Posted by whiterabbit on May 13, 2003, at 17:14:20
In reply to Re: The cheap life, posted by whiterabbit on May 13, 2003, at 15:15:16
I just feel like I wasn't finished. I wanted to tell you that, before you buy your house, MAKE SURE that you're willing to devote the time and money and energy that you absolutely must have to make this house your home. Because in the long run, those cheap old houses aren't cheap at all.
You can hire people to do the fixing-up or you can do it yourself IF you know what you're doing, but it will take up a great deal of your time and it's still gonna cost you.I feel like I'm qualified to speak on this subject because (a) I've lived in my turn-of-the-century house since 1986, (b) I know people with success stories AND horror stories about their old houses, and (c) I've had enough espresso to kick-start myself right into mania, which makes me such an authority on all subjects that I could run the NASA program if I felt like it.
Anyway, once you've purchased a fixer-upper, you have two choices grasshopper.
-You can make the place your life's work, or at least a considerable part of your life for a number of years. Not only is there nothing wrong with that, I think it's an admirable pursuit. Much of the time, we humans fail to create a fulfilling life for ourselves. We get so caught up in what other people think, and own, and do. This is a value system that leaves us feeling empty inside.
As an artist, I like the concept of being able to compose or sculpt a satisfactory life for one's self. When you decide to take on an old house, you have the chance to make over your environment so that every aspect of it is pleasing to you.
You sand floors and pick out cabinet knobs with true dedication - not to wow the Joneses, but to create something of quality. Instead of hanging out at the bar with your pals, you spend your free time painting, plastering, stripping, sanding, scraping. Instead of taking a vacation, you buy and install a claw-foot tub, or that Art Deco tile, or that sink with the nickel-and-porcelain taps. You are committed and devoted to this project, and the time and money and energy spent is a labor of love. In return, this house becomes your sanctuary.-Or, this house becomes your worst nightmare. You can't turn your back on an old house; you have to be eternally vigilant. A leak in the roof, left unrepaired, will eventually cause your ceilings to sag and cave in. Rotten wood will collapse porches and let in vermin. Improper ventilation will trap moisture and cause paint and wallpaper to bubble, rot insulation, grow mold on the plaster. Old wiring can make your house a firetrap, old plumbing can burst, old windows will leak heat in the winter and cool in the summer. An old house is a high-maintenance grande dame who will not be ignored.
So think carefully, grasshopper.
-Gracie
poster:whiterabbit
thread:226042
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030506/msgs/226422.html