Hi A&C folks,

I just bought a 1930 Craftsman house in Cumberland, Maryland. Here's a couple pictures:



I can't wait to get started restoring the interior.

I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself.

bachelor

Congrats, good luck, pictures really help so keep them coming, another great site to check out for renovation advice is http://www.americanbungalow.com

Hello Bachelor,
You are one lucky guy to find one in that good of shape outside. I especially liked the corbels on the end of the house and the exposed rafter tails. I know that it is a lot of upkeep to paint them periodically but in order to keep the house in the A&C look you will have to continue doing it. Also the outside window treatment is great.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

Thanks, guys, for the encouragement. A detailed professional house inspection prior to the sale indicated that the house was solid. However, the interior is in bad shape and I guess I will have to put about $20K into just making it liveable and comfortable (but, then, I paid very little for the house).

Interior:

• Replace entire kitchen
  
• Fake wood panelling covers walls in living room and dining room
  
• W2w carpet covers medium width oak floors in living room and dining room (don't know the condition)
  
• Cheap drop ceilings in living room and dining room must be removed (no exposed beams under it, sad to say)
  
• Water damage in the walls from leaking A/C window units in two areas (what could they have been thinking?)
  
• Windows are 4 vertical over 1 with original glass (some cracked)
  
• Woodwork on all windows is original but in dire need
  
• Floors in both second level bedrooms are w2w carpeted covering pine medium width planks
  
• Upstairs full bath has original tub but may have extensive water damage under it
  

Exterior:

• New paint on exterior covers remains of deteriorating previous paint
  
• A cheap extention of the roof in the back created a car port and cheap half bath addition off the kitchen (not sure what to do about it - maybe a mud room)
  
• To accommodate two furnaces (1 wood burning, 1 gas) and a working fireplace, a second chimney was built like a siamese twin on the original. Part of the roof was cut away for this and was not supported well, is now sagging.
  
• The narrow deck and stair case on the side of the house is unpainted (cedar?) and not original.
  
• Many other problems too numerous to list
  

Here's somemore pictures:








I won't be moving into the house for another month and a half. After that I will keep ya'll posted on developments

bachelor

definitely has good bones and appears to be well worth the time and sweat.

keep us posted

also, there was a recent article in one of the wood mags about making ceiling beams, not to difficult. i will try to find it and either post reference so you can find in a library or scan and post the article.

good luck on your adventure.

Hello Bachelor,
Since I am a professional draftsman I would be more than happy to design some trim for you as well as help you in any other way that I can.
I can also assist you in making the boxed beams that you may want to install. There are many things that I can do to help you if you need help. I am attaching a picture of some window treatment that I built.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

OMG...what on earth where the previous owners thinking???

quote:

Originally posted by hackwriter:
OMG...what on earth where the previous owners thinking???

I don't know except that one thing they were thinking is this was "just an old house." And that sums up the attitude about so many houses in this area. A public education and information campaign would save a lot of them and raise the property values at least to the point that it would make it worthwhile to preserve them instead of "remuddling" them for a quick sale.

bachelor

Good Morning Hackwriter and bachelor,
Having been in the business for some 57 years I have noticed that people of the younger generation are unaware of the need to keep the old things as they should be and change them to make a modern style house. I have heard some say," look at this old junky trim, lets remodel and make the house more to our liking."

It truly is sad that people don't know the value of what they had or have before ruining it.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

Hi all, I am in contract for a craftsman house with the exact windows as bachelor. I love the windows, but am not sure how to cover them. Right now they are 'painted" shut. I do like plantation shutters, but feel it will hide the look of the windows. I want to be able to close something at night, but do not want to use a shade on top that will hide the beautiful architecture of the windows. Maybe a shade that comes up from the bottom. Can someone give me a suggestion on window treatments for this type of window. thanks

Looks like you have found something with great potential. I have just recently become familiar with these homes and purchased one. The house is all original ..minus plumbing electrical etc which is now all updated. Good luck with your home. I hope to post some pictures...maybe they can help you in your restoration!