This old House - 36 Year decline
Mar 20, 2019 07:34:29 #
Achmester is a historic home and national historic district located near Middletown, New Castle County, Delaware. It encompasses four contributing buildings and two contributing structures. Achmester was built in 1829, and is a 1 1/2-story, single pile "Peach Mansion." It consists of a five bay frame main block with a five bay gable end addition, and five bay rear service ell. It has a gable roof with dormers and sits on a stone foundation. The facade features simple box cornices and dormers decorated at a later date with Gothic Revival sawnwork trim, pendents, and vergeboards. The contributing outbuildings consist of a cow barn, shed, milk house, granary, and smokehouse. It was built by Richard Mansfield, a founder of Middletown Academy.[2]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[1]
First Picture 1983
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[1]
First Picture 1983
Mar 20, 2019 07:37:52 #
It's always a shame to see these old buildings/homes fall to decay such as this one.
--Bob
--Bob
jrw_mdus wrote:
Achmester is a historic home and national historic... (show quote)
Mar 20, 2019 07:55:18 #
Mar 20, 2019 08:12:15 #
National Register? I guess that means no one can approach or maintain it. : (
Mar 20, 2019 08:26:27 #
jerryc41 wrote:
National Register? I guess that means no one can approach or maintain it. : (
You can do whatever to the inside just don't change the outside.
Mar 20, 2019 08:47:36 #
Dikdik
Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
The building is in serious disrepair and there are numerous areas of water penetration. This will accelerate the growth of Brown Rot (aka dry-rot) and will substantially weaken the structure. Someone must undertake to remedy the problem else it will get much worse and the building will be lost forever.
It may already be structurally dangerous; the gables appear to have moved a bit. If no one is moving on it, you have to get political. With Brown Rot, you can lose 20-30% of the strength without any apparent loss in weight or visual deterioration. The matter is serious. I play engineer for a day job.
Dik
It may already be structurally dangerous; the gables appear to have moved a bit. If no one is moving on it, you have to get political. With Brown Rot, you can lose 20-30% of the strength without any apparent loss in weight or visual deterioration. The matter is serious. I play engineer for a day job.
Dik
Mar 20, 2019 08:49:11 #
Dikdik
Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
sr71 wrote:
You can do whatever to the inside just don't change the outside.
The outsides need remedy to prevent water penetration of the building envelope.
Dik
Mar 20, 2019 08:57:43 #
sr71 wrote:
You can do whatever to the inside just don't change the outside.
You can do all you want on the outside as long as you preserve the look.
I recently did a building with these requirements
I put new windows in that matched the rotted and damaged ones.
Also several other architectural features had to be replaced with new.
PS the local requirements were far more stringent.
Mar 20, 2019 09:02:36 #
Dikdik
Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
Architect1776 wrote:
PS the local requirements were far more stringent.
Local requirements, or requirements in general, often cause structures to fall into disrepair because it is too costly to maintain them. Ontario brought out a Part 11 to their building code to offset this onerous requirement.
Dik
Mar 20, 2019 09:27:07 #
Dikdik wrote:
Local requirements, or requirements in general, often cause structures to fall into disrepair because it is too costly to maintain them. Ontario brought out a Part 11 to their building code to offset this onerous requirement.
Dik
Dik
Actually maintenance should be no different regardless of building status.
I live in a historic home and the cost of maintaining is the same no matter what.
It's just when there is a desire to remove an element rather than maintain that has a cost and I agree, you bought the property thus you maintain it.
In fact I have restored a substantial amount on the home.
Mar 20, 2019 10:22:29 #
I know what you guys are talking about, (somewhat). My home was built in 1853. I am constantly making repairs to it. I am renovating the first floor living space and have run into a water issue that I need to correct as soon as the snow melts.. Hopefully soon!
Bob
Bob
Mar 20, 2019 10:56:37 #
Old house equals work My home is 1895, 28x28 waterfront cottage bought in 1929 by my father. Many additions, but always something wrong. center still on wood pilings, good foundation on perimeter.
Mar 20, 2019 11:11:11 #
As said it can be fixed as long as it retains the look and features it had. One thing is for certain with the roof structure looking as it is it won't be long, if not already, be past the point of fixing VS value. Often people look at a structure such as this and say they can build a new structure for less, and that is usually the case, but it will not have the charm of the old house. As a former contractor once you start on a project such as this there will be things discovered that were hidden. I have a term for it, I call it "country construction" where the original builder didn't know how to build using the correct methods and material, for the era. I am not saying that this structure was built that way, but many are. Anything is possible, but at a cost, often beyond the check book balance of the person in love with the structure. And with that said it is a shame this grand old house is going to ruin.
Mar 20, 2019 12:17:20 #
Mar 20, 2019 13:42:39 #
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