I bought a really old house.

Man I used to think the same thing, until I used one. MUCH easier to use, far fewer stripped heads, and easier on the wrist.

Jim

Impact works very well thank you when you screw 5-6" deck screws in very old Douglas Fir.Contrary to the advice from the Home Creepo staff...5-6" deck screws do exist. I should have bought one before if just to restore my very old pioneer log cabin and jack up the neighbor also very old house. Both built with Douglas Fir....stuff is hard as nails after 100 years.:eek1

I think the PO will have to learn to pull old large nails out of old growth lumber first before he gets to the screwing.

My best nail puller is over 100 years old.Been used a lot over the last 10 years but contrary to most here, I restored my house for very cheap, something comforting I guess hunting materials at the used building supply stores and using very old tools to do them jobs and then relearning them old skills. Table saw???....that's a requirement mine is over 50 years old.Thanks Grandpa and all them old school tradesmen/carpenters I worked with at a young age.

I bought one built late 1880's or 90's. You can follow the history of technology when you start crawling around over and under it. The attic half room had naked wire on insulators when I bought it and the sewer pipes were insulated with newspapers from 1922.

Dont be a perfectionist, it will just cause you pain, but do things right. Trust me you will pay for your short cuts in reworks. Been here for 30 years and the only thing I hired done was the roof. If your experience is like mine, you will find no plumb lines, none of the joist will be evenly spaced, but you will have a house with serious character. Congrats and enjoy

By the way, you dont have to have the very best tools to get the job done, good ones yes, but cheap tools that are well built will get the job done. I went thru a Dewalk and a Swiss made Bosch in about 5 years, my wife brought home a cheap ass Ryobi screw gun because she couldnt find a battery for the Bosch and the damn thing has been plugging along for 12 years now.

I may have to try it next time I buy one. Thanks for the tip.

Mine is 1796. Likely you will have chestnut beams in it. you will not be able to drive a nail in them. (with a nail gun you can shoot them around to room too! )
I would have not voluntarily bought this house but it was next to mom and dad so I could take care of them and it was grams house. I have been working on it for the last 15 years. Good luck.. You will likely need it.

Well things are coming to an end I think.
House was appraised on Monday,
It was appraised at $10k higher than what we paid.

Loan underwriter is doing her thing,
Trying to get this insurance bs finalized,
Putting things in boxes.

Get me in that damn house already.

Good luck.

The wife and I will be back up in Vermont next month looking for a property...we may soon be neighbors, sort of.

clear to close!

Congrats!

got the keys.

Congratulations! Enjoy!

http://www.familyhandyman.com/

Get some 100's and run Saturday night drunken flat track heats on the circle drive!

^ got 2 riding mowers

My parents did this and used me and my brother as labor. Re-roofing a 3 story victorian because the ex-con roofer they hired got himself re-conned ;-)...the list goes on. Anyhow, I hate Bob Villa for making EVERYONE think they can do this. Only certain people can and survive. My hope is that you are one of the success stories. It bankrupted my parents.
I bought a brand new house. It has it's own problems...but it is well insulated and everything is modern.
My advise is to make sure your septic system is working properly and check your cast iron drain pipe. At my old house we did a bunch of work, then had to rip it out to remove the old cracked cast pipe and retrofit PVC. Good times! You may notice in any Bob Villa show (This Old House and the like), he doesn't actually do any work...

Congrats!

Now change the locks.

Thankfully he's been off TOH for many seasons now.

Tom Silva and Norm Abram both do excellent work on there. There's always excellent tips and techniques scattered throughout the show.

Though, Norm's shop has a few toys that certainly make it easier for him.

"So I'll just take this piece over here to my 36 inch 3-phase Delta planer..."

i just bought a 1860 farm house in MA last may. it came with one skeleton key that didn't work on any of the doors -- and it still doesn't have any keys......

all i can say is good luck.

i did not read this whole thread yet - but I will.

check out wavyglass.org

barn









kitchen;

last night:


this morning:

Hey! Look up! Don't let that shit fall on the bikes!

I see the His 'n Her's mowers.




His is the ride on and her's is the push.

I have been told
That Edward the 8th
Once spent a night in my home.

Whether or not this is true,
I am going to believe it
and continue to tell all.