We thought we bought a sweet 1906 two story Victorian home with three bedrooms and one and a half baths. Now we have the potential of owning not two levels, not three levels, but four levels of living space. We are going from a single level nine hundred square foot two bedroom condominium to a possibly four level over three thousand square foot home. Mind boggling!
So many aspects of change to consider. We lived in Hawaii for over fifty years where the weather is consistent year round. There is no need for winter clothes, let alone insulation, or heating. Windows remain open year round. Now our Mainland move necessitates we consider what is proper shelter to survive extreme winters.
Our primary concern is the bones of the home: the insulation, the heating, the plumbing, wiring, windows, the roof, and, of course the foundation… that scary foundation. They all need inspecting. They might need updating. As we wait to learn more about what we actually need, we pour over articles discussing the pros and cons for addressing the different needs of each area.
I pour over articles discussing the pros and cons of different heating systems. Should we keep the radiators or go with forced air? After fifty years of running around barefoot, could I wear shoes all winter? Or, is it possible to keep the floors warm enough I still could run around barefoot? My mind races. Shoes and I have never been best friends. I was born with square little feet that have resented shoes from the beginning. Hawaii has been ideal for me. But, now we will be on the Mainland and in a not barefoot friendly area.
Frantically, I research ways for my feet to remain free. Radiant flooring! I discover radiant flooring! But, it is expensive! A whole lot more expensive than keeping radiators or even switching to forced air. But, it is also quite energy efficient if installed properly.
“Sweetheart,” I say. “ You know I hate wearing shoes. What would you think if we put in heated floors so I could still be barefoot?”
He blanches! “What? That will cost a fortune!”
“Yes,” I admit. “But, it can be quite energy efficient.”
“My barefoot contessa, what am I going to do with you?” he chuckles. “Check with Patrick to see how expensive it would be.”
When we broach the subject with Patrick, he tells us he will look into the cost and give us an estimate.
Because the house sat vacant for eight years the extreme winter cold caused the basement floor to heave. The floor needs to be dug up and replaced, but the foundation is solid. Item two on our expense list, but not as bad as we feared.
Also, the actual heating system was destroyed when the basement floor heaved. Item three!
Wiring, so critical to the safety of a home, is on the list too. Turns out some old knob and tube remains in the house. We enjoy electronic gadgets so proper wiring is necessary to operate them safely. And we need a whole house surge protector. Item four…
This is a huge home. We need at least a 400 amp fuse box to run the house safely. The list grows longer by the minute.
Yikes! What have we gotten ourselves in to?
We look at each other and almost simultaneously say. “We haven’t even thought
about the kitchen!” We know from pictures there is very little left to even consider salvaging.
But, we still have the house’s basic needs to repair or replace. The plumbing has not been updated so that gets added to the list.
We set aside making decisions about insulation and windows until after we arrive in the spring. After all, we arrive in April… warmer months ahead.
Decisions… Decisions… Decisions… sigh…
