A year or so after Jonathan and I married, plans were well underway to move forward with building a new house. We were trying to figure out exactly what we wanted, who we wanted to build it, etc., etc.
About a year ago, those plans changed dramatically. On Jonathan’s way home from work one day, he passed by the construction site for the new middle school and noticed that they were preparing the house that had been there for years to be moved. For whatever reason, he stopped and inquired about the house and they said it was for sale. He called me and I met him there and LOVED this house. It was quite spacious for a ranch, had four bedrooms (which we had to have), had a giant living room, and (best of all) had beautiful hardwood floors. We spent a lot of time there that day and went back over once the workers were gone to get a better feel for the house.
We knew nothing about what it would take to move this house, remodel it, etc., but we loved it enough to want to figure it all out. Originally, we were just going to move it, do everything required for that, and do some painting and sprucing up. Boy did that plan change! We ended up taking out walls to make a larger kitching, removing all the plumbing and electric, and doing a completely overhaul of this entire house.
Here we are 14 months or so later and we still don’t live there! With Jonathan and dad doing 98% of the work, it has been slow going at times, but I think it is so going to be worth it. We have both fallen in love with this house over the last year, and now we are so close to finally moving into it!! I am keeping my fingers crossed that the plumber shows up as planned tomorrow!!
Al Roethlisberger said,
June 27, 2008 @ 5:14 pm
Great, it’s always such good news to hear of a family finding their home, especially when it involves resurrecting an older structure and making it their own.
Old houses are such a treasure, and one can literally see, smell, and feel the families that have come before, and it makes one just wonder about all the conversations, family gatherings, and history these old home embody.
Denise and I hope the doors you picked up from our lot of salvage house parts worked out well for you.
And even though you don’t live in one of Sanford’s residential historic districts, you ought to consider joining the Historic Sanford Yahoo Group. Plus being a downtown Sanford business owner, it might be a local forum you find useful:
groups.yahoo.com/group/historic-sanford-nc/
Although not quite a blog, would you consider linking it via your list of local blogs and resources on the right? We’re always trying to find others interested in that community.
Well, good luck, and congratulations on finally getting close to moving in!
Al