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Are you thinking of getting a dog?

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Originally posted by Steve Miller:

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Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
Our 1880-era house has 3x8 joists on every floor. The contractor says elephants could dance on the top floor and the house wouldn’t move.

The mansard roof is slate and exactly one tile is cracked, probably in 140 years.

The doors are solid wood. Very quiet compared to my 1990s house in Massachusetts.

Yeah, there are things that need to be upgraded, and the insulation is poor. But the house has, as they say, good bones.

I saw a slate roof going on the other day but I can’t imagine it was cheap. I can see how they’d last forever but I can’t imagine trying to find a competent slater to make necessary repairs. He’d have to be old enough I’d worry about him falling off of the roof.

Mansard, you say. What is the flat part constructed of? The new torch-on systems work very well but if it’s an older pine tar deal you’re going to have to watch it.

The thing to look at in a pre-1900 house is balloon framing. It’s a bit of a fire hazard, but the main thing to mitigate is cold air flowing up the walls from the ground to the attic. I have to believe there are insulation strategies that mitigate this issue.

3x8 joists (ceiling framing) or studs (wall framing)? An 8” stud cavity will allow for lots of blown in insulation and I’d invest in installing every bit that I could.

The 8” joists are interesting. Modern houses use engineered joists that are about 12” tall but made with particle board on edge. Remarkably strong - and light. It would be interesting to see test data on their performance vs. 3x8 dimensional lumber.

In 1880 it might have been hardwood. That would make a difference.

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Anyone remember the Tom Hanks comedy The Money Pit? We are living it.

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Have you added “fenced yard” to your list of desired amenities?

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We stripped a ton of trim in one of our first houses...