Can somebody hand me a towel? I'm drooling puddles on the tabletop here. This house is a-freakin-mazing. Unpainted original woodwork? Original light fixtures in storage? Intact built-ins? Be still my beating heart! Where I live, in its current condition that sucker would be priced at a quarter mil. Fully restored? Half a mil easy and probably three-quarters if in a desirable location. Without being able to see more of the exterior structure I'm not sure I could label it as a certain subtype of bungalow (and it's quite big for a bungalow, too) but I wouldn't tag it as a Tudor by a longshot... there are so many different influences that my instinct is simply to call it "Arts & Crafts" and leave it at that. (I'd have no problems with a haunted house, either. I get on well with ghosts - have had one before - and hang about with a passel of psychics and clergy of various flavors anyway.) That bathroom with the green plaid wallpaper above the tile is just begginging for a Bradbury, Trustworth, or Carole Mead frieze. Mmmm... (Did you know that Vandykes.com has vintage-style medicine cabinet kits that will coordinate nicely with that style of woodwork?) Re: the servants' bathroom, is that painted tile or scored plaster? If you decide to pull out that mini tub, either keep it with the house (goodness knows you have enough basement space to store it) or sell it, don't just pitch it - those are VERY hard to find! I'm guessing that's a 4-footer or perhaps even a 3 1/2 foot? A new 48" cast iron clawfoot runs about $1300 plus freight. 42" ones are almost impossible to find. The three sinks in the basement are very interesting, considering that a family of that economic stature would have been able to afford a gas or electric washing machine (and would have been mighty proud of it too!). I wonder if someone had a hobby that required multiple sinks - is there evidence that the spot it's in was ever used as a darkroom, perhaps? It looks like probably only the center set of taps is original. If I were physically able, I would grab a house like this in a split second. It is absolutely one of the loveliest houses I have seen for a long time, the "bones" are impressive and comparatively little has been done to screw it up! (There is little as pathetic as a thwarted old-house nut, except maybe a dogless dog person.) As for the mortgage, what about a FHA 203(k) rehabilitation loan?

Hey greenthumb0306 If your for interlocking tiles I recommend you check out our site. (www.coverdeck.com) We have various different tiles that are elevated to allow liquid drainage. Plus they snap together to make installation easier for you, and if a tile is ever needed to be taken up it won't be become a huge project. If you have some free time you should give us a call toll free at (800) 550-3325 or shoot us an email at support@coverdeck.com and one of our phone reps will be able to guide you through what tiles and equipment would best fit your fixer upper that your working on. Below I attached a photo of one of the projects we worked on using our Weatherstone Slate tiles.

This is our second home. When we left our first home right after completing the renovation we swore to ourselves a move in ready is what we want for the second time around. (We essentially did a flip without meaning to because of work circumstances) Hence the reluctancy to do it again. Like you all mention there is always SOMETHING that needs fixing that isn't cosmetic or seen but extremely necessary HVAC, insulation replacement, electrical updates, sewer line patching...etc. The first time around though we lived in it while being fixed up. While most of it wasn't so bad since we just closed off unfinished portions. We didn't move in until walls and floors were done. However, living without a kitchen was torture. Doing dishes in a bathroom sink gets old fast. So that would be the first thing for sure outside of structural issues. I am worried that this might end up being a tear down once all is said and done because of its age. The neighborhood house are all about the same age. In fact the house rental we are living in now was built around the same time. I would say 80/20 renovation vs. total level and rebuild. It is Phoenix AZ so perhaps the arid weather is a little easier on structures?? Our really good friends just bought the flip/renovation down the street from us with the same structural age. They did not do the changes themselves however, and are finding the choices to be obviously what was cheapest and quickest. So hopefully it won't be a tear down based off of what neighbors did. Thanks for bringing up asbestos and lead paint. Will have to look into that...what a nightmare.

Tell me again what is specifically personal about "Chuck in a Truck". That is neither personal nor an unknown term in the contracting industry. It not meant to be derogatory in my estimation and is merely meant to refer to persons that are sole proprietors that have little to no overhead in comparison. If you take issue with Fridge, by all means, take it up with him/her. I would respectfully request that you deal with them by name and leave me out of the response. If you would like to discuss the cost of doing business in a more employee driven system and why those expenses may be higher, I would be happy to do so. Perhaps it will give you some more insight and a better understanding as to why and how things cost the way they do in a different type of organization. For the record, I have more than a few friends that are enormously successful and competent contractors as sole proprietors. I take no issue with that, but to make a comment with regards to "mark-up" that it is merely a company making some enormous profit on the consumer, it flatly false, uninformed, and somewhat irresponsible. You are quite right, it is and open forum and you are more than entitled to your opinion. I would only caution that if you are going to hold yourself out as a resource of information, that the information be somewhat enforceable and factually based is all. I would no more cast dispersions about sole proprietor contractors that paint them in a negative light than I would comment on any large group of persons that are as varied and different as the weather. Perhaps that would be advisable for everyone when it comes to levying negative commentary that they be based in fact rather than opinion.