Is A Building Built In 1911 Too Old?
Hi All, and Happy Father's Day. I'm considering buying a brick building that was built in 1911. The building does need some work including a new roof and some maintenance which has been long deferred. There are many other buildings in the general area that are of a similar age. My question is this. Would you not purchase the building because of it's age? Is there an age at which you no longer choose to buy? If so, what is it and a brief why if you would. Thanks in advance.
As a member of the obsolete generation I am schoked and amazed that you would even consider this an old house. It is a senior dwelling.
Now old my house in Saffron Walden in the wilds of England is old. 1640. Other then the dents in some of the beams where I hit my head it is in perfect shape. The thatch roof I had removed and duplicated in a more workable material. The mice that lived there were really upset and formed little groups with signs who circled the house during the installation of the new roof.
Yes I did install some rather up to date plumbing, the old method of just opening a window and throwing was a bit out of date and the new neighbors were a bit aghast. But the new plumbing solved everything.
I did a house here in Hollywood and the original house made of mud blocks was built in 1797 It was the gate keepers house for an old nunnery founded by two butch nuns who were right behind dear father Juniper Sero er whatever. Lots of things hidding here in the hills of Hollywood. That house was really a nothing. The fireplace had emplanted old parts of wine bottles as part of its structure. Now that was a job. But we coupled it to a really far out modern redwood and glass three story. Hooked it with a glass way connecting the two houses. Planted the glassway with plants and in one spot a great big tree protruded up into the outside. Pretty far out. It was a lot of fun building it.
I think somewhere in Italy the souls of those two butchy nuns approved. They were a trip, I read their diaries in the Vatican. I was supposed to go there and hang out with the Society for the er something about information gathering, but I found the library and there I stayed. Surrounded by Jesuits and Mary Knollers. What a time now thats learning history for real..
Cheers Lucius
Well not to attempt to match Lucius and two butch nuns (I know when I am outclassed) but. . .
As I sit writing to you I am in the 4th floor of a building built in the 1920's. Not quite as old as 1911 but also not quite middle aged as I see it. We did do a renovation, built a bunch of soundproof rooms which we rented to rock and roll bands for rehearsal space. Now while the vibrations from electric gituars are no match for those california earth tremors they do manage to pump out some decibels. So far no complaints from the neighbors, however. Something about 18 inch thick brick walls being effective sound barriers.
We also re-did the controls for one of the two elevators. Switching relays that looked like they came out of a frankenstein movie. The elevator contractor wanted to sell me some solid state electronic gadget called a computer to run the thing but I said no way. "I want the latest technology available from 1970". Sure enough it has run quite effectively ever since. Had one of those computer controlled elevators one time. No one could figure out the software and it cost $16,000 to install. Total materials for this thing were about $1,200 though there was a good bit of time figuring out the wiring diagram. The freight elevator hear still works on the original 1920's controls and I suppose I will replace them in another 20 or 30 years when they wear out.
Anyway, I live in the top floor on top of 70 rock bands and it suits me just fine. I thought I was going to sell it for a while this spring, put it on the market at a price I thought was outrageous. Low and behold people actually bid it up almost to the asking price. I was so depressed at the thought of moving that I called the broker and cancelled the listing before anybody could bid full price and I would owe a commission.
The floor joists here are 6 inches by 15 inches every 30 inches on center. The subfloor is 3 by 6's. That gives a floor rating of 100 lbs per square foot. You won't find that in a modern building without steel and concrete.
So 1911 wouldn't worry me. But then again I grew up in a farmhouse built in the 1830's. Spent the summer I was 12 installing ductwork for a furnace-- my father claimed I would be better at this job than him because I was smaller and could fit into the crawl space better. I think he just didn't like spiders. A hundred years plus and no-body had bothered to install a furnace in southern Ohio? Then there is the story of the day the man from the health department came to ask about the privy . . . . .
The more relevant question than age is use, of course. What will you do with it? Who will rent it? How can you re-deploy it so that it is desirable? You don't give any information that could be useful in answering those questions but if your only concern is age don't worry about it. After all you will be old someday too, wouldn't you like someone to be willing to spend a few bucks to make you look better and be useful in your old age?
Just run the numbers.
How much you're going to spend to renovate it? Plumbing? Electric wiring? Foundation? Termites? Check if it is a conforming structure, because if one day the building gets burned or ruined, you migh not be able to rebuild it the way it was: which will bring up additional expenses such as new plan approval fees, building permit or whatever comes with it (I am not a developer).
You said there are other houses in that area about the same age, so that's good. Sometimes, if you buy an "odd" house it becomes harder to sell it.
If everything allright and you purchase it for the bargain price considering upcoming maintanance, then I think that's fine.
[ Edited by Olga on Date 06/21/2004 ]
If the building is in CA look if your locale has mandatory seismic retrofitting for brick vaneer building.
As came up in another topic, the likely hoot of lead paint and asbestos is pretty high as well.