate tiles, you will be fixing or replacing before too long, unless previous owners had the roof refurbished. I had to deal with that too. It's a mess.

Second house was brand new :D

This. Any backflow prevention? And the heating bill will be very high unless someone has insulated it well after it was built.

I always assume the pipe out to the sewer will have to be replaced. Because the typical owner defers this very expensive maintenance.

An old house is much more time consuming to keep looking old and still be well maintained.

Unless you're willing to spend ALL your free time and more $$$ than you have, and alienate your wife..just to live in a "cool looking house" run, don't walk away. Again, expect to Give up recreational sports and a social life as this will be the focus of your personal life and if you don't have Kidd's now but want to, an expectant woman's nest building demands don't include a "hip, cool to look at, house."

I have a @1915 craftsman. I am in the south. So, there are a whole host of problems that we have in the south due to heat and humidity.

You should hire a professional inspector. They are not expensive compared to what you will be spending on real estate in Portland. But take what they say with a grain of salt. They will tell you that there are lots of things that are not up to code, but they are probably all grandfathered and won't matter. But they can spot important issues that you may be able to get the current owner to fix or give you a break on the price.

The main problem with craftsman homes is not what happened in the early 1900s but what has happened since then. The quality of work by contractors and house flippers can vary wildly. Here are a few big areas to watch out for:

Electrical: Houses in the early 1900s had knob and tube wiring. Odds are pretty good that your house has been rewired. But if it hasn't, you will want to consider doing it one day especially if you have kids. Knob and tube wiring is not grounded and has old fuses instead of circuit breakers. That means any electrical problems can result in fire or electrocution. House flippers will often do a half #ss rewiring. They will put in circuit breakers and new outlets, but will not upgrade the electric panel and will not ground the wiring.

Lead paint: Your house will have lead paint unless it has been completely remediated. You should test to make sure that the last layer of paint is not lead based paint. If it is not lead based paint and the paint job is solid (no chipping or pealing anywhere), you will not have to worry about it. But if the last layer is lead based paint or there is a lot of pealing with a layer of lead paint underneath, you will need to do some painting or remediation to make sure the lead paint is either properly removed or sealed.

Sewer line: The original sewer line was probably ceramic. If you have a lot of trees around the house, odds are that the roots may have damaged the sewer line. If you run all the faucets and flush the toilet, you may be able to tell if there are obstructions in the sewer line (things won't drain quickly). A plumber can run a camera down the sewer line to check. This can be a very expensive repair depending on how deep the line runs.

Gas: Original gas lines did not have the capacity to run modern HVAC and stoves. If you have an electric range or electric base board heat, you may have the original gas line. You will not be able to have both a gas stove/oven, water heater and gas furnace. People usually discover this when the water heater goes out and they find out that they do not have enough capacity to do a tankless water heater. The gas lines can be upgraded, but it is expensive.

Foundation: Like electrical, foundations can have some pretty bad fixes. Have someone crawl the building to look at the piers to make sure that they are in good shape. Foundations on bungalows will shift and need leveling every now and then. But the real problem is if there is a deteriorate pier that has been patched back together with a cheap fix or a bad beam that has rotted. Those are expensive fixes. You can tell if the house is not level just by walking around and feeling whether there are ups and downs in the floors. Creaking floors and cracks in the walls are also signs.

Termites: Definitely get a termite inspection by someone who will crawl under the building. Do not freak out if there is prior damage. Most every old house had an infestation at some point. As long as there are no active infestations and the prior damage has not compromised the structural integrity, you will be ok. But if there are active termites, you will need to ask the seller to treat or give you a break on the price.

Historic protection: This may be bigger than you think. Is your property in a historic district? Or are there a mix of new builds among the original bungalows? If the latter, think twice about buying, especially if the houses next door are not in good condition. There is nothing worse than having the house next door get demolished and replaced with a giant modern thing that blocks all the light and takes out all the trees.

Even if there are problems, I would still buy a craftsman. They are not making them anymore. If you keep them in good shape, you will see good appreciation over the years.

better built wrote:

A house built in 1905 probably has more life left in it than a house built any time after 1970 or so.

2x4s were actually 2"x4". You didn't buy the sawdust of cutting the 2x4s like you do these days. And the wood was straight and true, and mostly knot free.

You can get some troubles with the lightning protection. So probably you will need to contact https://www.streamer-electric.com/products/lightning-protection/ this company to solve them. Another question is that because of the age of your house, it can be impossible to set it up...

All houses need upkeep..... wrote:

If you like the house, just buy it. If a problem arises, learn how to fix it or hire somebody to do it. It's not that big a deal. It wasn't that long ago that people just built their own houses.

Amazingly bad advice. A true gem.

Vermiculite insulation (asbestos), and hidden knob and tube wiring.

Whiite Trash wrote:

The guys who own and love old, old houses are often either wealthy enough to pay the massive outlays that come with maintaining such nasty old structures, or are fetishists about such things. I've owned structures ranging from 60-years-old to two-years-old, and I prefer newer construction, assuming other aspects like location and neighborhood are similar. Many older structures have been maintained and updated by owners/handimen or flippers and are loaded with problems. Also, older structures typically suffer from anachronistic design and layout, things like one bathroom for an entire family, or a weird little kitchen area.

I'll take my sticks and wood modern construction 1,000 times over my previous money pit.

+1.

So true. Relatives have 1863 house in NH. All their spare time and money is spent on their house and barn and it's still cold as hell in winter. Kids are gone so they're trying to sell...no takers.

We bought an older house a year ago. They don't know the age but inspector estimated around 1910.

Some not so fun things we've encountered so far -

lead paint: Found it in a couple of rooms hidden under a top coat of non-lead paint. Great surprise when you have 2 little ones at home

foundation issues: Not entirely sure on if it's a foundation issue but in winter when the temp gets below freezing, a corner in the finished area of the basement gets a mildewy smell. I have to dry out the room in the middle of winter.

bats: They were there the night we moved in. Finally caved in after trying myself to get rid of them for a year & hired an exterminator which was really pricey. Exterminator said bats are very common in older homes. He estimated 1/2 of older homes have bats hiding in the attic because there's so many entry points that open up with age. Plus if one bat gets in then they leave a trace that tells other bats there's an entry point. Before you know it you have a roost. Make sure the home inspector looks closely in the attic. Ours did & mentioned there were animal droppings & my wife looked past it saying all attics have some type of animal dropping. Little did we know how expensive it'd be.

Some of the plumbing parts & ends are really old & I haven't been able to find replacement parts. Previous owner replaced all the pipes & electrical thankfully but the toilets are really old.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I owned two houses of similar vintage. Since the windows have been replaced I would look at the insulation. Take a look in the attic. Also, try the plumbing, faucets and toilets. On the electric check out the panel, see if any of the outlets and switches have been updated.

Igy

I can't believe someone with your handle left out checking for the most obvious thing...ghosts. A house that old is bound to be haunted.