Before.....help.! |
Dear readers. You may
be familiar with the PBS television show “This Old House”. This show features several restoration
experts who spend other people’s money to repair large, old homes with high
ceilings. There is also a magazine
version of the same program. The
producers re-package the TV show in a print version of TOH and sell it to
people like me. The readers and viewers
naively look at the pretty photos or the show and think they can do the
same quality work that a team of technicians do after the TV show’s hosts go to
a bar to get hammered following the day of filming.
This Old House has a page in the back of the magazine they call “Save This Old House” that highlights some old home that must be moved, or restored, or it will be demolished. They profile the home, give its history, its measurements, its turn on, turn offs, and fetishes. The editor hopes someone will be lured in and try to fix up the home.
After - Artist's rendition. |
To: the Editors of This Old House Magazine. Submitted for “Save This Old House” section.
The history:
There has been a lot of documented history that occurred near to where this old house is sitting. This old house is located
just a few miles from the alleged spot, that in, 1687
Fast forward three hundred years. Then stop and go back a few years, to the time when this old house was built.
Before - Interior: hazardous living conditions |
Why save this old house? Of
course this old house was not here when La Salle explored the area, but if it
were, it would almost be worth saving.
This old house was originally conceived of as a weekend retreat from the
big city. This modest structure served
the needs of a typical Texas family on weekend outings and holiday
gatherings. It is a hand built home,
with no unique distinctions except for the decade’s long construction time
period. It is built entirely from locally
kiln dried wood, forged steel nails and surplus windows and doors, It is a time
capsule of amateur construction methodology from the late 1960’s.
This structure
was built before the era of You Tube or Google, where the novice builder could
get the guidance needed to almost succeed at a construction project. Also, this project did not have the benefit
of nail guns, laser guided saws, or battery powered anything, yet is still
standing, however precariously, forty years later. It is a testament to the
fact that if you use
enough nails, even a poorly built structure will stay upright. No matter that the floors sag and the walls
may not be square, it is a stalwart example of what can be created from surplus
and reclaimed materials. There are many
styles of architecture that designers are familiar with. Such as Victorian, Tudor, Neo Classical,
etc. Architects would probably put this old house in
its own category and call it "Creak Revival".
What it needs: For
a mere $200,000 contribution, cash only, you will have the privilege to literally
save history. Replace the siding, gut
the master bath, and add
air conditioning would be a few of the preservation suggestions. After restoring this old house
you will have the personal satisfaction that the owners will get years of
contentment from your cash infusion. You will be sent a lovely 8 x 10 color photo of the finished rehab, suitable for framing, if you provide a postage paid envelope.
After - Ahhhh |
Unlike the
explorer La Salle, you will be remembered for finding the fountain of youth for
this old house.
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