Based on style and construction, this house clearly dates to ca. 1890-1910 rather than to the 1930s. Several other commenters have mentioned that. The fireplace/mantle that he thought was definitely "added later" is original and is one of the main character-defining features of the interior; it would be a very sad mistake to tear it out. A lot of interesting cost estimating stuff in this video but the presenter is very poorly informed about architectural history.
I found it interesting to see the house but the video is a bit painful to listen to due to the presenter's obvious cluelessness. No archway belongs to the design vocabulary of this house!
It's interesting to see how he'd renovate this place. While I disagree with about half of it, it's still enjoyable to see someone else's thought process. Thanks to the editors for the blueprints on-screen! Those really help to visualize the current layout plus proposed changes.
I love this series because it focuses on renovating places than most developers would just tear down. While they do seem hard and costly, I appreciate those who try to keep the history of a home and don’t just discard and move onto the next best thing. I’m so tired of the new suburban home look, boring and mediocre.
I get the idea of preserving history but the suggested renovations modify the house so much inside and out it's hard to see what is preserved aside a general shape, a few artifacts, and features. Not even mentioning that the hidden core structure might not be in better shape than the rest. In the end that renovation would not preserve history, cost a fortune and struggle to meet any modern standards of living.
@@cgourin You can always pay for an inspector before buying it. Saw zero issues that indicate the degree of problems you hint at. As far as renovating the plumbing do a three story addition with bathrooms and laundry in the addition to simplify modifying it...
@@b_uppy Look at the flooring material, building material, lack of any detail, home size, home location and time. This was at best working class (read: poor). My point is just because something is 100 years old doesn’t mean it’s worth saving. Save the land, dump the house.
I'm not an architect, but I own an 1885 Victorian house in the general area. Based on the style of the fireplace and the staircase, this looks like a 1890's house to me rather than a 1930's built house. Likely there was an outhouse when the house was originally built. They built a bathroom in the basement when they added plumbing (easiest placement) and the other floors didn't need one in such a small house as 1 bathroom per house was the norm. I wonder if the arches he likes were built in the 1930's. I doubt they are original. Yes, of course you can fix up this house and bring it back to life. Adding a garage and decks and mudrooms and such extras will add to the cost, but aren't absolutely necessary. Leave this house for someone who appreciates and wants to preserve the architectural history. Our younger generations get it. These cheap old houses are works of art and they aren't making any more. Go East, young man!
My house is a 1921 craftsman bungalow. Looks at least 75 years newer than this house. I did live in an 1890s in Concord NH and that looked younger than this house as well. The wide floors and the staircase seem so 1875 to me.
Thank YOU! Please stop tearing down these houses or renovating them into modern boringness. Build something new on an empty lot someplace else and let someone who wants an historic property restore this one.
This house would be deemed a health hazard in civilized countries. ''Nice to know'' that over 100+ years, owners have added a bathroom in a basement...
My house is near Pittsburgh, PA. It has the exact same molding around the doors and windows as well as in the stairway. The Fireplace is identical to the one in my living room, the tile, the woodwork, mirror, etc. It has an upstairs fireplace but with a less ornate mantel. My house was built in 1905. It has no Pittsburgh toilet and has an upstairs bathroom with a clawfoot tub. It has a full-length open wrap a round porch with columns, wooden railings, and a wooden stairway. And, BTW, Pittsburgh toilets were also, in the basement for the coal miners who became black working in the mines. I, too, would like to see what is done with this house. Thank you for this video!
You’re making me jealous, your house sounds to be beautiful from the way you describe it! To me there is nothing like original character and charm found in an old home!
its one thing to like old homes, i do love them as well, but in this case its a literal gamble. could as well be that you end up with tens of thousands of dollars in yearly renovations and patching because of structural damage. i personally wouldnt take the gamble, this house IMO is in too bad of a shape to be just drywalled and renovated
@@EntropyMusicOfficial Realistically you would spend the same ammount of money as tearing this house down and building a new house and rebuilding and renovating the original house. Both would probably cost an upwards of a few hundred thousand dollars. And I would much rather spend my money on something that has character rather than replacing it with a cookie cutter house.
@@dawnguinto don't tell them that! That's not the type that bothers to know better. They're passing on it-let 'em go! It takes effort to find out how things were constructed and when and why...a great deal of effort. The host of the show contractor hasn't even bothered to educate himself--why would some random person? Leave it to those of us who know--and are willing to do things well. Drywall...! Eesh!
I love these kinds of videos too! But a few things to note about this home - it's early 1900's, not 1930's. At the very latest it may be from just after WWI, but no later. The fireplace and the green tile surround are of the style that was mass-manufactured and placed in many inexpensive homes from 1900-1914, but certainly not in the 1930's. The porch has been enclosed with those hideous arches, likely between the late 40s-60s. It would originally have been fully open, with woodwork resembling what we see on the staircase. It could be a lovely home again. Though the 1910's version of a pre-fab (there are hundreds of thousands of like models around the country, and it was assembled with "kit" parts mass milled), it attests to the quality and good taste of such construction back then.
Ah nice! Not trying to knock this guy but he doesn’t know his architectural history and based on what he would do to the house, his expertise is new homes, not turn of the century. Glad I wasn’t the only one who knew the era.
I agree that the house is probably earlier than 1930s. a lot of the Pittsburgh townships didn't really keep accurate build dates and so they guess and enter something for the built date on the property tax/gis records. I would be more worried about asbestos shingle on the exterior of the home. That would greatly increase the exterior remodel costs.
I love when they feature the abandon homes. These have more beauty and personally than those LA museum monuments, with their cold spaces and sharp edges.
Just want to add that for doing a driveway next to a house with a basement can cause issues. If you have a lets say F250 or something like that weighs in at about 7k pounds literally parked up against your basement wall. That is a surcharge on the side of you basement wall and will lead to cracking and water coming into the basement.
We grew up in a row house in Massachusetts in the cellar too and there was only one bathroom in the cellar also with a lower entrance. This was early 50's. Fiberglass curtain ,lion claw tub, metal kitchen cabinets, coal room and furnace. problem was it would flood and we would have camber pots. Over time it changed . Dad and friends fixed this and that and we moved to suburbs. Saw that same house on Zillow again redone So beautiful now going for 1.3 mill. Just one of 5 in rowhouse.
This is why you hire an architect, hopefully one with experience in historical preservation, to do something like this. This contractor means well but he seems a little clueless about the age of the building and which elements are original and which elements could be kept and restored. For example, why trash all of the windows? There's a good chance that many of them could be saved.
Yeah exactly. I bought a house in similar condition to the one here and this video is a good example of why I can't work with normal general contractors. They just have no education on historical building methods, can't date elements in the home (and don't respect them), and their first instinct is to gut + rebuild for EVERYTHING. I had two contractors try to convince me to demolish and rebuild two coffered ceilings because of some loose plaster, a hole in one corner, and some gaps in the trim from settling over time for an estimated cost of 15k per ceiling. I got my own wet plasterer and carpenter and did the whole thing for 5k and kept the original ceilings. I think they just need to quote a certain amount for the job to be worth it for them and that starts at 10k and up.
@@nickie9332 As I mentioned above, hiring a structural engineer is a good idea too. I had the same experience with contractors also who knew absolutely nothing about structure and I was at wits end - they blamed settling on the sewer (which was no where near area) and structural engineer said at the time house was built no clean landfills were used & created air pockets which creates settling over time. The best $200 I ever spent.
Interesting, but I disagree that this house is from the 1930s. That is clearly an original late Victorian fireplace, which would have had those period tiles set into cement on the hearth when the house was built. Weird that the only bathroom is in the basement, but this also supports the idea that it was built for people who grew up with chamber pots and outhouses. My guess would be between 1895 and 1918, with a remodel in the 20s or 30s. I'm not a fan of removing walls, unless doing so returns it to an original floor plan. The windows and mouldings could clearly be restored, if that was the agenda.
There are a plethora of lovely old homes and multifamily buildings in the Pittsburgh Metro area that will not get renovated because the specific area they are located in is either too dangerous, horrible school district or too economically depressed to invest into their renovations. The supply of turn key older homes far outweighs current demand. When gas drilling expanded near Pittsburgh, the rental market did expand for a couple of years but it has dropped a bit. There is always a large rental market due to large number of colleges/universities in town. If it was economically viable to flip for sale or for rent, it would have been flipped long ago. There are many parts of Pittsburgh that are basically dying - many of them are near old steel mills or other large employers. The people moving into the area that are not furthering their education, are coming for better paying jobs - these people move into Northern or Southern suburbs are some of the pricey solid areas of the City of Pittsburgh itself. I am a transplant to this area - and the number of abandoned, derelict homes really surprised me. So many gorgeous old mansions and homes have gone to rot.
Some of the things I thought of when watching the video: #1 Due to the age, unless work had been done relatively recently. The likelihood of potentially containing asbestos is still pretty high. As a result, if that is the case, you would have to pay even more to have it properly removed and disposed of. #2 I see quite a few comments from people who think it's best to keep the house's shell and refurbish it. Considering the view of the surrounding area, it could have termite and/ or water damage which would result in additional expense. Also, I do not know what condition the plumbing is in or if there are possibly even tree roots growing in the sewage line. #3 After considering all the additional costs, I think it'd be cheaper to demolish the house -only after salvaging some items from it (such as the tub). Then you can design it how you want it. #4 As mentioned in the video, the lot would need a retaining wall installed. What is the total size of all three lots? What is it for each - individually vs. all three lots combined?
Where we differ: leave the Pittsburg Potty in the basement but set it up to wash dogs and children. Garage/under the deck and connecting to side entrance or garage on off side but connected to rear under the back deck near basement potty. Use space under deck as tool and bike storage/work shop. Upstairs- the bedroom off hall should be office/nursery and closet for bedroom with no entrance. Make bathroom bigger using hall/landing or change windows & wall in the bedroom next to it to ensure it has 2 sinks. For the front-to-side wrap around porch use polycarbonate glass at least on the roof so you have good daylight on the ground floor. Now that you have the full wrap deck move entrance to living room with fireplace.
I never understand why everyone wants to design kitchen and counter in a larger area. I spend very few hours of each day in that area. I cook the meal and eat would only be 1 hour a day in that room. That is not where I spend the most of my time. In the 50's they had small kitchens and cooked more and that was more user friendly than a large kitchen. Just how I feel about my space.
That faux brick siding was very popular 100 years ago. You see it all over in MN on the Iron Range, in Michigan in mining towns. It was part of the company town building kit, which in some cases was dictated down to the colors of paint allowed. This house looks like those company built houses that I've been in on the Iron Range. I recently stayed in an Air B&B that was an old mining house and there was one bathroom on the second floor that was clearly not originally designed as a bathroom. There was a "Pittsburg Potty" in the basement and a weird rear exterior entrance similar to the garage in this video. I had no idea this was an intentional feature and it makes sense if you are building homes specifically for workers, you want to have an entrance that functions like a mud room, that keeps the rest of the place free of whatever dirt was dragged home from the factory/mine.
Thanks for the interesting input. In Pittsburgh I don't think that horrid fake brick asphalt is original to many of the houses, many of which were constructed as bare clapboards. The worst are the upright brick-shaped steelworkers' tenements. Three and even four story buildings with not one hint of ornamentation. The asphalt was a cheap way to weatherproof these squalid structures before aluminum became common and affordable. It's interesting seeing these places being demolished because you can see layer on layer of putrefying siding slapped one on top of the other over the last century or so.
I grew up in Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville) before it was cool or hip to live there. This home brought back tons of memories of my childhood home that was built in 1890, simple row housing for blue-collar workers. This is an incredible deal for 20 grand! Hopefully somebody snatches it up and does it justice! I’m curious to know which part of Pittsburgh this is located?
Also, this is exactly the kind of home that Nicole Curtis takes on. Nobody gets to see the grit it takes to pull these homes off the demo list. Say what you want, but Nicole has not only shown everyone the possibilities that lie within these homes, but she made a living for herself. It certainly is not easy, but well worth it.
The beauty and proportion of this gem are so obvious to me. The way that the graphics are slid over the photo really help to visualize the well-considered ideas. And this gentleman is articulate, has a quiet fire in his eyes when talking about the space that I can completely relate to. God, 120 K seems like pocket change from my vantage point in Vancouver, BC, as noted in a previous comment. What about the landscape architecture? Did anyone buy this house and make it happen? What would the final cladding be on such a house? Where would one hide the heat pump? AND, I see a gable on the front that suggests a very cool attic might be lurking up there. I feel like I need to go visit this house. Love this content; thank you. 😊
Still for sale as of this morning. :) It's in East Pittsburgh which is not a wealthy area - putting 120k into this house wouldn't be the best investment. Unless you are in a family of DIY or have contractor connections.
Most Pittsburgh potties are just the toilet, some may have added a shower but an enclosed potty room is rare. My sister had a house in Etna with a toilet and a shower head in the basement, no enclosure and that was the main bathroom because at the time it was built toilets were outside, as in outhouse. Please keep as much character as possible, too many flippers in our area are stripping out all the character and they all look like Chip and Joanna did the remodel.
I really like the idea of renovating old houses. My parents got themselves a house from the 1940’s and it looks amazing now. But this house? No. The house itself has no charm. There’s simply nothing special on it, that makes me feel like it would be worth it. The yard is also way too steep from what I saw. It’s pretty much useless that way. Plus the fact that nobody has bought those three lots for just 20,000$ says quite a lot about the neighbourhood. Also I’m not really sure if I share his opinion of just 100.000$ in renovation costs.
That's a typical mining town home design of the period. I had one I gutted and remodeled, a two day drive from there, I even recognize that same trim used in yours! I used the attic to add a staircase to two bedrooms with closets, made the second floor two larger bedrooms with a good sized modern tub-shower bath and added a powder room on the first floor and with a large beam removed all the first floor walls and left the kitchen as a doorway. Mine did not have the added carriage house yours has (would have access to an alley behind all the houses). That building will need all new modern electric as what's in there is likely knob and tube. Wide plank floors are cool when refinished. I'd suggest a steel roof on there too.
Considering that we live on the West Coast, getting the house and land at $20,000 seems too good to be true. But you weren't specific enough for me about the renovation costs. What about likely asbestos, lead or mold abatement? Electrical upgrades? It still would be a bargain comparatively, but materials have gotten higher too.
@@mirabella2154 my thoughts on this home: its a literal gamble whether the fundamental structure of the home is strong enough or not. to me, all the cracks in the facade and all the damage on the outside are sings of fundamental damage. its a beautiful home and you could do a lot with it, but i personally wouldnt take the gamble whether you have to put in 50k as a DIY renovation or find out that there are structural issues and end up having to pay 200k+ and build an entire new house
@@EntropyMusicOfficial Yes. I find old homes very beautiful and charming unlike all the new homes. Personally I would love to find such a home and renovate it (given that the core structure of the home is of good quality) and preserve some of the classical elements.
Not going to lie, I adore the floral linoleum that was in the upstairs bedrooms. Nobody creates such beautiful utilitarian products anymore. I would take a piece of that flooring, clean it up, and frame it properly to pay homage to the life that home lived prior to its renovation. What a beauty this home is.
Allegheny count assessment is always wrong with dates and style of architecture. Its said my 1875 Italianate row house was a 1940 ranch. I live in Deutschtown where almost nothing was build during that year and def not of that style.
How can you say at the end the renovation cost is $100K when at the beginning BEFORE you even went inside the outside cost was $120K????? The inside with new kitchen and two bathrooms AND everything else would be at least $75K and that is conservative. Seriously!!!
This house is older than 1930. The basement bath was common in many places in houses that were built without indoor plumbing and you don't want to lose a bedroom. My grandparent's house was like this.
I'm not sure the original porch had archways, I think the arches were added at the time of the fake bricks, thats why there aren't any other curved details in the house. They look wrong and I think a more classic straight porch would look better. I like the idea for a back deck. The upper floor layout was very odd!
Exactly. I renovated an entire house in MUCH better condition 20 yrs ago for more than $200K. This channel is for housewives and nitwits to gawk and purr, nothing to do with reality. Sink in a ton of money and congrats, you live in meth town!
Agreed, the neighborhood factors need to be considered. Even/especially if it's a "rising area", vehicles and materials positioned around an isolate house like this are ripe for the picking by thieves.
Grew up in Erie and the design of this home is very nostalgic compared to my grandmothers home. But in all seriousness, I would bulldoze that thing and start over.
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. If you don’t have a connection to this neighborhood and/ and appreciation of its history, don’t come in and flip it as an “investment”. Instead, we should try to make it easier and more accessible for families and individuals to own a home and make the necessary repairs.
100% THIS. AirBnB and investment properties are making it nearly impossible to buy a home for low income families that have lived in certain places that suddenly become popular with rich people. I work on the tourism industry, so I see the worst of this...a town I lived in Georgia has to shut down their elementary school because all the young families had to move as properties were bought by rich Atlantans, and the property taxes when through the roof.
MILLIONS??? For a shack, renovated or not, like this?? If that house was in move in condition, I would not spend more than 50,000 on it. People have lost their minds on home buying, most of which is a scam
Push the roof up and put a master suite on the 3rd floor; remove one BR on the 2nd floor and ad closets and a full bath; add a powder room on 1st floor; renovated basement with a bath.
This is my first video with this presenter...he is wrong about the fireplace and the tile. That tile and the fireplace surround is original, including the opening cover which is probably cast iron. It actually looks much older than 1930. I would say late 1890's-1915.
There are a plethora of lovely old homes and multifamily buildings in the Pittsburgh Metro area that will not get renovated because the specific area they are located in is either too dangerous, horrible school district or too economically depressed to invest into their renovations. The supply of turn key older homes far outweighs current demand. When gas drilling expanded near Pittsburgh, the rental market did expand for a couple of years and some of these abandoned properties were saved but nearby drilling has slowed down thus demand has dropped. There is always a large rental market due to large number of colleges/universities in town. If it was economically viable to flip for sale or for rent, it would have been flipped long ago. There are many parts of Pittsburgh Metro area (many of them in Pittsburgh itself) that are basically dying - many of them are near old steel mills or other large employers.
This was very informative, and I hope someone really does buy and restore/renovate the house. I lived 10 years in Pennsylvania, and I would definitely vote for having a garage for the winter and bad weather.
Homes like this should be sold for $1 with a tax increment grant for at least 5 years. That will get people renovating these, paying taxes, patronizing local businesses etc.
The basement bathroom isn’t usually the only one. Most were updated at some point in the 20th century and one was added. It’s kinda neat to see one where that hasn’t happened yet
Why is this house only $20K? They never talk about this, but it is almost certainly in a high-crime neighborhood. Therefore, it will never be renovated because no one with money will want to live there and have their personal safety at risk.
Neighborhoods can change very quickly if a few people begin renovating homes. That’s why “gentrification” is in the news so often. If the neighborhood is close to better neighborhoods that are in high demand, it has the potential to improve fast.
@@ThreeRunHomer Gentrification is a rare phenomenon. It only happens in a small number of places near hot areas where real estate prices are shooting up. Mostly once crime sets in, businesses flee, people flee, and the only people left are those who can't afford to move. Then the terminal rot sets in. Remember: crime causes poverty (not the other way around).
@@Nordic_Sky ha, no. Gentrification happens everywhere except towns and cities that completely dead economically. If you live where no neighborhoods have been seriously upgraded over the 10 to 20 years, then you might want to move to a place with a pulse.
@@ThreeRunHomer If you travel around the US, you'll find out that most of the bad neighborhoods are staying bad. They are not being gentrified. Gentrification is the exception. There is a lot of gentrification in So Calif where I live, but it is the exception.
It's not a high crime area, this is like the only abandoned house in the neighborhood, there is always a cop doing rounds here all the time, if it was truly a high crime area the house would be a trap house or have squatters but it doesn't.
Not sure why this guy doesn’t incorporate original elements into the renovation. I hate seeing removal of old stuff just for the sake of something new. I would certainly keep that fireplace with its beautiful tile surround and hearth. I would also keep that wonderful original kitchen sink and bring the claw foot bathtub inside and use it in the new bathroom. The front porch is hideous. It needs to be opened up to accommodate a couple of rocking chairs. Love the idea of extending to a wraparound porch.
I’d definitely build out, the left side would be great for a large porch or conservatory. I’d love to see th grounds beautifully planted and landscaped too.
I would wrap the driveway around the back. Knock down the existing garage and build the garage back there with a deck on top. 2 birds one stone. Less grading on the side lot.
That arched porch may be original (not covered with the fake brick of course). It is not common, but sometimes seen on shingle-style houses from around 1895 - 1906 or so. Usually the arches are broader. Of course it will be clear by looking at the construction materials underneath when the fake brick is removed. We have some houses of this style here in Portland, OR.
Im all about keeping and restoring old buildings, but this one feels wrong. Old houses should be preserved, no teared down wall, the maximum should be kept, that’s the charm and character of old houses. Not just mantles, but also the baseboards, old windows, and even the layout. An old house should be old and look old. The idea of the arches in the doorways isn’t bad, but it isn’t what the house is about. I even doubt that the arched on the front are original
This "renovation" project sounds more like tearing completely down the original structure with a brand new contemporary style home. If I'd buy an old house, my goal would be trying to restore it to its glory instead of replacing completely with something modern, losing all the charm (I'm aware this building looks more like some haunted manor, but maybe the decaying state doesn't help lol).
@@jalifritz8033 Just buy a modern or new built home. He pulls out all of the details to replace with "modern lifestyle" monotony. Gross. And after adding up all the costs for removing half of the house.. It's no longer an inexpensive home.
Andy, thank you for caring. My family is doing ok. I haven't got my Covid shot yet. I hope you and yours are having a good time. Thank you for highlighting my comment. I like that house.
@@goldenviolet hi you’re always welcome. Me and my family are safe too am happy to hear that. Do you like we talk on somewhere better so we can get to know each other’s as friends?
@@ln7989 Gloves comment is unrelated to the cracks in the foundation, which are most noticeable outside and possibly in the basement room he didn't show us. The house has probably just settled a bit from being built on a hill. All that peeling plaster is covered in lead paint, which is toxic at very low levels but not obviously so, and the dust from it is going to be everywhere, if he has kids he needs to strip in the garage/basement when he gets home because he'll track it in on his clothes. Which is one of the many reasons to keep the basement bathroom and just add a new one to the second floor, it doesn't hurt to have an extra bathroom. Nothing's been really scrubbed in 10+ years either. Old houses like that, where someone grew up in a house and died in it, tend to have lots of old grime like the light switch he showed. It accumulates so slowly you don't notice unless you've been gone a while and come back, but I dare you to tell grandma her light switches are dirty.
It’s a former coal miner home in the past coal miners first went into the basement to clean themselves up before going up,so dirt stayed outside the living area.
I think the fireplace is almost original and the front arches are new. I think the connected bedroom on the top floor is a washroom. This hous looks like someone tried to modernize it.
That fireplace is original to the house its beautiful and intact it should not be replaced. Keeping some of original features is a must not a super modern reno
I live in Brisbane Australia so I found the lack of large windows and verandahs weird. Also the lack of eaves ... There was no mention of how the sunlight moves in the and no mention of the surrounding community. I would also make renovations that made the house low maintenance and would also have inclusion and accessibility in mind.
I love these videos; the fact is >95% of our housing already exists, lived-in or vacant. Whether or not the appraisal and ideas are accurate, I appreciate seeing something that needs love, versus some stars' modern homes that are just disgusting excess
Nice moldings but all covered with layers of paint, stripping this will be a nightmare. It looks like walls and window alignment are way off kilter. Important to figure out is the local housing market, you don't want to be the most expensive house on the block, you want to be in a market that can sell, and target who would be a likely buyer. You showed the garage drive very close to what appears to be a street corner, will the city allow access there? The building will require completely new electric, plumbing, and heating. There is no main floor powder room meaning running up stairs every time the urge happens. My market sense says that this needs to be flipped for less than $100k total.
I hate to say it but it seems like this property was never built with long term sustainability in mind. They didn’t have that in mind when building, not neglecting, nor abandoning; so it may just be worth salvaging for material
It looks like it house has an attic with a window. It would have been great to see that. Was there a closet under the stairs? Will there be space in the basement to add a laundry room? Or any other usable space?
I can just imagine this guys great great grandchild the architect talking about restoring the charm of tract housing in a planned development. Trying to restore the beige carpet and bringing back the charm of plastic vertical blinds. And saving the $1 sq ft Home Depot Chinese tiles.
Is that linoleum asbestos? I started removing mine and my brother yelled at me to stop. He does floors and told me linoleum from certain years were asbestos. I think it was 50s?
There are many historically large cities that have these abandoned homes.. down south below and in Arkansas.. lots of neighborhoods looking almost blighted
Based on style and construction, this house clearly dates to ca. 1890-1910 rather than to the 1930s. Several other commenters have mentioned that. The fireplace/mantle that he thought was definitely "added later" is original and is one of the main character-defining features of the interior; it would be a very sad mistake to tear it out. A lot of interesting cost estimating stuff in this video but the presenter is very poorly informed about architectural history.
I literally came to the comments just to say this about that fireplace 😂
I found it interesting to see the house but the video is a bit painful to listen to due to the presenter's obvious cluelessness. No archway belongs to the design vocabulary of this house!
Also came to say that. I love these comment sections. Haha
Shut up nerd
Yes. And the thoughtthat the arches on the porch are of interest- when they are a cheesy 1960's redo, and not appropriate to the architecture at all.
It's interesting to see how he'd renovate this place. While I disagree with about half of it, it's still enjoyable to see someone else's thought process. Thanks to the editors for the blueprints on-screen! Those really help to visualize the current layout plus proposed changes.
I love this series because it focuses on renovating places than most developers would just tear down. While they do seem hard and costly, I appreciate those who try to keep the history of a home and don’t just discard and move onto the next best thing. I’m so tired of the new suburban home look, boring and mediocre.
I get the idea of preserving history but the suggested renovations modify the house so much inside and out it's hard to see what is preserved aside a general shape, a few artifacts, and features. Not even mentioning that the hidden core structure might not be in better shape than the rest. In the end that renovation would not preserve history, cost a fortune and struggle to meet any modern standards of living.
@@cgourin
You can always pay for an inspector before buying it. Saw zero issues that indicate the degree of problems you hint at.
As far as renovating the plumbing do a three story addition with bathrooms and laundry in the addition to simplify modifying it...
Restoring low income housing is just plain old dumb.
@@ken90017
Assuming that was 'low income housing' is dumb...
@@b_uppy Look at the flooring material, building material, lack of any detail, home size, home location and time. This was at best working class (read: poor). My point is just because something is 100 years old doesn’t mean it’s worth saving. Save the land, dump the house.
I'm not an architect, but I own an 1885 Victorian house in the general area. Based on the style of the fireplace and the staircase, this looks like a 1890's house to me rather than a 1930's built house. Likely there was an outhouse when the house was originally built. They built a bathroom in the basement when they added plumbing (easiest placement) and the other floors didn't need one in such a small house as 1 bathroom per house was the norm. I wonder if the arches he likes were built in the 1930's. I doubt they are original. Yes, of course you can fix up this house and bring it back to life. Adding a garage and decks and mudrooms and such extras will add to the cost, but aren't absolutely necessary. Leave this house for someone who appreciates and wants to preserve the architectural history. Our younger generations get it. These cheap old houses are works of art and they aren't making any more. Go East, young man!
My house is a 1921 craftsman bungalow. Looks at least 75 years newer than this house. I did live in an 1890s in Concord NH and that looked younger than this house as well. The wide floors and the staircase seem so 1875 to me.
Thank YOU! Please stop tearing down these houses or renovating them into modern boringness. Build something new on an empty lot someplace else and let someone who wants an historic property restore this one.
This house would be deemed a health hazard in civilized countries. ''Nice to know'' that over 100+ years, owners have added a bathroom in a basement...
The bathroom in the basement is for coal workers..
Yes! We need to restore cheap craphole housing so that new families can live in crap like poor people generations ago did🤪🤪🤪
My house is near Pittsburgh, PA. It has the exact same molding around the doors and windows as well as in the stairway. The Fireplace is identical to the one in my living room, the tile, the woodwork, mirror, etc. It has an upstairs fireplace but with a less ornate mantel. My house was built in 1905. It has no Pittsburgh toilet and has an upstairs bathroom with a clawfoot tub. It has a full-length open wrap a round porch with columns, wooden railings, and a wooden stairway. And, BTW, Pittsburgh toilets were also, in the basement for the coal miners who became black working in the mines. I, too, would like to see what is done with this house. Thank you for this video!
This house looks to me to be older than the 1930s
You’re making me jealous, your house sounds to be beautiful from the way you describe it! To me there is nothing like original character and charm found in an old home!
@@Jujubes666 Thank you.
All these comments about tearing it down, but think some people actually like old houses and the craftsmanship that went into them (like me!!)
its one thing to like old homes, i do love them as well, but in this case its a literal gamble. could as well be that you end up with tens of thousands of dollars in yearly renovations and patching because of structural damage. i personally wouldnt take the gamble, this house IMO is in too bad of a shape to be just drywalled and renovated
@@EntropyMusicOfficial Realistically you would spend the same ammount of money as tearing this house down and building a new house and rebuilding and renovating the original house.
Both would probably cost an upwards of a few hundred thousand dollars. And I would much rather spend my money on something that has character rather than replacing it with a cookie cutter house.
@@dawnguinto the thing is, as I said it's still a gamble. Might as well have to put in 5 figures a year because stuff keeps breaking.
@@EntropyMusicOfficial good, you should not gamble
it really is a greater cost to repair it correctly
not everyone can/should
& that's ok
@@dawnguinto don't tell them that! That's not the type that bothers to know better. They're passing on it-let 'em go! It takes effort to find out how things were constructed and when and why...a great deal of effort. The host of the show contractor hasn't even bothered to educate himself--why would some random person? Leave it to those of us who know--and are willing to do things well. Drywall...! Eesh!
I love these kinds of videos too! But a few things to note about this home - it's early 1900's, not 1930's. At the very latest it may be from just after WWI, but no later. The fireplace and the green tile surround are of the style that was mass-manufactured and placed in many inexpensive homes from 1900-1914, but certainly not in the 1930's. The porch has been enclosed with those hideous arches, likely between the late 40s-60s. It would originally have been fully open, with woodwork resembling what we see on the staircase. It could be a lovely home again. Though the 1910's version of a pre-fab (there are hundreds of thousands of like models around the country, and it was assembled with "kit" parts mass milled), it attests to the quality and good taste of such construction back then.
Nice!
Agreed! I live in a 1930's house and the doors, mouldings and stairway is definitely much much older.
I agree. This looks like my grandmother's house and it was built in 1920, in a similar neighborhood
Ah nice! Not trying to knock this guy but he doesn’t know his architectural history and based on what he would do to the house, his expertise is new homes, not turn of the century. Glad I wasn’t the only one who knew the era.
So glad you said that about the fire place, as I too thought that was much older than his assessment.
I agree that the house is probably earlier than 1930s. a lot of the Pittsburgh townships didn't really keep accurate build dates and so they guess and enter something for the built date on the property tax/gis records. I would be more worried about asbestos shingle on the exterior of the home. That would greatly increase the exterior remodel costs.
I love when they feature the abandon homes. These have more beauty and personally than those LA museum monuments, with their cold spaces and sharp edges.
Just want to add that for doing a driveway next to a house with a basement can cause issues.
If you have a lets say F250 or something like that weighs in at about 7k pounds literally parked up against your basement wall. That is a surcharge on the side of you basement wall and will lead to cracking and water coming into the basement.
seriously need more of this series. Renovating homes and conserving history like this is so amazing
We grew up in a row house in Massachusetts in the cellar too and there was only one bathroom in the cellar also with a lower entrance. This was early 50's. Fiberglass curtain ,lion claw tub, metal kitchen cabinets, coal room and furnace. problem was it would flood and we would have camber pots. Over time it changed . Dad and friends fixed this and that and we moved to suburbs. Saw that same house on Zillow again redone So beautiful now going for 1.3 mill. Just one of 5 in rowhouse.
This is why you hire an architect, hopefully one with experience in historical preservation, to do something like this. This contractor means well but he seems a little clueless about the age of the building and which elements are original and which elements could be kept and restored. For example, why trash all of the windows? There's a good chance that many of them could be saved.
Yeah exactly. I bought a house in similar condition to the one here and this video is a good example of why I can't work with normal general contractors. They just have no education on historical building methods, can't date elements in the home (and don't respect them), and their first instinct is to gut + rebuild for EVERYTHING. I had two contractors try to convince me to demolish and rebuild two coffered ceilings because of some loose plaster, a hole in one corner, and some gaps in the trim from settling over time for an estimated cost of 15k per ceiling. I got my own wet plasterer and carpenter and did the whole thing for 5k and kept the original ceilings. I think they just need to quote a certain amount for the job to be worth it for them and that starts at 10k and up.
@@nickie9332 As I mentioned above, hiring a structural engineer is a good idea too. I had the same experience with contractors also who knew absolutely nothing about structure and I was at wits end - they blamed settling on the sewer (which was no where near area) and structural engineer said at the time house was built no clean landfills were used & created air pockets which creates settling over time. The best $200 I ever spent.
The old windows are cute but will bleed heat even if restored. The contractor is offering the practical, reasonable solution.
Well said. Agreed, that the contractor probably means well but clearly-has no knowledge of which he speaks.
@@BillLaBrie you can actually add a second pane to the original windows, if properly restored...you just need access to quality craftsmen/women(!)
Interesting, but I disagree that this house is from the 1930s. That is clearly an original late Victorian fireplace, which would have had those period tiles set into cement on the hearth when the house was built. Weird that the only bathroom is in the basement, but this also supports the idea that it was built for people who grew up with chamber pots and outhouses. My guess would be between 1895 and 1918, with a remodel in the 20s or 30s. I'm not a fan of removing walls, unless doing so returns it to an original floor plan. The windows and mouldings could clearly be restored, if that was the agenda.
I think that fireplace is older than what you think. The tile around it are valuable. Don’t get rid of them
I'd love to see it renovated . . . Nick has great ideas!
There are a plethora of lovely old homes and multifamily buildings in the Pittsburgh Metro area that will not get renovated because the specific area they are located in is either too dangerous, horrible school district or too economically depressed to invest into their renovations. The supply of turn key older homes far outweighs current demand. When gas drilling expanded near Pittsburgh, the rental market did expand for a couple of years but it has dropped a bit. There is always a large rental market due to large number of colleges/universities in town. If it was economically viable to flip for sale or for rent, it would have been flipped long ago. There are many parts of Pittsburgh that are basically dying - many of them are near old steel mills or other large employers. The people moving into the area that are not furthering their education, are coming for better paying jobs - these people move into Northern or Southern suburbs are some of the pricey solid areas of the City of Pittsburgh itself. I am a transplant to this area - and the number of abandoned, derelict homes really surprised me. So many gorgeous old mansions and homes have gone to rot.
@@annetterico4787 yes, thanks nafta!
This is like watching an interior decorator do a home inspection.
Exactly what it is
😩
@Bzake 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lol it's not that extreme at all since Nick is a (high end custom) builder. ua-cam.com/channels/Io1gaS5cLsCtgaCLhi08cg.html
agree with this 100%
Some of the things I thought of when watching the video:
#1 Due to the age, unless work had been done relatively recently. The likelihood of potentially containing asbestos is still pretty high. As a result, if that is the case, you would have to pay even more to have it properly removed and disposed of.
#2 I see quite a few comments from people who think it's best to keep the house's shell and refurbish it. Considering the view of the surrounding area, it could have termite and/ or water damage which would result in additional expense. Also, I do not know what condition the plumbing is in or if there are possibly even tree roots growing in the sewage line.
#3 After considering all the additional costs, I think it'd be cheaper to demolish the house -only after salvaging some items from it (such as the tub). Then you can design it how you want it.
#4 As mentioned in the video, the lot would need a retaining wall installed. What is the total size of all three lots? What is it for each - individually vs. all three lots combined?
Where we differ: leave the Pittsburg Potty in the basement but set it up to wash dogs and children. Garage/under the deck and connecting to side entrance or garage on off side but connected to rear under the back deck near basement potty. Use space under deck as tool and bike storage/work shop. Upstairs- the bedroom off hall should be office/nursery and closet for bedroom with no entrance. Make bathroom bigger using hall/landing or change windows & wall in the bedroom next to it to ensure it has 2 sinks. For the front-to-side wrap around porch use polycarbonate glass at least on the roof so you have good daylight on the ground floor. Now that you have the full wrap deck move entrance to living room with fireplace.
I never understand why everyone wants to design kitchen and counter in a larger area. I spend very few hours of each day in that area. I cook the meal and eat would only be 1 hour a day in that room. That is not where I spend the most of my time. In the 50's they had small kitchens and cooked more and that was more user friendly than a large kitchen. Just how I feel about my space.
Love this ! But don't agree with replacing or removing ANY of the time period features. Meaning fireplaces, molding, and trim, etc.
And NOT the original windows
That faux brick siding was very popular 100 years ago. You see it all over in MN on the Iron Range, in Michigan in mining towns. It was part of the company town building kit, which in some cases was dictated down to the colors of paint allowed. This house looks like those company built houses that I've been in on the Iron Range. I recently stayed in an Air B&B that was an old mining house and there was one bathroom on the second floor that was clearly not originally designed as a bathroom. There was a "Pittsburg Potty" in the basement and a weird rear exterior entrance similar to the garage in this video. I had no idea this was an intentional feature and it makes sense if you are building homes specifically for workers, you want to have an entrance that functions like a mud room, that keeps the rest of the place free of whatever dirt was dragged home from the factory/mine.
Thanks for the interesting input. In Pittsburgh I don't think that horrid fake brick asphalt is original to many of the houses, many of which were constructed as bare clapboards. The worst are the upright brick-shaped steelworkers' tenements. Three and even four story buildings with not one hint of ornamentation. The asphalt was a cheap way to weatherproof these squalid structures before aluminum became common and affordable. It's interesting seeing these places being demolished because you can see layer on layer of putrefying siding slapped one on top of the other over the last century or so.
Love this series, please do more! I can watch them forever and I learn so much
I grew up in Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville) before it was cool or hip to live there. This home brought back tons of memories of my childhood home that was built in 1890, simple row housing for blue-collar workers. This is an incredible deal for 20 grand! Hopefully somebody snatches it up and does it justice! I’m curious to know which part of Pittsburgh this is located?
It's in East Pittsburgh
Also, this is exactly the kind of home that Nicole Curtis takes on. Nobody gets to see the grit it takes to pull these homes off the demo list. Say what you want, but Nicole has not only shown everyone the possibilities that lie within these homes, but she made a living for herself. It certainly is not easy, but well worth it.
I wasn’t expecting NS Builders here. Pleasant surprise!
The beauty and proportion of this gem are so obvious to me. The way that the graphics are slid over the photo really help to visualize the well-considered ideas. And this gentleman is articulate, has a quiet fire in his eyes when talking about the space that I can completely relate to. God, 120 K seems like pocket change from my vantage point in Vancouver, BC, as noted in a previous comment. What about the landscape architecture? Did anyone buy this house and make it happen? What would the final cladding be on such a house? Where would one hide the heat pump? AND, I see a gable on the front that suggests a very cool attic might be lurking up there. I feel like I need to go visit this house. Love this content; thank you. 😊
That sounds nice. Hi Barbara how are you doing with your family i do hope you’re safe from the Covid?
Still for sale as of this morning. :) It's in East Pittsburgh which is not a wealthy area - putting 120k into this house wouldn't be the best investment. Unless you are in a family of DIY or have contractor connections.
I grew up in a 5000 square foot, 4 story house in Chicago that was built in 1916. They were so well constrcted back then.
Most Pittsburgh potties are just the toilet, some may have added a shower but an enclosed potty room is rare. My sister had a house in Etna with a toilet and a shower head in the basement, no enclosure and that was the main bathroom because at the time it was built toilets were outside, as in outhouse. Please keep as much character as possible, too many flippers in our area are stripping out all the character and they all look like Chip and Joanna did the remodel.
Wow youre totally right. You can completely come in here and make a GEM out of this house. Thanks for this post!!!
Sure, for a quarter million dollars you can make a house worth $150k.
I really like the idea of renovating old houses. My parents got themselves a house from the 1940’s and it looks amazing now. But this house? No. The house itself has no charm. There’s simply nothing special on it, that makes me feel like it would be worth it. The yard is also way too steep from what I saw. It’s pretty much useless that way. Plus the fact that nobody has bought those three lots for just 20,000$ says quite a lot about the neighbourhood. Also I’m not really sure if I share his opinion of just 100.000$ in renovation costs.
This house was not built in the 1930s. It was built at least 20 years before. You can tell from the fireplace and details of the house.
That's a typical mining town home design of the period. I had one I gutted and remodeled, a two day drive from there, I even recognize that same trim used in yours! I used the attic to add a staircase to two bedrooms with closets, made the second floor two larger bedrooms with a good sized modern tub-shower bath and added a powder room on the first floor and with a large beam removed all the first floor walls and left the kitchen as a doorway. Mine did not have the added carriage house yours has (would have access to an alley behind all the houses). That building will need all new modern electric as what's in there is likely knob and tube. Wide plank floors are cool when refinished. I'd suggest a steel roof on there too.
Considering that we live on the West Coast, getting the house and land at $20,000 seems too good to be true. But you weren't specific enough for me about the renovation costs. What about likely asbestos, lead or mold abatement? Electrical upgrades? It still would be a bargain comparatively, but materials have gotten higher too.
I actually considered purchasing this home back in 2020. Thank you for going over the estimates and what it would take to make it livable.
Really? Why didn't you do it? It's lovely.
Realize too, some of the work you could do to bring down costs of reno.
@@mirabella2154 my thoughts on this home: its a literal gamble whether the fundamental structure of the home is strong enough or not. to me, all the cracks in the facade and all the damage on the outside are sings of fundamental damage. its a beautiful home and you could do a lot with it, but i personally wouldnt take the gamble whether you have to put in 50k as a DIY renovation or find out that there are structural issues and end up having to pay 200k+ and build an entire new house
@@EntropyMusicOfficial Yes. I find old homes very beautiful and charming unlike all the new homes. Personally I would love to find such a home and renovate it (given that the core structure of the home is of good quality) and preserve some of the classical elements.
Really? Were you going to do all the work yourself? Hard to believe a house in Pittsburgh had no installation in the walls.
Not going to lie, I adore the floral linoleum that was in the upstairs bedrooms. Nobody creates such beautiful utilitarian products anymore. I would take a piece of that flooring, clean it up, and frame it properly to pay homage to the life that home lived prior to its renovation. What a beauty this home is.
This house is still available and is now listed at $15k.
County records show it was built in 1930 and is 1,176 sqft.
Is this a bad neighborhood in Pittsburgh?
Allegheny count assessment is always wrong with dates and style of architecture. Its said my 1875 Italianate row house was a 1940 ranch. I live in Deutschtown where almost nothing was build during that year and def not of that style.
If the house was moved onto that site, the records will say it was built on that date, even if it is older.
County is wrong about the date lol
@@SvenFridtjofThat is actually hilarious.
How can you say at the end the renovation cost is $100K when at the beginning BEFORE you even went inside the outside cost was $120K????? The inside with new kitchen and two bathrooms AND everything else would be at least $75K and that is conservative. Seriously!!!
This dump will be torn down. He mentioned that the dump comes with two more land lots...
I noticed that too. I started adding up the costs and was easily over $250 K.
stressing over my "new" house needing SO many repairs to be liveable--this makes me feel better! It could have been far worse!
Yes, these sorts of houses make my house look habitable. I share the sentiment, the cost of renovating a house is not to be underestimated.
This house is older than 1930. The basement bath was common in many places in houses that were built without indoor plumbing and you don't want to lose a bedroom. My grandparent's house was like this.
I'm not sure the original porch had archways, I think the arches were added at the time of the fake bricks, thats why there aren't any other curved details in the house. They look wrong and I think a more classic straight porch would look better. I like the idea for a back deck. The upper floor layout was very odd!
So $400,000 at least to get it back to a 'house' again, and then you are living in a poor area, nothing to do, no one to talk to, probably get robbed?
Exactly. I renovated an entire house in MUCH better condition 20 yrs ago for more than $200K. This channel is for housewives and nitwits to gawk and purr, nothing to do with reality. Sink in a ton of money and congrats, you live in meth town!
Agreed, the neighborhood factors need to be considered. Even/especially if it's a "rising area", vehicles and materials positioned around an isolate house like this are ripe for the picking by thieves.
Grew up in Erie and the design of this home is very nostalgic compared to my grandmothers home.
But in all seriousness, I would bulldoze that thing and start over.
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. If you don’t have a connection to this neighborhood and/ and appreciation of its history, don’t come in and flip it as an “investment”. Instead, we should try to make it easier and more accessible for families and individuals to own a home and make the necessary repairs.
Agreed.
100% THIS. AirBnB and investment properties are making it nearly impossible to buy a home for low income families that have lived in certain places that suddenly become popular with rich people. I work on the tourism industry, so I see the worst of this...a town I lived in Georgia has to shut down their elementary school because all the young families had to move as properties were bought by rich Atlantans, and the property taxes when through the roof.
We have lots of renovated houses just like that going for millions in Vancouver. Great video, I enjoyed listening to the renovation ideas.👍
Same in Portland, OR.
MILLIONS??? For a shack, renovated or not, like this??
If that house was in move in condition, I would not spend more than 50,000 on it.
People have lost their minds on home buying, most of which is a scam
Push the roof up and put a master suite on the 3rd floor; remove one BR on the 2nd floor and ad closets and a full bath; add a powder room on 1st floor; renovated basement with a bath.
Perhaps move the Pittsburg Pottie and tub upstairs to the second floor and rework the basement bathroom into a laundry room?
This is my first video with this presenter...he is wrong about the fireplace and the tile. That tile and the fireplace surround is original, including the opening cover which is probably cast iron. It actually looks much older than 1930. I would say late 1890's-1915.
I really don't like when people try and turn old houses into modern houses (open concepts 🙄)
I know, i think it should be acrime. Erasing history. New is nit better. 😮
That's your opinion. To save it, I'd change it to fit how I like to live. People have done this through recorded histry.
There are a plethora of lovely old homes and multifamily buildings in the Pittsburgh Metro area that will not get renovated because the specific area they are located in is either too dangerous, horrible school district or too economically depressed to invest into their renovations. The supply of turn key older homes far outweighs current demand. When gas drilling expanded near Pittsburgh, the rental market did expand for a couple of years and some of these abandoned properties were saved but nearby drilling has slowed down thus demand has dropped. There is always a large rental market due to large number of colleges/universities in town. If it was economically viable to flip for sale or for rent, it would have been flipped long ago. There are many parts of Pittsburgh Metro area (many of them in Pittsburgh itself) that are basically dying - many of them are near old steel mills or other large employers.
This was very informative, and I hope someone really does buy and restore/renovate the house. I lived 10 years in Pennsylvania, and I would definitely vote for having a garage for the winter and bad weather.
Homes like this should be sold for $1 with a tax increment grant for at least 5 years. That will get people renovating these, paying taxes, patronizing local businesses etc.
The basement bathroom isn’t usually the only one. Most were updated at some point in the 20th century and one was added. It’s kinda neat to see one where that hasn’t happened yet
Why is this house only $20K? They never talk about this, but it is almost certainly in a high-crime neighborhood. Therefore, it will never be renovated because no one with money will want to live there and have their personal safety at risk.
Neighborhoods can change very quickly if a few people begin renovating homes. That’s why “gentrification” is in the news so often. If the neighborhood is close to better neighborhoods that are in high demand, it has the potential to improve fast.
@@ThreeRunHomer Gentrification is a rare phenomenon. It only happens in a small number of places near hot areas where real estate prices are shooting up. Mostly once crime sets in, businesses flee, people flee, and the only people left are those who can't afford to move. Then the terminal rot sets in. Remember: crime causes poverty (not the other way around).
@@Nordic_Sky ha, no. Gentrification happens everywhere except towns and cities that completely dead economically. If you live where no neighborhoods have been seriously upgraded over the 10 to 20 years, then you might want to move to a place with a pulse.
@@ThreeRunHomer If you travel around the US, you'll find out that most of the bad neighborhoods are staying bad. They are not being gentrified. Gentrification is the exception. There is a lot of gentrification in So Calif where I live, but it is the exception.
It's not a high crime area, this is like the only abandoned house in the neighborhood, there is always a cop doing rounds here all the time, if it was truly a high crime area the house would be a trap house or have squatters but it doesn't.
The front porch’s brick arches are not original, perhaps something more open and lighter?
Not sure why this guy doesn’t incorporate original elements into the renovation. I hate seeing removal of old stuff just for the sake of something new. I would certainly keep that fireplace with its beautiful tile surround and hearth. I would also keep that wonderful original kitchen sink and bring the claw foot bathtub inside and use it in the new bathroom. The front porch is hideous. It needs to be opened up to accommodate a couple of rocking chairs. Love the idea of extending to a wraparound porch.
Keeping original elements costs money. Stripping lead paint can be costly. If you are doing it yourself in your own house, that's different.
I’d definitely build out, the left side would be great for a large porch or conservatory. I’d love to see th grounds beautifully planted and landscaped too.
Same here. Hi Lisa hope you’re safe from the Covid?
that one is in pretty rough shape! Can't wait to see how it's going to turn out!
imo the arched porch looks like something scabbed on in the 60s or 70s. i really question taking that and using it as an interior theme.
I LOVE this house. It could be so beautiful with some love!
I would wrap the driveway around the back. Knock down the existing garage and build the garage back there with a deck on top. 2 birds one stone. Less grading on the side lot.
Next we will renovate medival castles 🏰
That arched porch may be original (not covered with the fake brick of course). It is not common, but sometimes seen on shingle-style houses from around 1895 - 1906 or so. Usually the arches are broader. Of course it will be clear by looking at the construction materials underneath when the fake brick is removed. We have some houses of this style here in Portland, OR.
Im all about keeping and restoring old buildings, but this one feels wrong. Old houses should be preserved, no teared down wall, the maximum should be kept, that’s the charm and character of old houses. Not just mantles, but also the baseboards, old windows, and even the layout. An old house should be old and look old. The idea of the arches in the doorways isn’t bad, but it isn’t what the house is about. I even doubt that the arched on the front are original
This "renovation" project sounds more like tearing completely down the original structure with a brand new contemporary style home. If I'd buy an old house, my goal would be trying to restore it to its glory instead of replacing completely with something modern, losing all the charm (I'm aware this building looks more like some haunted manor, but maybe the decaying state doesn't help lol).
I think he tries to modernise it while keeping historical elements.
@@jalifritz8033 Just buy a modern or new built home. He pulls out all of the details to replace with "modern lifestyle" monotony. Gross. And after adding up all the costs for removing half of the house.. It's no longer an inexpensive home.
I’m not understanding the fascination with the archway. You can see it was an add-on. If not it would have been covered in the insal brick.
That fireplace appears to be Victorian / turn of the century. This dates the home to an earlier era.
Would love to see how this renovation turned out.
bookmark 105 Lynnwood Ave in East Pittsburgh.. nothing rehabbed yet on google maps as of July 2023.
The doors to the parlor could be made into pocket doors. Just love the flooring in the upstairs bedrooms. Neat house.
It’s absolutely beautiful. Hi Kathy how are you doing with your family i do hope you’re safe from the Covid?
Andy, thank you for caring. My family is doing ok. I haven't got my Covid shot yet. I hope you and yours are having a good time. Thank you for highlighting my comment. I like that house.
@@goldenviolet hi you’re always welcome. Me and my family are safe too am happy to hear that. Do you like we talk on somewhere better so we can get to know each other’s as friends?
It looks like the house is on a slope. Could that contribute to the foundation cracks? I would not be touching anything in that home without gloves.
What does gloves have to do with foundation cracks?
@@ln7989 Are foundation cracks inside or outside the home? Did he not touch random things inside the home?
@@bren7067 I genuinely don’t know that’s why I’m asking lol. So touching stuff in the home will make the foundation crack more?
@@ln7989 Gloves comment is unrelated to the cracks in the foundation, which are most noticeable outside and possibly in the basement room he didn't show us. The house has probably just settled a bit from being built on a hill. All that peeling plaster is covered in lead paint, which is toxic at very low levels but not obviously so, and the dust from it is going to be everywhere, if he has kids he needs to strip in the garage/basement when he gets home because he'll track it in on his clothes. Which is one of the many reasons to keep the basement bathroom and just add a new one to the second floor, it doesn't hurt to have an extra bathroom.
Nothing's been really scrubbed in 10+ years either. Old houses like that, where someone grew up in a house and died in it, tend to have lots of old grime like the light switch he showed. It accumulates so slowly you don't notice unless you've been gone a while and come back, but I dare you to tell grandma her light switches are dirty.
I would love to see how this turns out! No bathroom except in the basement?! Wow
It’s a former coal miner home in the past coal miners first went into the basement to clean themselves up before going up,so dirt stayed outside the living area.
That’s how you know the narrator is completely wrong about it having been built in the 30s
What's on the 3rd floor or attic? Is it usable space? So happy to see the focus on restoring old homes!
It's not restoration. Which is keeping more than just a few details.
Not even 4 minutes in, and I'm convinced that this house is a money pit.
Big time.
You won't be disappointed with New York City. I plan to move there in a few years. Look forward to the next season.
I think the fireplace is almost original and the front arches are new. I think the connected bedroom on the top floor is a washroom. This hous looks like someone tried to modernize it.
Pittsburgh is notorious for houses with bathrooms in the basement. My grammy had one. My sister too.... in both houses she lived in...
That fireplace is original to the house its beautiful and intact it should not be replaced. Keeping some of original features is a must not a super modern reno
I live in Brisbane Australia so I found the lack of large windows and verandahs weird. Also the lack of eaves ... There was no mention of how the sunlight moves in the and no mention of the surrounding community.
I would also make renovations that made the house low maintenance and would also have inclusion and accessibility in mind.
I love these videos; the fact is >95% of our housing already exists, lived-in or vacant.
Whether or not the appraisal and ideas are accurate, I appreciate seeing something that needs love, versus some stars' modern homes that are just disgusting excess
Love those old heart pine floors!
It looks from the front of the house like there is an attic room, do you know if there is one?
This guy identifies the original features and advocates ripping them all out! 🤯
Hard to find a reputable & experienced carpenter for renovations. Trade s hools teach build it fast, build it cheap.😮
A fir floor sanded down won’t take a stain very well, they were usually painted/grained.
Along with Cincinnati, Pittsburgh has the potential of becoming one of the best cities in the US IMO.
Such a gorgeous house. It makes me wonder what happened to the owners through the years, that caused them to let the house run down so badly.
Maybe the sound of gun shots outside.
Nice moldings but all covered with layers of paint, stripping this will be a nightmare. It looks like walls and window alignment are way off kilter. Important to figure out is the local housing market, you don't want to be the most expensive house on the block, you want to be in a market that can sell, and target who would be a likely buyer. You showed the garage drive very close to what appears to be a street corner, will the city allow access there? The building will require completely new electric, plumbing, and heating. There is no main floor powder room meaning running up stairs every time the urge happens. My market sense says that this needs to be flipped for less than $100k total.
I hate to say it but it seems like this property was never built with long term sustainability in mind. They didn’t have that in mind when building, not neglecting, nor abandoning; so it may just be worth salvaging for material
wow hope you can get the work done. very positive.
I think adding a garage could kill the style of the house. These were row homes not meant for garages.
This is an awesome series!! Please make more!!
Great video, can't wait to see the result,
The layout of this house is very similar to a 1910s rowhouse I rented in DC!
It looks like it house has an attic with a window. It would have been great to see that. Was there a closet under the stairs? Will there be space in the basement to add a laundry room? Or any other usable space?
Would love to see someone actually rebuilt this the way you described it.
I can just imagine this guys great great grandchild the architect talking about restoring the charm of tract housing in a planned development. Trying to restore the beige carpet and bringing back the charm of plastic vertical blinds. And saving the $1 sq ft Home Depot Chinese tiles.
There's no way. This house is basically an entire re-build and not even close to being a good idea in that neighborhood.
Is there an after video of ty his home??
Is that linoleum asbestos? I started removing mine and my brother yelled at me to stop. He does floors and told me linoleum from certain years were asbestos. I think it was 50s?
all the way into the 70's
So what happened? Was the house remodeled or razed? If remodeled, what did it look like afterwards?
There are many historically large cities that have these abandoned homes.. down south below and in Arkansas.. lots of neighborhoods looking almost blighted