Monday, March 14, 2016

So What's Going On?

Hey fellow blogger friends and blog readers. It's been pretty quiet here. 4 posts in as many months is not really what I've been aiming for. So what's been going on? Honestly, I'm flat broke. In the negative, actually. If it weren't for my current financial predicament, more work would be happening on the house. I have several projects planned, and there's still lots of little things I could do around the house (where I already have the materials), but because I'm currently between jobs, I'm also in kind of a funk, so I'm not feeling too excited about anything. One of these little projects would be to finish the drywall (mud) in the "L" Room closet. Not exactly a fun project.

I am still technically working at the upholstery shop, but it's just been really slow, and not much has been coming in. I worked on a sofa last week, but that was just half a week of work.

In the meantime, I will try to add a few "Cornwall Homes" posts, and filler posts because I hate to see the blog be so inactive.

I might also be starting a new and exciting project which I would share with you guys (provided I get their permission). This would be helping out 2 of my friends rehab/renovate a rather dilapidated old farmhouse. The main building has great bones, but it's in pretty rough shape. It is divided a lot like a small Foursquare, with 3 main rooms on the first floor, and 3 rooms above (one being a bathroom). It has a wonderful Victorian staircase, and the remaining original trim has rosette corners. The kitchen is currently in an addition on the back. Pretty much every single surface will need work (all the walls, mouldings, floors, and utilities), as well as the roof, foundation, some windows, and parts of the exterior. It is not quite a gut renovation, but there is a bunch of wallpaper to remove, and the entire second floor is covered in paneling. Everything throughout will need repainting or some kind of cosmetic work.

The entire back half seems to either be a much older barn, or a poorly tacked-on addition that LOOKS like a barn. This half is attached to the house, but only part of the "back barn" has a proper foundation (which also has large cracks). The kitchen is within the part that sits on the foundation. The rest is completely crooked and sagging (sinking). The space looks amazing, but I have no idea how expensive or difficult it would be to add a proper foundation to it. It's also in the kind of condition where you can see through some of the walls (it's all just a bare wood skeleton). The main house seems to date to around 1860-70-ish, but the attached barn is made up of hand hewn log beams held together with pegs. It's OLD. Possibly early 1800s. Some of the beams are maybe 12" square and span the complete width without any other centre supports (which is why there's a bunch of sag in the floor above).

I was there with them over the weekend (we went to an auction) and I really loved the place. It has a nice country charm to it, and I could easily see myself living there. I'm happy to help out my friends make this house beautiful again.

The home used to belong to her aunt, but it hasn't been lived in for something like 3 years. It basically just had a bunch of cats living in it. My friend and her husband have been house hunting for a while, and while this family house is not really in an idea location for where they current work, they can basically have the house for free, so they're really considering moving there, and switching jobs if needed.

I offered them help, advice, and suggestions (especially while I'm not working), so there's a good chance I'll take photos and share them here.

10 comments:

  1. I hope the new job works out. I'd love watching the restoration of a house that old. I do hope they'll be paying you....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well they are good friends, and they aren't too rich either, so the help I offered them was free. They might toss a few bucks my way, but I was happy to help them fix the place and offer my suggestions.

      Delete
  2. I look forward to reading about your new project. I hope it works out. I also hope that work opens up for you soon, too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is really interesting to see your upholstery work! How do the furniture look after you had worked on it :) I would be pretty much appreciated if you could share it with us! Thanks in advance!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is an entire separate blog dedicated to the upholstery. I only post occasional pieces to this blog (special or extraordinary pieces that I especially liked to work on). http://lefebvreupholstery.blogspot.ca/

      Delete
  4. Anything you've posted has been interesting, JC. I look forward to reading more about your house or the Dilapidated Farmhouse-- (I believe you've inadvertently given that project a name!) --or both.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Really wish I lived closer, have an upholstery/repair project that can use your combination of talents. & have some excess building materials from my old house that you could probably use that I'd be happy to pass along to you. Hopeful that things will pick up for you. Pat (in Chicago area)

    ReplyDelete
  6. There is something wrong with the world that a person with your abilities and great talent is not overwhelmed with good work.

    It just ain't right.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup. Part of the problem for me (especially with the trade jobs) is that I don't have a vehicle or a license. There are a few construction related offerings, but you would think I'd be able to find something.

      It's sad to say, but many of the trades are slowly dying. The upholstery work has been gradually slowing down over the past few years, and there aren't that many people interested in paying for "investment pieces" (like quality furniture). Most people are content buying mass produced garbage that only lasts a few years.

      Even places like framing shops aren't busy enough to need an extra pair of hands. Not a ton of people are buying art either (not in my area at least). It's all about electronics and media. People are too stuck to their phones and computer screens.

      Delete
  7. Hi,
    I have missed you, the Old House sounds perfect for you to work on and give expert advice. Wish you were being paid. What usually happens is that you will be so busy on the house, then offered a job.
    Take care

    ReplyDelete