Farm House Renovation Includes Initial Inspections
Farm House Renovation Includes Initial Inspections
Many people are starting to move back to the country, away from the hustle of city life and the noise and congestion swallowing the suburbs. While finding old houses in the country may not be easy, there are some that may require an extensive farm house renovation to meet the demands of living conditions for today's population. Depending on the age and condition of the house, in many cases performing the farm house renovation is considerably cheaper than building a new house as a replacement.
Most of the older farm houses were constructed with wood sawed to a slightly larger size that today's size standards and probably much more sound than even some newer houses. However, there are also some other potential problems that need to the checked before beginning any type of farm house renovation. Before beginning any changes, foundation integrity should be confirmed as well as insuring there is no sign of damage from or infestation of termites. Once these aspects are satisfied, the farm house renovation project can be planned.
In many of the older houses, electricity was run through them using two separate wires instead of today's single, insulated wire and it will have to be brought up to the current building code requirements. Many extensive farm house renovation projects will include not only new wiring and circuit breakers, but will also involve replacement of old galvanized pipes used in the plumbing and probably the furnace and ventilation system as well.
Consider Door And Window Replacements
Many of the older homes used double-hung windows utilizing ropes with weights to make lifting the lower windows easier. Over the years, these ropes will have deteriorated and there is a good chance the fit of the windows is poor due to years of use and settling of the foundation. When performing a farm house renovation it may pay to replace them with newer styles.
Many of the older homes, due to settling over the years, may also have uneven floors that can be leveled by using jacks in the basement. During a farm house renovation, if major floor work is required, it is suggested the floors are level before installing new doors, windows or other interior fixtures. This insures they will work properly as when the floor is leveled, many other proportions of the house will be affected.
Understand that a farm house renovation is not a weekend project and will take a lot of time and effort to make sure it is done right. There is no reason to embark on such as project unless you have the time and financial resources to see it through to completion.