Buying and restoring old houses is indeed a labor of love! In my career I have restored a number of homes, including in historic Marietta PA. You still need to be cognizant of costs, and probably everything you estimate for renovations will turn out to cost more because of unknown factors you will discover during the course of the renovation.
The Victorian house in the photograph is a home that I once owned in Columbia, PA. The third floor had been in a fire and the roof destroyed. Still, there was beautiful oak and cherry woodwork inside.
Do be careful not to remove old paint with either a torch or sander, because of possible lead being released. A heat gun is a good solution because it softens the old paint without burning it. Burning off old paint is one of the reasons historic houses sometimes catch fire during restoration - there may be embers under the eaves, for instance, that go unnoticed overnight while the workers go home.
Having said that, if you love these types of houses and the ambience that they create, nothing new will ever compare with the joy of living and entertaining in one.
Copyright2008BrianSchulman©
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