That’s spot on about the surprises—last year I opened up a wall and found an old cast iron vent pipe that had basically disintegrated. Never would’ve ...

Honestly, I’ve found that jumping straight to a full overhaul can open a whole new can of worms, especially in an old house. Half the time, I end up c...

That’s a good point about conversions being full of surprises. Our place is from the 1920s, and every “quick” project turns into a scavenger hunt for ...

I’ve wondered about those too. My place is almost a hundred years old, so I’m always half-expecting to find a surprise leak somewhere. I’ve stuck with...

Totally get what you mean about the basics—fresh paint or fixing old trim does wonders. I live in a house from the 1920s, and trust me, if the floors ...

Great suggestion about the rain garden—I hadn't thought of that before. Have you tried it yourself, or seen it work well for someone else? I've been d...

Totally agree that asking the inspector directly can really help. Did you find it easy to get clear answers from yours? Mine was pretty approachable, ...

I've been following along and get your logic, but I'm curious—does your lock have a backup option if the battery completely dies? Mine has these littl...

That's a great point about insulation and ductwork. I had a similar experience with my old Victorian—thought the HVAC was on its last legs, but turns ...