Things Only People Who Live In a 100 Year Old House Will Understand

Old houses are pretty cool!  They have lots of character, they have stood the test of time, and many people buy them every year.  If you live in a house built in the late 19th century, or early 20th century than you no doubt have dealt with these things.

Have your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers ready for electrical fire.

Knob and tube was the first way they did electrical wiring in homes.  It was groundbreaking in it's day, but safer ways have been developed over the years.  Overloaded knob and tube wiring has caused many house fires.  Make sure you've got a good smoke detector, and it's best to replace it if you can.

You can't get anything up or down the stairs

Back in the day, people were smaller and their possessions were smaller.  Seriously, King size beds weren't common in the early 1900's.  Most beds were twin size and a husband and wife would sleep in different beds.   Our single biggest headache with our older home is trying to get a decent bed in our upstairs.  We've had to become very creative.   This also applied to sheet rock and other materials we were using when we did some remodeling.

Don't put anything on the basement floor, the foundation leaks

Most of these houses were built before concrete foundation was used.  That means you may have a stone foundation, or something similarly simple.

How many people have died in here?

Shortly after we moved into our older home, we had someone stop by on the street and tell us their uncle's family used to live there until he died.  In the living room.   Great.  Thanks.

Stairs, stairs, and more stairs

Apparently in the early 1900's, the only place to build was straight up.

Need to find a stud, haha!  I laugh in your face

Hanging a picture?  How about trying to hang a cabinet.  That good old bubble construction will leave you guessing and putting three times as many screw holes in the plaster than you needed to.  Stud finders just add to the confusion.

However, there are positives to owning an older home like:

Better construction!

They really don't build them like they used too.  If the house is still standing solid, it was built to last and it will continue that way for years.

Better character!

Newer houses are so cookie cutter.  It's like they came out of the same boring book of plans.  Older houses are more like an old tree.  It's like they are alive.

Stronger framing!

Houses built 100 years ago were built using "old growth" lumber.   This means it was harder wood, denser wood, and stronger wood.  It's true!

So much more potential!

There is nothing like buying an older home and fixing it up and giving it life again.  Not to mention you can sure add a lot to the resale value with a little elbow grease!