help house falling apart?

Question

i am decorating my living room again after only 11 months but this time i am stripping all th gloss f the woodword to satin and varnish..trouble is the house is over 100 years old and ive taken the dado rail down and a bit of the plaster had came with it .my problem is ive been left to do it aone now(im a girl) how to i repair these ive bought new rails oh and the skirtinf board was removed also but on wall in places i can see down to the 3 foot drop below my floor boards helppppp

well you all made me giggle thats worth summit

now you all got me worried the girl next door had double glazing fitted and all the front of her house fell in ..plus this is a house right by the shore does that make a diffrence?

Answer 1

Now look. Just because your a woman (if you are over 18, you are NOT a girl) doesn't mean you can't attempt some serious do-it-yourself projects. Get over the helpless female thing.

First thing, I would hire a home inspection service to ascertain just how bad the deferred maintenance is on your house. Remember, you have a Victorian home, perhaps well worth restoring. You can probably do a lot of the work yourself.

Then, go down to Home Depot, with your list from the home inspector, and tell them your dilemma. They have tutorials in the store that can help, also they have reasonable independent contractors who can do installations.

You can do it. Other women have, so can you.

Answer 2

Dear Joanne B,Been just where you are .100 year old house and falling apart, know any structural engineers?FIRST thing to do is go stay with a friend for awhile,just until you are sure the house is safe to live in .I would photograph every thing I did and take those to the local technical school that teaches residential construction ,the instructors can and will help you for a modest fee.OR even just a nice smile.When I did my house ,there were special rules,It was in an historic preservation area.The instructors at the school used my storm windows as a project to teach joinery ,measuring,and glazing.I paid for the wood,and glass at the schools price and three dollars a window .Before you ask that was in the mid nineties.It does not hurt to ask.Wear protective clothing when you work,and even before.Small things like the proper kind of mask and gloves make a huge difference,Safety glasses may save your sight and even your life.Take lots of pictures,have fun ,send us a blog about.. Happy renovating.

Answer 3

cover the plaster with wainscot(sp?)and put a new chair rail up...
they can be found at Lowe's or Home Depot, also ask the guys that work there sometimes they are a fountain of knowledge....

another thought, look for a local handyman,check out craigslist.com someone there might be able to help you... if they work for a company, check the better business beureau(BBB) to make sure there are no complaints about them if they have a company and ask for references.

Craigslist is a good resource perhaps in the barter/trade area...

Good luck... I hope you house repairs/improvements go well...

Answer 4

I feel you. I just bought a 100 year old school house, and upon doing some small remodels, found MUCH larger problems.
The first thing I did was call in a contractor for estimates. As it turns out, I couldn't afford to have him fix it, but just from talking to him, and hearing what he would do, I found out what I could do to fix it.
So, that's where I would start. Most contractors I found gave free estimates, and at least then you'll have a professional opinion to go on.

Answer 5

For big holes in the wall you need to fix it with plaster. Put a board behind the wall held with string. Touch up small places with wall board joint compound. Let it dry before you paint it. Good luck. PS Don't breath to much of the stripping stuff if it is the kind that will knock you out.

Answer 6

Well most homes make noises from heat expansion, cold contraction, and a whole multitude of other things that are fine, just "settling". If you are hearing really loud noises as you indicate and are in fear that something is structurally wrong with your house then please have a structural engineer evaluate it. With a high water table and deck railings going out of square I would venture to say perhaps the house is sinking. Not to panic but definitely have someone come and evaluate your soil and foundation.

Answer 7

YOu need to patch the plaster before re-installing the newly re-finished railing They make a kit that will do this nicely that has filberglass netting to hold the plaster patch.

Answer 8

This is more than you should take on unless you are a hands on professional. Therefore you need a pro. If you want to get your home done right, then hire someone to help.

Answer 9

house falling

Answer 10

Phone a hire a hubby and let a man take care of it for you. He might even be worth watching as he does it.