The Historic District

Thanks everybody! I have been a bit absent for a while, but working on some windows at the moment. Camera crapped out in the iPhone, so once it's fixed I'll update with some pictures.

I would go with the crusted outline. I would think that the paint would bleed behind the edge of the trim to some extent. The paint would build up against the face of the trim, creating the crusted ridge. Just my 2 cents.

Cant get the video to load on the crappy work internet, but I have seen the comparisons before. My 1895 Victorian actually has fire blocking in the stud cavities between the basement and first floor. They laid brick and mortar in the cavities level with the floor. Same in my parents Italianate from ...

I've thought about it, but you a right, not too common. Had a guy lined up to look at the house and shoot me a bid, but he died in an atv accident. Didn't think it looked like something I wanted to tackle alone. Following this thread for sure!

Those negotiations seem about as rational as when I bought my old house! I am not a licensed home inspector at the moment, lacking only the state test here in Illinois, but plan on finishing my licensing as my professional work slows for the year. By trade I am a Construction Inspector consulting fo...

Skip, In my 1895 Victorian here in Central Illinois, the exterior wall lath does indeed run behind most interior walls, It also appears that the stairs to the upper floor were installed after the walls were plastered. I have had to add a lot of blocking in corners and such for new sheetrock because ...

Sara, I wished I had taken a picture. The aluminum soffit was pulled loose from the side of the house, but not the fascia or vice versa, and there was all sorts of grass and other squirrel nests dangling as well. Quite a mess. I went through with a demo axe and just started pulling it down to get al...

...if jacking up the two and a half story house to replace a rotten sill plate is a "busy Saturday morning." I actually had a friend at church last weekend ask how the house was coming along, and I told him about doing just such a repair. He had a very hollow stare and just said "Dude...

Very Nice! I chased three raccoon out of our attic in the country. Not fun, but at least your house looked better after opening it up. Mine looked like a 70's ranch that sneezed too hard.

When I removed the oak mantle surround from my center parlor to protect the mirror, we found two packs of lucky strike cigarettes sitting on a brick ledge. One was open, was is not. What is so cool about these is that the packaging is green in color, meaning they predate the mid 1940's color change ...