Not the kind of reponse I expected

[Nords]

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Originally Posted by Kitty Who is Nord ? And where are his posts? This could get interesting. Kitty*

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Originally Posted by Kitty I thought a least someone would have said "good for you hope you will be happy". Sigh Kitty

Good for you, Kitty, I think you'll be happy... as soon as you get a new batch of friends. As for your family, tell them that when they visit the term "make your own bed" will be interpreted literally.

"Amish". Did you buy in Lancaster County or elsewhere? Personally I'd find it tough to go back to a climate that needs R30 insulation.

Not all parts of the country get enough steady sunshine for photovoltaic arrays, but if it can be done in New Jersey then there's more hope than I thought. Take a look at an insolation map for your area and read this thread, but there's nothin' wrong with oil lamps & gaslight. If you don't have utility electricity in your area to tie into then you'll need to deal with storage batteries and perhaps special appliances.

You saw the thread on Jason Scott Lee's home, too, right? He's already working on your type of place.

[Andre1969]

Hello, Kitty (sorry, I know you've heard that a million times, but I couldn't resist! )

Congrats on the farm; it sounds like a really cool place. And don't worry about what others think, it's your happiness that matters. As others said, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent fokes. I'm in an old house, myself, and I love it. My grandmother's uncle built it back in 1916, and back then it was a little country store. I don't know when it had electricity hooked up to it, but the county didn't put water through until 1950. Prior to that, the house had no running water at all. There was a pump house right outside the kitchen door, and an outhouse somewhere on the premises. 1950 brought indoor plumming and a bathroom, and a septic tank. In 1978, they put a sewer through, and gave people the choice to either hook up or get condemned.

By today's standards it's roughing it, because there's no central a/c, no dishwasher, and only one bathroom! But it's also on 4 1/4 acres, with the majority of it being forested, so it's pretty private. The only problem is that, since it was a store, it was built really close to the road. Back in 1916, the road was little more than a dead-end dirt and gravel wagon trail, but today with cars and trucks whizzing past, sometimes at 40-50 mph or more, it can get annoying.

I've thought about having the house moved back off the road, which would be cheaper than building a new house (a lot cheaper on taxes, too, since I'd still have a 90 year old house, versus a brand new one), but you'd be amazed at how many people tell me I'm crazy for considering that! Most of the people I've mentioned it to, including my grandmother even, say I should tear it down and just build a new one! And that actually shocked me, hearing it come from my grandmother! Oh well, I guess sometimes older people aren't as sentimental for the old days as we sometimes think!

But anyway Kitty, I know what you're going through, with regards to people not "getting" your dream come true. But just do what makes you happy.

[maddythebeagle]

yes, that is something that people forget (older=a lot less taxes). Yes, another advantage. I know somebody that bought a fire damaged house (smoke and water damage) and stripped it down to the frame and studs and rebuilt out. They are moving houses off to other sites more frequently around me (northern wis.) so I assume that economics on that have to work (but I think the former owners are happy to just not have to deal with the disposal costs).

[Andre1969]

Yup, that's another thing...disposal costs. I did a bit of checking, and got a rough estimate of about $10,000 to tear down the old house. Plus, the county charges an impact fee of $25,000 for a new house. So that's $25K, before one bit of work gets done! And ironically, $25,000 is what the house mover quoted me to move the house! Of course, that doesn't include a new foundation and moving the utilities, but that's stuff that would have to be done if I built a new house, anyway.

I'm a little unclear though, if I'd get hit with that impact fee if I'm taking down an old house, and replacing it with a new one. But it's still a heckuva a lot cheaper than building a new one. Plus, I don't WANT a new house! Okay, I'd like a second bathroom, but hey, I'm a dude...I can pee in the woods if I have to!

[spike]

I have a home in the country and many of my neighbors have no utilities in the house. They have plenty of money, just want a more quaint experience. They use the garden hose to shower etc. Some people seem to think there opinion is the only one.

One of my friends last night told me to put a 32 foot trailer on my property so he could have a private place to stay. I didn't buy this weekend hideaway to have lots of people come out and drink my booz and eat all my food, and have my wife clean up after them.

I like the simple life, peace and quiet, and the enjoyment of nature. That's what I like and really don't care what my friends think. It's the way my wife and I like it, that's what's important.

[Andre1969]

Wow, after hearing some of this talk, I'm starting to get the urge to Tivo "Green Acres" on TVLand!

I don't know how much "roughing it" I could take, but I can certainly see the attraction. Plus, if it keeps uninvited guests away, all the better! (yes, I can be antisocial sometimes 8) )

Kitty, the house sounds great! And your memories of New England ring true. I lived in Maine during the 1980's and the phone company in the next county over still only supported crank telephones.

Andre,

Two of my neighbors have picked up and moved their houses to escape erosion of the cliff by the ocean. One moved across the street, another across and up a block. A lot more doable than I would have expected.

[maddythebeagle]

You can always add on to the moved structure if you want. I added a living room on when I rebuilt. Where I am, you need 40 acres for a new house. I dont know how people can afford that much on their housing costs.

[Brat]

My husband helped a neighbor remodel a very old building built by the Navy (original construction stout).* It had several issues but good "bones".* The cost to move the building on the site was not high.* A new foundation enabled the owner to assure that the foundation had proper drainage, placement of sewer, water, power and heating was easy.* The side was sloped so a new daylight basement added another 2/3 to the finished square footage.*

If you don't remodel more than 20% of a building at a time in most juristictions code issues don't get complicated.

[Andre1969]

If anyone's interested, here's a pic of my house...or, at least a pic of what it looked like about 40 years ago!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...965_200dpi.jpg

About the only differences now are that the front porch has been completely closed off, and converted to a small office/walk-in closet. It makes it look ugly from the front, and if I do move it back, I'm going to restore the porch. Also, the little fake-me-out balcony railing across the windows upstairs got taken off years ago, for whatever reason. About a year and a half ago when I was cleaning up, I found it, behind a pile of rotted stockade fencing and other old wood leaning up against a storage building. Needless to say, it was shot.

Here's what it looks like now...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._HouseSnow.jpg

With the house being so long and narrow, it shouldn't take much effort at all to move it. It really doesn't have much of a footprint.

[Eagle43]

What happened to the '53 Chevy in the first pic? It is a '53 Chevy,right??

[Andre1969]

Yeah, I think it's a '53 Chevy. The original pic I scanned that from had a 1965 date on it. By that time, my grandparents had inherited the house from Grandma's aunt and uncle, and they were renting it out. So it belonged to whatever tenant was living there at the time, I guess. I heard my Granddad's sister had a '53 Chevy at one time though, so it might've been hers. She always liked new cars though, so I couldn't imagine her driving something that old in 1965!

But yeah, I guess the '53 sure beats out the Intrepid in the current picture!

[farmerEd]

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Originally Posted by Brat I will not buy a building constructed in the last 10 years unless my husband supervised its construction.* Current building codes do not address moisture protection and too many contractors are building to code when the inspector is looking.* Give me an old house any day.

You are right about that...many houses today are being built like they started building cars 15 or so years ago...as throwaways...build them cheaply, use 'em up, bulldoze them down, and repeat. How many of the house built in the last 5 years will still be standing 150 years from now? Not many I would guess.

And be sure to get those three girls in your other album to help you move the house!

[JPatrick]

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Originally Posted by TromboneAl And be sure to get those three girls in your other album to help you move the house!

Oh for shame!!!

[Andre1969]

Hey, I don't know them...I swear I don't! I've always had a thing for old Chryslers though, and saw that one on eBay, so I just HAD to save the picture! 8)

[JPatrick]

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Originally Posted by Andre1969 Hey, I don't know them...I swear I don't!* I've always had a thing for old Chryslers though, and saw that one on eBay, so I just HAD to save the picture!* *8)

Actually that looks like the crew AAA sent out when I ran out of gas last time. That upgrade to AAA Platinum was worth every penny.

[laurence]

I am, for once, speechless.

Oh, but now I know to make sure my photobucket is strictly G-rated when T-Al is around, otherwise he'll find it!

[Kitty]

Wow, thanks for the responses. I wish I had the knowledge to send a picture of the farm it does look .....well rural

Now if the back would cooperate and get the appriasal done I would then know where I stand financially.

Ahh, well one step at a time ......easy does it....got to learn to slow down and enjoy life.
Kitty