Hi everyone,

I'm new here, and hoping I can get some help. I am in the process of purchasing my first home - a 1928 brick cottage that needs a lot of TLC. It has plenty of problems, but also has some redeeming features, like beautiful arched doorways, a great layout and a wonderful front porch. I have some renovation experience but not a ton, and will be doing a lot of the work myself with the help of several family members with more knowledge than I.

However, I need ideas. I'm in the planning stages and need some ideas of where to head. What would you do with this house? What suggestions would you have? What to do with the exterior, and the interior? I've got a few ideas that I will share once I hear what those of you with infinitely more knowledge have to share!

Budget is an issue, and I would love to maintain as much historical accuracy as possible, although I'm not sure what would be historically accurate for this style of house, or even what style of house it is.

Here are all the pictures - there are many, so you may have to sort through a bit.

http://woodlandaverenovation.shutterfly.com/pictures

Thanks in advance!

Very nice.

Please note that this "best shot" is coming from no expert; all I know is what I’ve learned from my own old house. But I can tell you what I might do if I were the proud owner, in stepwise fashion...

I would first attack the yard – clean up the lawn and bushes to make it look lived in. (looks like a lovely street, by the way).

I might have to change those red walls – to something more traditional (cream or white).

And then I would just live in it with no other cosmetic changes, while addressing more important things, like: looking for any leaks or water damage or mold near bathrooms and in the basement. I might base some initial renovations around that.

Also any exterior cracks or structural concerns (like the chimney picture? I’m not sure if you’ve looked into that already?).

The house does have a very nice lay out and lovely hexagonal shapes. It won’t take much to beautify it – it will really speak for itself.

Wow, it looks like you have a lot of work cut out for yourself. I would make sure that the home is structurally sound and that there is no rot before I started with things like re-painting. The yellow siding looks like it could use repairs and also that back addition to the house. I would make sure that the addition is supported properly because it looks as though it has sagged somewhat over the years. I would definitely check the foundation for dry-rot or drainage issues. That's just my impression from looking at your pics and also from repairing my own 1940's bungalow. Most older homes have no adequate drainage because the old drain tiles become clogged or broken over the years but of course that can be fixed. I hope you enjoy the process of working on it and you'll have a really cute place when you're all done.

Hi !
I've just visited this forum. Happy to get acquainted with you. Thanks.




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