Victorian remodel -- beauty or the beast?

Smart Red

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Thanks, Nyboy. I thought it was just my computer that hid the photos. Anyway, here is the original photo. . .
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Here is Jennye's drawing of the plans for redoing the porch. I wish I had a before photo of the concrete steps and tiny roof it had when they moved in.
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Here's another shot of the house when they first started working on it. They already jack-hammered the pile of concrete out and started the deck and steps here.
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As I said, she is a fantastic artist in several areas. I've posted her mural painted on the bedroom walls the grands had when they were younger. Here's a little something she just finished. I think it turned out really well.
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Smart Red

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90% of people who did a major restore on a old house say never again. Would your son and daughter inlaw do it to another house?
Son comes from a long line of re-habbers. Spouse and I re-did several old houses, His grandfathers on both sides were re-doers and builders of houses. The problem comes from not having the funds to further the needed work. All coming out of my pocket right now. That's part of why it's taking so long to be finished properly.

Would they do it again? He's having "fun" (he says) doing the repairs, painting, and siding. Daughter-in-law mostly does the planning and supervision work -- although she did a great job grouting the kitchen floor and has helped with on the ground painting so this hasn't been tough on her. She mostly stays out of the way until a room is finished.

Since they plan to move into the house Dad and I built, I doubt they will be doing it again unless he decides to re-hab houses for rentals in the future. He's got work on three roofs that need doing before the snow falls. I guess he does enjoy that kind of work.
 

bobm

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Running out of money to finish needed work is only one of the major issues. The other biggie is finding a substitute part as more often than not, one no longer exists or can't be found so one has to start from scratch to make a part that works- reinventing the wheel is very time consuming.
 

Chickie'sMomaInNH

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in my area there are a few places that have salvaged corbels, windows, old fixtures & floorboards from houses being torn down. they are expensive places to shop at but you can usually find something similar to what and old house in that time period would have used. i want to restore some of the exterior of my old house-especially the porch since it looks unfinished at this time.
 

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