100 Year Old House in Perfect Shape - Here’s Why!

We visited Brent Hull to walk around his restoration project of a nearly 100 year old home that's in incredible shape!
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[@Thoracius]

I like how much time they spend taking about how great the materials quality and workmanship of the all-original historic bathroom he just ripped out was.

[@shreddedvegetable]

you really want to shower in a lead shower?

[@johnhicks6367]

It was just the shower pan that was lead it had tile over it

[@rickrudd]

@@shreddedvegetable Absolutely. There are tens of thousands of houses that are 100+ years old that have "wiped lead" connections from the main into the house and/or lead supply lines. If you're using your water lines, then you're fine. If they sit unused, they should be flushed (run for a little while) before you use them. In my experience, the amount of lead in the line is so negligible that it doesn't even show up when tested. Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't swap them out when you're renovating - of course you should, but don't go ripping out original plaster walls because you're concerned about lead.

[@questioner1596]

Sometimes a homeowner wants modern conveniences, so even though the old washroom still works, it may not have the layout or features desired. Also, they are doing an extension, and the old washroom may have been in the way.

[@rabidsamfan]

I woulhave liked to see the tile work.

[@LoveColorado]

Fantastic bit of building history. When I was first glancing at the roof, I swore it was slate, but it’s clay,; shut the front door! Thanks so much of sharing!

[@berkscatbill5582]

The floor prep is called deefening. it was very common and necessary before latex acrylic fortified "thinsets" were available. The purpose was to "load" the joists so they wouldn't be so springy. Since the cement mortars were essentially pure they had no ability to flex. Loading the joists took the bounce out of the floor. The contractor did the prep work of putting a poor-quality cement mix into the lowered floor. the tile setter would finish the floor by adding an inch of dry mix sand and cement , tile, and grout in one installation. It was a good system, I've seen floors like this last well over 100 years. I've been a tile contractor since 85

[@watchthetoob]

I just had my bathroom redone, it's a large brick house from 1934. We had 6 inches of mortar/concrete with penny tiles, but half the bathroom was the cement, the other half they tore it up before I bought the house, which I think lead to the problems that I had. Everyone was confused as to why they did it that way, I know now.

[@mikeclarke3005]

Hey, great avatar, have that same one on several pages. Funny story, worked at a place (Secured place) years ago, My ID lamination had came off one time I substituted my picture for bill the cat that same one and no one ever noticed for about a year.

[@AdamSJarrett]

@@watchthetoob Just demo'ed my 103 year old bathroom and same exact thing. Concrete as thick as 6 inches in some spots, with small hexagon tiles, all under a layer of asbestos tiling they put on sometime in the 70's. It was an absolute bitch to gut, not to mention the walls were lined with half inch tiles on top of about 2 inch concrete attached to the walls on top of a metal mesh. I literally have no idea how the bathroom didn't collapse into the first floor with all that weight and someone cutting through a few joists in the floor as well.

[@infiniteadam7352]

Im so proud of you Matt, you have created a awesome show for us, I grew up watching "this old house " and I feel like this channel is an extension of that! Thanks Man! I Enjoy every show, every Tuesday and Friday!

[@kraven4444]

I used to do renovations in Manhattan and that building required Lead pans for all the new showers we did. Same with the metal "chicken Wire" as we called in, in the walls.

[@jimm6386]

The home I grew up in, in Philadelphia, had hardwood flooring throughout, radiator boiler heat, stained glass in the front and back doors, two car tuck under heated garage with a 16' ceiling, four large bedrooms, copper downspouts and gutters, slate Mansard style roofing/windows, heavy panel doors throughout with crystal/glass/brass door knobs, two way swinging kitchen door with stained glass and mirrors, separate breakfast room, full basement (unfinished), Speakman bathroom plumbing fixtures, handsome subway white tile in the back bath, master bedroom had a 3/4 bath full subway style tile shower, light green and purple tile half way up the walls and glass rod towel holders. Really incredible for $12,500.00 in 1951 when my parents bought it.

[@questioner1596]

An inflation calculator says that $12,500 is $131,250 today. I think a major difference is the value of land, but even a rural home today on a cheap lot would be over $200,000. There are also fewer young workers in the trades, which means the labour shortage must be accommodated by expensive machines.

[@brettzeigerbacher2314]

$500,000 roof? Very few people need to know more about that.

[@tempesttube]

$2k-$3k per square! 😱 Even that addition would be a small fortune.

[@usercid640]

what is this, a roof for hillary clinton?

[@CalebShelburne]

@@tempesttube Roofs are measured in "squares" which is 100 Sq ft at a time. So it's 2-3k per 100sq ft. So $20-30 per square foot.

[@snusmumriken232]

what is this, a roof for donald trump?

[@Crusader1815]

@@CalebShelburne So this house has way over 10,000 sq ft of roof area... huge house.

[@frmrstg1308]

Remodeling my 1912 house, the biggest "inconvenience" is that dimensional lumber was actually 2x4 back then.

[@MrSloika]

Yup, I live in a house that was built in 1927, I have the same problem.

[@curt2742]

Go to a saw mill

[@RachaelLynnMunson]

Yup! I managed to salvage some 2x4s from a neighbor’s house but you can’t mix the old studs with the new or your walls will be wonky! My house was built in 1918.

[@georgescotsdale361]

Why can’t you mix old and new 2x4s?

[@RachaelLynnMunson]

They are different sizes. And the original studs are completely square on the edges unlike the rounded edges of modern studs.

[@kevin7151]

I live in the Northeast and my home is over 85 years old. My roof is slate, 3/4" thick Vermont. I maintain it and have slates replaced when they are damaged or fall out. Biggest issue is that when roof was originally installed, regular nails were used and the tops rust out causing slates to slide out and fall off the roof. That said, 80%+ of the roof is original and I expect it to last another 85 years. Wouldn't trade it for asphalt ever, as it holds up better and looks far superior.

[@kevin7151]

@fung whyou Many times roofers save them from other houses and reuse them. Thats where I believe any replacements on my house have come from

[@mikeclarke3005]

@fung whyou and go back with stainless, not just galv

[@brent1041]

My parents house is about 180 years old. Crazy that my dad was the first to actually put an indoor toilet in it. And throughout it’s life there’s only been 5 owners including my parents

[@VortechBand]

No waterlines in a house = no leaks :)

[@sunshinecompany1]

How did they insulate exterior walls from inside? Can I use pink batts and poly?

[@llew777]

Had a carpenter friend reno a house built in 1915, built by carpenters from Finland, walls were insulated with full newspapers, from 1916/18 the reno was done in early 2000/2002 you could still read newspapers,

[@kstorm889]

i totally get that, but my house is also over 100 years old, and insulated with newspapers, but a few years ago when we ripped it down to studs, we didn't fill it with newspapers, we filled it with rockwool, and the energy bills went way down... sometimes, tech and knowledge are better than old time thinking.

[@lewiskellye]

Were the papers full of fake news back then too

[@llew777]

@@lewiskellye Good one, lots of adds with unbelievable prices, speculation on WW1. and nothing on Trump Thank you for comment

[@celeron55]

In Finland for a couple of decades now we've have this wood based insulation called Ekovilla. It's basically shredded newspaper cast into thick lightweight solid sheets. It's nice because you don't need to use a vapor barrier like for rockwool. Easy and safe to retrofit old houses too, for example in place of 1950s sawdust insulation.

[@sunshinecompany1]

@@kstorm889 been trying to find info on how to insulate mine on exterior walls...could I use pink batts and poly?

[@seanh3563]

More old house videos please!

[@Cinnamonbuns13]

Best era of building was definitely early 1900s. You had the benefits of manufacturing combined with the final generation of true craftsmanship.

[@kstorm889]

i don't know if it's the best era, I think the best era of building is right now if you apply past craftsmanship combined with new tech. homes built 100 years ago wouldn't pass code. we have gained so much knowledge in the past century it would be a travesty to throw it away

[@ridenorthwest1687]

As some one who works on early 1900's houses daily. Nah, they're cool and some have a lot of craftsmanship put into them. All of them have hard work put in, but most are junk.

[@shaunbava1801]

@@kstorm889 good luck finding there kind of artisans that worked on homes in the 1920's or the materials. We have more knowledge today and the advantage of modern materials but we also have lower quality wood, build thing more cheaply precisely because we have this knowledge. We also have engineers and architects who think they know better, your master builders 100 years ago had a much better concept around failure than the modern architects/engineers. They just assumed what every they did would leak and planned failsafes for the failsafes. Today we depend on our modern materials infallibly, often to our detriment when 10-15 years later we realize they fail. The big improvement in my mind is energy efficiency, modern homes are far more efficient than older homes. But in terms of craftsmanship and quality of build, no one builds homes the way they used to, you likely couldn't find the craftsmen. Seriously I've been in custom built Palm Beach mansions worth 40m, there is nice finish carpentry but they are not put together as well as a nicer 1930's home. Today you can upgrade a homes aesthetics but the base construction is remarkably similar.

[@kstorm889]

@@ridenorthwest1687 It certainly depends on the maintenance, but yes lots are pretty rough. But if the cool details and quality materials gave them their charm. Houses today are certainly built more structurally sound than most hoses from the 1900's

[@kstorm889]

@@shaunbava1801 That is very true. My current home is from roughly 1915, it is certainly not a mansion, but the effort that went into it is certainly shown in the built ins and the trim work and well thought out little nooks and spaces. I will be starting on building my house in the near future, and Building it for myself, i don't have that attention to detail for the intricate details and beautiful fit and finish, but I can make sure everything is well thought out and planned for exactly how i need it and build it to last far longer than my lifetime with little to no maintenance. I will have as little wood as possible, and the wood that is used will all be a part of the conditioned space.

[@andrewcooke-hedin1903]

Wow, incredible craftsmanship

[@TheRozylass]

Well, gosh! What a novel concept--spend lots of money for quality materials and take good care of the house so it will last a long time. Our 1898 house is falling down around us because it wasn't built or remodeled with the best materials and was neglected for 45 years before we bought it.

[@sunshinecompany1]

That's what I'm dealing with! I just want to know how I can insulate some exterior walls with balloon framing! Can I use fiberglass pink and poly or not?🤔

[@marcoandres8830]

​@Susan Barley use rock wool it's superior

[@ZombieWarningStation]

just renovated a bath in a 1912 house in Asheville hatched floor boards the same with the walls and tile thicknesses so crazy!

[@travels3577]

My father was a builder and he used quality materials In the 50 s as well And it is still standing

[@petermiller2188]

The key to a house lasting a long time is ensuring water doesn’t rot it!

[@bradley3549]

A $500,000 roof better ensure that is the case for an eternity!

[@hiddencompass5402]

I work for Servpro and honestly, you spoke it to a tee. Water is so destructive. I constantly respond to calls in homes where leaks have been an issue for a considerable amount of time, and the damage is almost always unfathomable. Just about every case the leak was just the tip of the iceberg, and rather than treat the leak and surrounding materials it becomes a full fledge house gut. Some people tend to think once you can’t see the water, it’s okay. Or if you don’t smell “mold” it’s okay. Couldn’t be more inaccurate.

[@questioner1596]

That, and a foundation that prevents excessive movement.

[@davidbalentine2110]

The universal solvent - dihydrogen monoxide

[@gooddypm]

Or, don't build with wood. Brick is better.

[@gu3610]

Real nice episode Matt! Thanks!

[@brianheck1118]

The production quality and content of your videos are top notch. Keep up the good work!

[@tonybutcher4762]

Definitely worth checking this house out on his website.

[@saint_pyre]

those tiles are amazing

[@davidfisher268]

Always enjoy …Led- MANY years ago when I built generators for film production, we used led in the enclosures to prevent sound transmission. It came in small rolls and looked a lot like that shower base!

[@T.E.P.]

excellent episode. fantastic.

[@jfarinacci0329]

Really good information and video. Thank you.

[@seanmcguire7974]

Need to see more on this build

[@stevepailet8258]

that is an amazing roof wow

[@tc9148]

Fun to watch!

[@gc7782]

Thank you!

[@DeusTex-Mex]

These guys are lucky. My 100 year old house is a total dump. I think it's survivorship bias more than anything - The crappiest built ones just don't exist anymore.

[@clayed]

Good video high quality reminiscent of this Old House.

[@tinymompj]

We bought a 113 yr old cream city brick Victorian. No one had ever caulked around the windows! We restored it over 12 years and then sold it. It should stand for another 200 years. It's all about proper build techniques and maintenance. We had heavy lead in our home too. Quality build makes a huge difference!

[@sunshinecompany1]

How can I insulate 150 yr farmhouse from inside? 🤔pink batts and poly?

[@piccalillipit9211]

*1745 MY SISTERS HOUSE* was built in the UK and it's in absolutely fine condition... If you don't build your houses out of cardboard and sticky back plastic like most American houses - they hast more than 50 years...

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

Very true which is why this one lasted as long as it did.

[@bedlamite42]

Back when 2x4's were two by four.

[@MrSloika]

My house originally had lead flashing around the chimney. Last roofer who replaced the singles said it could no long be reused and replaced it with aluminum. Now I have a leak around the chimney where it never leaked before.

[@MrPaige222]

Seriously! Why is EVERYONE so freaked out about the use of lead in places like that? You have to climb a LADDER and peelback material in order to injest the lead flashing! Believe me, you and your family WERE safe. Now, with the leak and potential dry rot, not so much. Great

[@mmroofs]

As a roofer I can appreaciate this video. Really cool

[@syth9]

Matt do you have any recommendations for products that remove Victorian ghost children? I feel like this a big problem with houses from 100 years ago that gets overlooked by most builders. Perhaps a Sheetrock product with runes of banishment pre-carved? Looks like a great house though!

[@KLondike5]

Keep the shades open. They are sensitive to light. Sleep with LED bars strapped to your body.

[@padrigleamhnach]

Holy Water.

[@bioswars8827]

Accept it as part of the dwelling, and play around. But always treat it kindly, and all will be fine.

[@Paul37Ontario]

Lead shower pan IS still code in New York city.

[@herrameise]

I really keep trying to enjoy this show because it has some great content, but I can't get past Matt always talking over the guests and interrupting them (usually not even to add anything of substance, just to regurgitate what they are currently saying). Am I way off here or do other people feel the same way?

[@MrPaige222]

What kept ME from subscribing, besides that, was the failure to give a COMPLETE tour of this beautiful house. My house is 103 years old, and, although in remarkable condition, it's an architectural FAILURE. NO storage. Bedrooms too small. Kitchen placement awkward at best, etc. I used to do retrofit inspections and this, unfortunately, was pretty normal in old homes. The house featured here looks exactly the opposite, designed by a true visionary thag will be appreciated for centuries. I wanted to see more.

[@carsonbooth5474]

He talks over people all the time. Worse, in my opinion, is they'll be discussing some feature of the house but show ~5 seconds of B roll panning over that feature, then switch back to Matt talking to the camera. Don't TELL me, SHOW me! It's especially aggravating when they're on a cool site, but most of the video is Matt + guest just talking at the camera.

[@paigehunt3387]

@@carsonbooth5474 It's very frustrating. He has a great idea and obvious knowledge. Just needs to find the balance that will make it work. I hope he reads these comments

[@paigehunt3387]

@@carsonbooth5474 It's very frustrating. He has a great idea and obvious knowledge. Just needs to find the balance that will make it work. I hope he reads these comments

[@jasonji1900]

I don’t even notice that he does this until you point it out. No big deal, he’s an enthusiastic guy.

[@michaelmiller1109]

Brent is on another plane of Craftmsanship awesome. Been following him since the last time you gave glimpse that I should follow him.

[@Vitaliy711]

Brent and Steve are the bees knees!

[@ianrogers5912]

This mindset of building should be industry standard. Reminds me of the Samurai code. The pursuit of perfection, regardless of the task. I know cost is always a factor when buildinga house. But if everyone did this, regardless of the trade, we would not have crumbling subdivisions chock full of spec homes.. imagine whole countys and states across the country full of 1-2 or even 300 year old homes. True craftsmanship. Built by people who take pride in what they do. Feel like their work is a reflection of themselves. It's literally Art. anyways cheers Matt! Thanks for giving us a view into the impressive house. Cheers! #FanForLife

[@InfernosReaper]

There are a few reasons why bushido was invented during a long period of peace that really needs to be considered when making a comparison.

[@snowgorilla9789]

That roof will be selling great with the new upcoming wildfire building code changes. Beauty that won't burn

[@kadmow]

Flammable roofing material is so strange - in the modern world. Not common - even on garden sheds - where I live (Australia - Bushfire Central) (Thatch was banned from London in the 1200's, they had a point.)

[@tonydoggett7627]

Especially in Australia every roof and rain gutter is fireproof. Embers go a long way.

[@BlissBlissBliss720]

This was fun.

[@MikeYoungeasytravel]

Great show!

[@aaronvallejo8220]

I am gutting and renovating a 1912 two story house with a full attic and dormer window, sun room out back and full unfinished basement. I am impressed how many layers of lathe and plaster then tar paper but no insulation. For new insulation I am using vertical lathe for air gap then 2" foam, 1.5" foam to be flush with the old solid 2x4's, then poly for vapour barrier, then 1.5" foam to stop thermal building and then drywall. Hoping it is good, strong and warm for another 100 years.

[@wanasong5611]

I love stuff like this. 🤙🏻

[@russellbickel8802]

More of this house please.

[@bigredgreg1]

Any video featuring Brent Hull is most interesting. 👍

[@VenturiLife]

Love this channel.

[@divarachelenvy]

the joinery in those places is awesome.

[@michaelbrennan7148]

Thank you.

[@lauriestlyon8773]

Clearly "Arts and Crafts" inspired design. Wonderful craftsmanship. I doubt many of today's buildings will look as good in a hundred years!

[@seanmcguire7974]

That house will last another 500 years. There's brick homes from the 1500s still standing today. Especially when they're built like this one

[@nathancantano6973]

Cool stuff.

[@joecool458]

In 8 more years my recently purchased house will be 100 years old, fixing it up and am impressed with how sturdy it was built.

[@marthabakry7353]

Don’t let the flippers get their hands on it, they will rip out all the windows and replace them with stock vinyl from Home Depot…

[@oldgoat1890]

I lived in a 200 year old farm house when I was a kid. The roof was slate and lathe. You could see day light all over in the roof standing in the attic. The worst rain storms and it never leaked.

[@Agushie12]

What material was it built with?

[@jrpeet]

Really interesting

[@normgraham8630]

riding the floor, between joists, to put in a tile morter bed, was done well into the late 1980's.

[@scorpio6587]

I love it.

[@automategames]

looks like the tiles textured look made the perfect home for moss.

[@pf5658]

Water in any form is the enemy of any house no matter where it’s located or how well it was built. If you don’t have leaks or pipes busted then your house will basically last forever. Plus you had better quality building, builders back then. You have bunch of good looking things and houses now but you don’t get that quality of craftsmanship anymore.

[@seadogg1979]

that is PURE BULLSHIT> ppl today refuse to pay for the quality!!! the craftsman and artisian are still out there!!! 95% of home owners wont pay the premium for it. YOU pay for cheap that is exactly what u get!!! YOU PAY for quality and no shortage of TRUE MASTER CRAFTSMAN AND ARTISIANS that WILL make it.

[@pf5658]

@@seadogg1979 I can say your comment is pure bullshit too but you have the right to your opinion just like I and everyone else. Respect that.

[@Rampage4635]

Can you please do some videos on air/ water sealing and insulation on this house. Renovating to modern standards while keeping historic facades is difficult

[@usercid640]

sometimes I feel like some people have forgotten or took to the grave more than we'll ever know and now we have corperations trying to reinvent the wheel

[@Cocpain]

In fairness, the majority of people you work for when doing this sort of work are not able to pay the crazy prices to have work done this way anymore. I am a woodworker (finish carpentry, furniture and antique repair, etc) and I spend more time installing Home Depot and Lowes paint grade and pine trim, than hand making hardwood trim. I can do both, but no one really wants to pay for the latter, so you just don't see it that much anymore outside multi million dollar houses. I mean seriously, imagine paying 2k a sqft for a roof... yikes, it not only better last a hundred years, it better come with a sexual favor.

[@srdankragulj6581]

My great-grandfathers house is older than USA and it's in perfect shape.....

[@L.Scott_Music]

I've removed a couple lead pans in Hollywood area in California. One was leaking the other was just seriously cracked tile. Also have removed a number of those lowered floors. Typically the floor cracks along the joists where the mortar is thinnest. These are issues stemming from movement that is normal in California.

[@guattodaddo]

You want to know the “secret” for building a house that will last 100+ years? EASY! Use the best materials and over engineer absolutely freaking anything!!! Even the door handles for instance!

[@StanSwan]

If I won't last 100 years why would I care if my house does?

[@guattodaddo]

Yeah you are not wrong, but theoretically speaking, you’d do such a thing for your children, I guess? To pass your house to them

[@StanSwan]

@@guattodaddo My house is paid for and I do not have children. When I croak my family can work out who gets what.

[@guattodaddo]

@@StanSwan well, I guess you and me both don't need to build a house that will last for 100+ years then

[@ZachyRob1]

Secret to longevity? Top. Shelf. Lead.

[@chrisdresen4823]

Unrelated to this video but I'd be interested to know your thoughts of cold-formed steel framing vs wood given the current high wood pricing; pros-cons etc. Thanks for another great video, beautiful old home too!

[@tonydoggett7627]

Strong and engineered for cyclones in Australia and termites don’t eat it, slight occasional expansion noises with rapid temperature changes eg frosty morning to a sunny day, but that depends on cladding and insulation.

[@davidsawyer1599]

@@tonydoggett7627 My thoughts exactly. One thing of note. The methodology used to fasten. In large steel structures. The bolts are sloppy/loose. I was told that it is so the structure will flex. I live where there are termites and cyclones/hurricanes and have been thinking steel is the way to go.

[@mikejf4377]

Matt, during this video, one of the adds was for Trusscore. What is your opinion on this product? Great video and a beautiful house.

[@ruelsmith]

Tore out a bathroom in a house built in 1904 just a couple years ago (my parent's house). It's a well built house with real 2x10 floor joists, had a slate roof that lasted about 80 years, quartersawn oak floors all over the house, two staircases, genuine Batchelder tile fireplaces in 3 rooms... The bathroom was done in a similar fashion, BUT... The top plate of the walls were 3/4", they used tar paper on the wood before they laid in the flooring, and the floors were actually a layer of concrete, followed by mortar and tile. The tile was very thick. The lead pan actually leaked. It had become a bit more brittle with time (as lead does) and when the shower tile and mortar cracked, the lead pan failed, as well. The cracks went all the way through the concrete, about 3" in total thickness. Unlike today,, there was no waterproofing under the rest of the tile in the shower to prevent wicking. The shower had a weird system that used two valves and had additional shower heads pointed at the user, the highest one pivoting. The knob to turn that on was labeled "needle". The tile was attached to the wall by a large cheese grater like metal with a thick layer of mortar then the tile. The mortar varied in thickness as it was screeted flat, but was 1-1/2" thick in many places. It was also put straight onto the brick on the outside wall and the brick was channeled out for the drain line for the sink. Most of the house used lots of galvanized in-wall piping with the lines in the basement ceiling made of copper that had the fittings made by expanding one end and fitting the other inside and soldered with lead. The pipes were bent to make turns like conduit is run. The copper appears to be thicker like L copper. All the drains are leaded cast iron feeding into a glazed clay pipe in the ground. The connection to the clay was made by oakum and concrete. All the fixtures were THICK. It had a Douglas toilet with a handle at the BOTTOM of the tank to let you pull up while you're still seated. It used probably 5 gallons with every flush. The tank was probably every bit of 5/8" thick. The pedestal sink was BIG and made by Kohler, very fancy with heavy duty chrome brackets to attach it to the wall. Someone spent a lot of money on that bathroom.

[@willbass2869]

Lots of Staub houses in River Oaks (Houston)

[@gav240z]

This is why I like old things. Built to last. Cost to do similar today would be through the roof. Literally.

[@davidruss7702]

Well the ones that are still around, sure. But a bit self selecting. Much of the old houses were not good or built well. They are just not around anymore.

[@im2geek4u]

@@davidruss7702 oh they're still around but much of the Irish built homes in Indianapolis have have to be total guts the German ones not so much.

[@ckm-mkc]

Awesome, I live in a 90 yr old house that is full of amazing details & very high quality. I'm always sad when people rip old stuff out just because, particularly lathe & plaster walls or original bathrooms. My shower pan is tar & concrete, no leaks and the tiles in the bathroom are OG teal & pink - would not be my choice but they are original awesomeness. The shower pan in this house was still doing it's job perfectly, is irreplaceable and yet it was still ripped out.

[@tjlovesrachel]

Nahhhh you can buy sheet lead and put it right back in

[@im2geek4u]

I'm currently removing all the lath and plaster from my 111 year old home. When done I will no longer have weekly coal dust buildup on my baseboards. Coal heated homes in Indianapolis were kinda gross.

[@outlander330cc]

@@im2geek4u Same here, remodeling my 1918 home that had a coal furnace near Terre Haute. The plaster is all disgusting so it's gotta go. What method are you using to get a flat stud plane for drywall? I've been planing the studs mostly but have also tried sistering. Not a fan of either because planing takes forever and sistering gives up so much insulation area so I'd be curious to hear how you are doing it.

[@im2geek4u]

@@outlander330cc Drywall Shims(can order them from HD not stocked in this state) but honestly my studs on avg are not bad at all.

[@outlander330cc]

@@im2geek4u Huh, I looked those up and they look like they will work. Like you said they aren't stocked around here but I'll have to get some of those, thanks for the tip. My studs are horrible, I think the guys that built it didn't understand the concept of culling. Have you had any problems with how hard the old studs are? My studs are rock hard, so much so that I have to pre-drill holes for drywalls screws because the screws can't self tap.

[@billclinton6040]

I shuddered when he said lead. I lived in Chicago's Hyde Park years ago, and many of the historic homes there have lead as well. More than one friend had their children diagnosed with lead poisoning because the lead dust that is unavoidable sinks to the floor easily because it is so heavy. And young children crawling around on their hands and knees inhale it. So yeah, I am glad my house wasn't built like they used to. Some things are simply more important than a house surviving the zombie apocalypse.

[@questioner1596]

Another thing that can happen is if a city changes the chemical balance of their water supply in a way that causes the corrosion to be cleaned off the pipes, lead pipes that were formerly safe to drink from suddenly release lead into the water. This is what happened in Flint a decade ago.

[@tombiby5892]

Youre right, but that's lead dust from old paint. I think a lead sheet buried under mortar and tile is the safest use possible in a home.

[@mikeclarke3005]

that is mostly with lead paints in the deteriorating stage, not lead vent pipes, lead shower liners. Different if run into lead still in use for water supply from street those need replacing if still exists ASAP!

[@billclinton6040]

@@mikeclarke3005 But if lead was used for the shower pan then you know there is lead all over the house. Probably asbestos too. Ofc, you probably don't have to worry about VOCs, but if I had to pick a poison...

[@jasonji1900]

I had a lead drain pipe from the bathtub in my 1904 craftsman in PDX. Found it when we did the bathroom remodel. My friend took it out, but it wasn’t deteriorated at all. Piecing together the ABS drain to replace it was a big hassle since you can’t make smooth curves with it. In fact I had to notch floor joists and double them up, just to get that stupid plastic pipe in there. A totally pointless waste of effort, just to meet the letter of the law.

[@donsheehan5144]

If the bathroom was so well built why did you desyroy it

[@martinparmer]

Matt, a great video would be you describing how long, the work, the process you would have to go through were you to be tasked with building a modern version of this house. Obviously, tons of things would have to be done using new materials/methods but still keeping to the original quality as closely as possible. You would have to do it at a 5000 ft level to prevent it from being a huge task just to do the estimate. But, at the end, you could quote an estimate of approx the cost to build it today.

[@neilblockhead6443]

Amazing to see an American house that is not made of plastic, plaster and cheap wood.

[@goblinsgym]

Some fun findings from a 1904 house that we remodeled: There was 1930 newspaper wrapped around some pipes mortared into the walls. Still readable. Many of the roof tiles were original from 1904. The fun part was that I could find mechanically compatible tiles from current production. So we laid a mix of old and new tiles in a neat pinstripe pattern.

[@ruelsmith]

Yes! My father passed and I sold my half of his house to my brother who's renovating it now as historical as feasibly possible. The neighborhood is gentrified and it'll be an expensive home when it's finished. He found lots of weird stuff like vertical vents in walls that lead nowhere. The house has always been hot water heated with radiators. Found notes from the original owner, who was a vice president of a local petroleum distribution company, and he apparently did woodworking on the side. There were notes for large sifters and other things he built for customers that were found. Lots of interesting, yet puzzling things found.

[@cara2u]

Brent and Matt on one video is the best, I bet Brent could do an awesome George Bush impression!

[@davidbruce5377]

Is that steel beam, to keep the tile from cracking. Brilliant.

[@trevorwinter5071]

Here in the U.K. we have sand faced cement tile roofs on spec houses which very greatly outlast Asphalt tile roofs. My house is 40 years old and I do not expect if will require any attention for another 40 years. This is a cost effective roof system. The use of brick construction is widespread which avoids rot problems. Is this type of construction common in any parts of America.

[@miragesmack007]

Tile roofs are only common (and not really that common) out west, in desert areas.

[@clintbowen1305]

My home was built in 1971. Long story short the hall bath tile floor had to be removed, it was tar paper, wire mesh, dry pack. The tile wainscoting is still in place, and despite small color differences we'll be putting back a similar tile to original. Question: build it up with plywood and backer board, or go back with dry pack. It has diagonal dimensional lumber as subfloor, and it's definitely not flat nor level. Note this has a tub/shower unit so this floor will get normal water use like splashes, mopping, stepping out of shower, but not direct continuous shower water ie not a pan. This is an insurance claim and I have a great company, they will cover dry pack costs since that's what came out

[@SkyGhost1000]

Do the drypack. It really is the best.

[@jameshutchins3396]

Fort Worth is full of little gems

[@willbass2869]

John Staub built quite a few houses in Houston's River Oaks area. Quite the architect

[@iainarthur7713]

Nice newish place, when are they going to look at an old house ;)

[@chefbillybaroo2056]

Good commercial for the tile company

[@sussijensen6977]

Hi from Danmark 💃🌈🌍 The materials in old time is much better it is made to hold for long time . And how beautiful is this Window in bath 😘👍💚💚💚❤

[@astridservel7511]

I love Americans getting all excited about a 100 year old house. Our house in Bristol was quite new, built in 1898. My flat was over 150 years old, and we are still living in houses that are in some cases 500 years old. Of course our house in NZ is lucky to last 30 years. If you want to buy some of the most expensive but rubbish houses come to NZ. Of course it wasn’t always this way, but the “investors” got involved and that was the end of quality craftsmanship.

[@jonathanbuzzard1376]

Comes back to the old adage whats the difference between an American and a European. To a European a 100 miles is a long way, to an America a 100 years is a long time. In the UK over half our housing stock predates WWII and it would be quite a lot more if it where not for the Nazis destroying a lot of it.

[@richardhoner7842]

My home in Nh, USA was built in 1785. Still in great shape.

[@McCuneWindandSolar]

Matt Risinger episode this old house.

[@timgleason2527]

Amazing what you can do when everything’s made of poison and you’re a millionaire. 😉 Seriously though really cool tour! Neat to see what has changed and what’s still the same as 100 years ago.

[@ramonbs6075]

To make brilliant tooth, some rich people put uranium on their teeth... so you know how that ends.

[@martehoudesheldt5885]

at the time they did not know and some of that stuff is still used today but differently.

[@Thoracius]

@@ramonbs6075 Dentists' offices are still radioactive. At least now they have signs warning you when you walk in.

[@MrPaige222]

That lead shower pan was ENCAPSULATED, and the vent pipe was as well. Unless you broke the super thick tiles to lick the lead pan, you were probably safe.

[@questioner1596]

Lead and asbestos were generally OK under normal use, but are a huge hazard to workers when renovating the home.

[@rickcimino5483]

in NJ we call those hogged out floor joists in the bathrooms of old houses "deafening"

[@MihneaStoian]

Most European houses have clay tile roofs and they last forever. Standard stuff is pretty affordable.

[@andiej9549]

Australia too has terracotta clay roofing tiles - very common in both old houses and new.

[@FreekHoekstra]

And vents under the clay tile, so they stay cool in summer

[@InsidiousDr9]

"Do you want it to last 100 years?" New home owners: "No."

[@mylesl2890]

long time ago like 100yrs. was a small sheet of lead really expensive ?

[@capt_bry]

100 yr old roof. wow

[@mikeytryingtofixthings9355]

Matt Just a question. Why during a hurricane does it blow the gable ends out of the houses and is there a fix for it? Watching live storms media videos from Ida

[@tennesseetim5465]

Hip roofs cut the high profile of gable ends making more wind resistant and a lower profile so wind would flow over and not lift or bluntly hit/resist as hard. Wind is not only a force but it creates vacuums as it travels in resistance across things...gables being a good example especially the wider overhang they have. I hope this helps.

[@Simonelectricfl]

What about all the asbestos insulation on the plumbing I realiz asbestos is bad but the fact that they insolated all the plumbing supply lines is impressive. And you guys should have technical had ppe on.

[@ericwilkinson7296]

Our old house was built in 1884. Contrary to popular belief, a clay roofing system does not last for hundreds of years. The tiles themselves will last for hundreds of years but when they were installed the underlayment system they used has about an 80 year lifespan in the Midwest and probably less in the north. Clay tile in and of itself is not water proof. Slate, on the other hand, generally Performa better. The other theng about clay, aside from being expansive to repair (we were looking at an 80 year old house with clay tile roof with a failed underlayment) is that it is HEAVY. We were looking at 80k to repair the existing tiles as opposed to 30k for asphalt. Each tile is hand nailed with copper nails and the clay weighs about a thousand pounds per square.

[@Aethid]

Clay tile roofs are waterproof. Almost every building within a few miles of where I am now is a ~100-150 year old clay roofed house, and they don't leak. The tiles sometimes need replacing after several decades, as the nails fail or hail cracks a tile, but typically only the odd tile here and there not the entire roof. The timber is fine as long as it doesn't get wet.

[@ericwilkinson7296]

@@Aethid I've had two clay tile roofed houses in St.Louis (the only two I've ever put offers on) under contract and the deal fell through on roof inspection. Both had leaks, both had crumbling underlayment. Both had copper flashing all over the place that had failed. I was told by two different roofing companies that specialize (as in this is all they do) in clay and slate roofs say the same thing...which I outlined above. There is no such thing as a roof system that doesn't leak or fail at some point. 85 to 95 years seems to be the max for clay tile based on the underlayment they had at the time. Clay doesn't sit flush with the roof and water WILL get forced up under them, be it by ice, wind, or capillary effect. When it does you are relying on a 90 year old asphalt felt paper? I don't think so. I should add that the reason the deals fell through was because the home owner had the same belief...that clay tile roofs last forever and the water leaks were just a minor repair.

[@Aethid]

@@ericwilkinson7296 I am literally sitting in proof that you are wrong. There are thousands of houses in my local area with clay roofs over 100 years old. They last indefinitely with only minimal maintenance. The timbers only become damaged if the roof develops a leak which is not addressed for months. I would say it is only common (but still not normal) to see a house have its tiles entirely replaced if they are over 150 years old, and even then the timber is usually still fine and the work largely cosmetic. Water ingress in extreme weather generally is not a problem, as long as the roof is given opportunity to dry out. These are roofs with no underlay, and are extremely common in the UK as half of our housing stock are pre-WWII clay roofed buildings. We have millions of them.

[@ericwilkinson7296]

@@Aethid I'm not sure what part of the UK you live in but it sounds like the climates are different. We have snow, freezing rain, and sleet for several months a year. Ice dams form pushing melted water up the roof and under the tiles to refreeze at night. The next day this water melts and is now under the clay sitting behind the icedam until it freezes again. Eventually the ice dams melts completely. Most of the houses around us use the tile type that are heavily ridged and rippled so the water is going to fall down the entire roof wherever it gets under the tiles and won't come back out until it reaches the end of the roof. Humid summer storms with driving rain also push water under the tiles. When it is hot with 85 humidity the next day it is not going to dry out easily.

[@bser3973]

Why are some of the boards between the studs, tilted up while some are down, or is it fire blocking?