HELP ASAP - Interested in buying a 1862 log cabin home

[skhousto]

Hi

My fiance and I are first home buyers and looking for a fixer upper property. Just recently a 1862 log home is available on 1.5 acre lot. It needs to be fixed in relation to floors, stairs, walls, roof, 2nd floor. Maybe plumbing, wiring.. (cant tell yet)

However we arent sure how much log cabins (specifically this age) are worth in GTA? Is it worth buying it? Is there demand for old log homes etc..?

What should you look for in an old log home like this? ie repairs .. renovations
What to avoid?

Secondly what can be done with a sloped 2nd floor?

Cheers
Sarah

[rreidnauer]

What should you look for in an old log home like this?

Rot . . . . especially in the bottom log(s). If the logs are touching soil at any point, there will definitely be rot, and probably termite damage. A failing or crumbling foundation would be another thing to watch out for. These would cost you loads to repair. A home inspector would be a very good person to have with you before signing anything.

To find a fix for the second floor, it would be necessary to phyisically see what is wrong in the first place.

Please, keep us informed of your decisions.

[skhousto]

Thanks for the info regarding the foundation.

The house was built on a concrete pad, and its look fine as far as we can see.

Yes we understand about the house inspection, we are trying to identify potential problems before a housing inspector sees it. Of course our offer will be conditional upon housing inspection.
However so far we are still interested.

Oh yeah the house has the original windows spun glass. Ive personally never see it or heard of it before but I just started looking into obtaining a log home. Are those windows worth keeping? They seem to be in good condition on the main floor.. upstairs one window is cracked so needs to be replaced.

Sarah

[rreidnauer]

Hmmmm, concrete pad in 1862 seems to be a contradiction, but then, maybe I'm wrong, or the cabin was moved at some point in it's life.

As for the windows, I personally would keep them, at very least the glass itself and use it in new windows. I think that it contributes to the authenticity of the structure. Also, I wouldn't replace the cracked pane, (unless it's a hole) if I couldn't find a accurate replacement. I'd rather just seal the crack with something like clear silicon or even go as far as taking it to a glass blower to see if there would be a way to seal it up.

Personally, I like things from the 19th century. I'd hate to see them windows go to waste.

Any chance of getting pictures of the place posted?

[Heritage Log Home Owner]

Hi All

Sorry for the delay, here are few of pics of the house that I purchased..

I love the home.. even though its a TLC home..

A log home builder today me when I asked them about a few issues regarding the house that I should build a new log home. Forget about it, its not worth my time to attempt to repair it.

Is what you all think about the old log homes.. I hope not..

Sarah

[Heritage Log Home Owner]

Hi

I forgot to add the link

http://photobucket.com/albums/e160/1800slogcabin/

Cheers
Sarah

[rreidnauer]

. . . . . . its not worth my time to attempt to repair it. Is what you all think about the old log homes.. I hope not..

Ahhhh, so you got it. Congrats!

Heck no. I certainly don't think that way. I'd take an 19th century log home that needs work before I'd get a kit house. But then, I'm partial to most everything pre-WWII.

It's great to see this old house getting another chance to be someone's home.

[JeffandSara]

Hey, Sarah! Congratulations!!!!

Glad you got the home and that you love it! And I hope that now that you own it, you're finding fewer/smaller problems than you expected. As first time home owners, I could sure understand your worries in that regard.

On our property, we have a 1930s log house, and we've also been told by lots of people (though none with such an alterior motive as a log home builder :wink: ) that we ought to bulldoze the thing and build something new. Over my dead body, pretty much. :D

Our little house also has "issues". We're going to have to do some major demolition of non-log additions, and probably HUGE rennovations on plumbing and electrical. The whole roof structure is going to have to go and be completely redesigned.

But this little house was built by local indians who cut the trees off this property and lived in it with a dirt floor with their several children. The people who owned it next, in the late 30s, did a lot of improvements, but without much practical knowledge. A lot of things done "wrong" are going to need to be repaired/replaced, but there's a charm to that little house that can't be duplicated in a new structure. Heck, cutting those logs 75 years ago is the reason why we have a "meadow" in the middle of our property today.

Rod already mentioned, with his characteristic good sense, the potential issues of rotting lower logs. The past owners of our old log house had trouble with that, too. They took some drastic measures to protect the outside of the logs (concrete blockwork), so that isn't as much of an issue for us. However, the first thing we'll do when the widow of a previous owner finally moves out, is to re-grade the area around the house to keep dirt and water down away from the foundation. In your location, it's hard to see what the drainage is like, but dirt/moisture are a log's worst enemy, so good grading, keeping foundation plantings (and irrigation) away from the base of the house, etc. will all help you keep the house "healthier" longer.

We have built a big new log house which we live in, so the old log home will just be a guest house. But it's a part of both local and personal history, to us, that's worth saving and improving. I look forward to the challenge, and consider it to be a labor of love. Of course, my family also owns a 19th century cabin that's one of my favorite places on the face of the earth. Sure, it could be replaced with something newer, more efficient, etc., but can you REALLY "replace" something that was created more than 100 years ago? A friend of ours owned a house more than 250 years old. I used to visit there when I was a kid and the floors didn't just slope, they absolutely SWAYED... but it was the most terrific house ever, IMO.

The log builder you were talking to was clearly not thinking with his heart or an eye to history. We definitely live in a throw-away society. But thankfully not everyone IN our society is so ready to do the "out with the old and in with the new". People like you are saving a little bit of the past for all of our children. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!! :D :D :D

Sara :D

[clairenj]

Hi Sarah. Congratulations for finding such a beauty. We are very happy to live in our 1948 log home while we are restoring it. I won't lie, there are issues; but it is in a great spot and the fireplace works. We also are building a 2 story log addition to the back of this one. Living with the logs gave me an up close opportunity to examine the method. I also love the older things, but we are replacing our windows with insulated ones. Maybe if you decided to replace yours, you could use those oldies for a gorgeous sunroom or greenhouse. thanks for the pics. Claire