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Had a bad one last month framing a wall in a 1920s house
I was working on a renovation in St. Paul, framing a new interior wall. Got the top plate nailed in, bottom plate down, everything looked square. Went to set the first stud and realized I'd completely missed the joist above by about 4 inches. Had to pull the whole top plate and sister a new piece onto the joist underneath. Took me an extra hour and a half, plus I wasted a good 12 foot 2x4. Has anyone else had to deal with old houses where the joists don't line up with anything?
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hall.ruby5d ago
Classic old house tax. Bet it wasn't the last surprise either.
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troyjackson1d ago
You ever heard that old saying about buying a boat is just a hole in the water you throw money into? My buddy bought a 1920s fixer-upper and within a month the sewer line collapsed and he had to dig up half his front yard. He told me the realtor was real slick about the "charm" of old houses but forgot to mention the plumbing was held together with hope and rust. Does he regret it? Nah, he says the creaky floors and thick walls make it feel like home, even if his wallet's lighter.
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