Like many people around the world, we saw a cheap old house for sale and thought it would be fun to buy it, and live there while we renovated. The house looks solid, there's no problem with the roof or foundation, so how hard can it be?
Like many people around the world, we forgot what a minefield of ups and downs this avenue of home ownership can be.
Like many people around the world, we forgot what a minefield of ups and downs this avenue of home ownership can be.
We affectionately call our minefield Appleside Cottage. A relic from the mid-19th century, Appleside served as a vacation house for decades, thus sparing her from multiple unwise trendy decorative overhauls. The latest restorative sweep had been made around 1975, as evidence of Bicentennial themes made clear. Stylish seventies redecorating aside, most of the house remained a time capsule from the time of her construction- around the mid 1880's. All hardware, from doorknobs to hinges, were original- ornate and detailed in their fabrication.
You can read more about our journey with Appleside Cottage at:
http://www.farmeatlove.blogspot.com/2012/04/gift-of-old-girl.html
You can read more about our journey with Appleside Cottage at:
http://www.farmeatlove.blogspot.com/2012/04/gift-of-old-girl.html
 The exterior of the house was in ragged condition. Of course, we were in love, and as we all know, love is blind. The front porch was months away from collapsing and taking half the house with it. We were in the middle of moving in and had a chronic shortage of funds. So, mixing optimism into the love potion, we painted the porch and hoped for the best. I filled the house with my cherished bits-and-bobs, family antiques and quilts I had made, turning a blind eye to the scratchy, sculpted wall-to-wall carpet and the 130 year old windows that were painted shut. I pulled out yet another can of love potion and painted anything that wasn't moving.  As we settled into daily life at Appleside Cottage, I filled the days with ripping up carpet and tearing down wallpaper. The archaeologist in me delighted in the layers of period design that pinpointed the eras in which the house's occupants had enough money to do elaborate home improvements. Eventually, however, the constant work, countless bags of trash, and piles of carpet began to wear us down. The winter of 2014 was particularly brutal, taking it's toll on Appleside- and us. We emerged into the spring and knew we had no choice but to remove the rotted porch, do the necessary repairs, get serious about getting the exterior looking good, replace the old windows, and install proper insulation.  That day dawned in June of 2014 when we started demolition. It's now August, and we are 90% finished. We still have quite a lot to do on the inside. The kitchen and only bathroom are screaming for attention. But those projects can be done in the dark and bitter winter months- without the assistance of a hired contractor. The work on this Old Girl continues to this day. Problems have cropped up and accidents have happened. The first day of construction, the contractor ran over, and broke through the antique septic system, necessitating an emergency visit from our local excavating expert, who promptly dropped a new tank and leach field into the back yard- effectively bumping up our overall budget by an unexpected 4 figures. As often happens, though, it was a blessing in disguise. The original septic tank was made of metal, it's round cylinder nearly disintegrated. Once the ground freezes in our area, no repairs of this type can be done. As the tank was full, and on the verge of collapse, the timing was certainly fortuitous. Summer is nearly over. A strong Canadian cold front in place today will ensure that our temperatures won't get out of the 50s; a vivid warning that in mere weeks, snow will be flying. The work continues, our contractor as loyal, hardworking and talented as any I've ever seen. Soon, I will be able to introduce you to the New-and-Improved Appleside Cottage. For now, cross your fingers; there are days of work ahead. Seat belts are recommended. It could still be a bumpy ride.  |
