1873 South Carolina Farmhouse Adventure

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 1873 South Carolina Farmhouse Adventure (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 7/9/2019 7:12:56 PM EDT

We recently purchased a farmhouse built in 1873. The house has approximately 3000 square feet of living space and a 1300 square foot unfinished basement.

The house sits on just under 11 acres, most of which is pasture, and has five outbuildings: a shop, open sided garage/barn, chicken coop connected to the open aided garage by a covered breezeway, a storage building with attached animal stalls, an open sided outdoor kitchen with a small storage room, and a pump house.

The place is livable and has had some work recently but there are a lot of projects that need to be done.

This thread is inspired by SWIRE’s long term investment thread and will be used to document and share some of the projects that I am working on.

We plan to raise livestock, vegetables, bees etc. as time and resources allow.

I have no professional experience in the trades and I didn’t growup with anyone handy so I am very much learning as I go.

It’s going to be an adventure.

@SWIRE
@Kitties-with-Sigs

Posted: 7/9/2019 7:22:22 PM EDT

[#1]

Sounds fun. Are you near me? I'm in Greenwood on the western side of the state.

Posted: 7/9/2019 7:55:10 PM EDT

[#2]

Near Winnsboro

Posted: 7/9/2019 8:05:42 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
Near Winnsboro

View Quote

Me too.

I'm up 200 across exit 48, about 5 miles south of Great Falls.

How far does that put you?

I'd love to buy local honey from you when you get it going. I know quite a good many folks that are looking for a new supplier. Our regular is getting worse in health, and he's not as reliable as before, and he probably won't be able to keep doing it too many more years.

Posted: 7/9/2019 8:08:08 PM EDT

[#4]

Posted: 7/9/2019 8:13:15 PM EDT

[#5]

should start a youtube channel
they make tons of cash diy ing houses

Posted: 7/9/2019 8:37:13 PM EDT

[#6]

Tag for pics...

Posted: 7/9/2019 8:40:43 PM EDT

[#7]

Hey I'm kinda close off exit 82 abc

Posted: 7/9/2019 9:11:28 PM EDT

[#8]

Awesome thread. Take a lot of pictures. Also go to Google maps and save images from their satellite view. Do the same with Bing. The images will be different ages and can give you a glimpse back in time. If you need help with that let me know. I bought my project house in 2016 but the satellite images at that time were from 2008.

Also if you can get someone with a drone to do a fly over and take video and pictures that will be good as well. I was wanting to that every month but I'm lucky if I get it done every 4 to 6 months. That historical record helps with things like "when did the roof start losing shingles" or "how much of the brush have I actually cleared".

If you have any questions about buildings, animals, or crops/garden let me know. I grew up on a farm and have been fixing/building things pretty much since I started to walk.

Posted: 7/9/2019 9:21:11 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Awesome thread. Take a lot of pictures. Also go to Google maps and save images from their satellite view. Do the same with Bing. The images will be different ages and can give you a glimpse back in time. If you need help with that let me know. I bought my project house in 2016 but the satellite images at that time were from 2008.

Also if you can get someone with a drone to do a fly over and take video and pictures that will be good as well. I was wanting to that every month but I'm lucky if I get it done every 4 to 6 months. That historical record helps with things like "when did the roof start losing shingles" or "how much of the brush have I actually cleared".

If you have any questions about buildings, animals, or crops/garden let me know. I grew up on a farm and have been fixing/building things pretty much since I started to walk.

View Quote

Someone posted link to website that allowed you to check sat images from way back, like 50s, 60s etc.

Posted: 7/9/2019 10:11:27 PM EDT

[#10]

Cool, looking forward to following this thread and your projects.

Posted: 7/9/2019 11:45:56 PM EDT

[#11]

Thanks for the mention OP!

What an exciting thing you're doing!

I would love to see the house. I hope you'll share pics since most of us are so far away.

Any help I can give, as far as restoring/fixing/rehabbing an old property, just ask. It'll be very different from any new construction you've worked on.

Very excited to see what you do!

Posted: 7/10/2019 8:56:42 AM EDT

[#12]

I will be getting some pictures up as soon as I have a bit more time. We are actively moving into the house now and box life is chaotic.

I also forgot to mention that we have a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old.

Posted: 7/10/2019 9:08:11 AM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
I will be getting some pictures up as soon as I have a bit more time. We are actively moving into the house now and box life is chaotic.

I also forgot to mention that we have a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old.

View Quote

Lol, youll be unpacking for years, ask me how i know. I bought old farmhouse 3.5 years ago, it literally never ending. Projects galore, etc. my property was neglected and the yard work been crazy ( 10 acres)

Good luck and look forward to pics

Posted: 7/10/2019 10:40:28 AM EDT

[#14]

In.

Posted: 7/10/2019 1:27:33 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:

Lol, youll be unpacking for years, ask me how i know. I bought old farmhouse 3.5 years ago, it literally never ending. Projects galore, etc. my property was neglected and the yard work been crazy ( 10 acres)

Good luck and look forward to pics

View Quote

Definitely. We’ve been in our current house since June 2016 and I feel like we were just getting settled and organized. Time to move!

Posted: 7/10/2019 4:01:38 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Definitely. We’ve been in our current house since June 2016 and I feel like we were just getting settled and organized. Time to move!

View Quote

I was in my last house for 10 years. My family moved into our current house a little over a year ago. I finally have *most* things where I want them. Now it's time to tear off a dilapidated deck and tear out a failing retaining wall... it's never ending, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Posted: 7/10/2019 10:51:45 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
Someone posted link to website that allowed you to check sat images from way back, like 50s, 60s etc.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Awesome thread. Take a lot of pictures. Also go to Google maps and save images from their satellite view. Do the same with Bing. The images will be different ages and can give you a glimpse back in time. If you need help with that let me know. I bought my project house in 2016 but the satellite images at that time were from 2008.

Also if you can get someone with a drone to do a fly over and take video and pictures that will be good as well. I was wanting to that every month but I'm lucky if I get it done every 4 to 6 months. That historical record helps with things like "when did the roof start losing shingles" or "how much of the brush have I actually cleared".

If you have any questions about buildings, animals, or crops/garden let me know. I grew up on a farm and have been fixing/building things pretty much since I started to walk.

Someone posted link to website that allowed you to check sat images from way back, like 50s, 60s etc.

Google earth is what I use.

Posted: 7/12/2019 3:32:58 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

Me too.

I'm up 200 across exit 48, about 5 miles south of Great Falls.

How far does that put you?

I'd love to buy local honey from you when you get it going. I know quite a good many folks that are looking for a new supplier. Our regular is getting worse in health, and he's not as reliable as before, and he probably won't be able to keep doing it too many more years.

View Quote

We are just south of Winnsboro so maybe 35 mins from Great Falls.

We have a lot of projects and ideas that we want to get rolling, maybhave to push the bees further up the list.

Posted: 7/12/2019 4:01:57 PM EDT

[#19]

Buy yourself a metal detector and enjoy the artifacts you find - and post pictures of those, too.

We live in a house built (with several others) in what used to be a field on an old farm. The farm house is long gone. We got my oldest son a cheap little metal detector when he was about 12 or 13 and he went all around the yard digging up nails, bottle caps, etc. from when the house was built. But, as he expanded his range and worked over the empty lot (we bought it a couple years after we bought the house/lot we live in) he eventually got down to the woods at the edge of the old field. He found a 50 cent piece from back in the 30's.

My dad told him it was probably some guys pay for the day and he lost it while sitting in the shade of those trees while eating lunch or taking a break/getting a drink of water (there's a creek down there, just off in the woods.)

Hard to tell what you might find on your property, as old as it is.

Posted: 7/12/2019 4:11:05 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
Buy yourself a metal detector and enjoy the artifacts you find - and post pictures of those, too.

We live in a house built (with several others) in what used to be a field on an old farm. The farm house is long gone. We got my oldest son a cheap little metal detector when he was about 12 or 13 and he went all around the yard digging up nails, bottle caps, etc. from when the house was built. But, as he expanded his range and worked over the empty lot (we bought it a couple years after we bought the house/lot we live in) he eventually got down to the woods at the edge of the old field. He found a 50 cent piece from back in the 30's.

My dad told him it was probably some guys pay for the day and he lost it while sitting in the shade of those trees while eating lunch or taking a break/getting a drink of water (there's a creek down there, just off in the woods.)

Hard to tell what you might find on your property, as old as it is.

View Quote

If its anything like my property, he’ll find endless amounts of old barb’d wire fencing and 3-4” nails.

Posted: 7/13/2019 7:40:14 AM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:

Lol, youll be unpacking for years, ask me how i know. I bought old farmhouse 3.5 years ago, it literally never ending. Projects galore, etc. my property was neglected and the yard work been crazy ( 10 acres)

Good luck and look forward to pics

View Quote

Been here over 25 years and still havent unpacked everything.

Posted: 7/13/2019 8:35:02 AM EDT

[#22]

In on one.

Let's see that project list.

Posted: 7/15/2019 12:59:17 PM EDT

[#23]

A few quick photos. We have been running all over trying to get moved, unpacked, and wrangle the kiddos.

Attached File

Having a hard time getting pics that are small enough to upload.

Posted: 7/15/2019 3:20:24 PM EDT

[#24]

Cool pic

Whats that back left out building ? Looks like you got various shops, they will come in handy

As far as pics, ive ran into similar, either edit pic thru app or if you have fb, send it to wife and then save as, somehow this saves it better for arf uploading

Posted: 7/15/2019 3:31:11 PM EDT

[#25]

Looks like a beauty.

Posted: 7/16/2019 9:34:15 AM EDT

[#26]

There are five outbuildings in the property. The stone building to the left is a pump house that supplies water to the barns and the building behind that is a storage building that we would like to convert into a guest cottage.

We spent all weekend unpacking and moving more stuff from the old house.

Posted: 7/16/2019 10:44:28 AM EDT

[#27]

https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer

Check this out when ya get chance.

Posted: 7/16/2019 12:02:33 PM EDT

[#28]

In for the updates. That house is a beauty.

Posted: 7/16/2019 2:50:22 PM EDT

[#29]

A few more pictures.

Attached File

Attached File

The house is in pretty good shape compared to SWIRE’s project. The family we bought it from was living there and we are now officially moved in.

Posted: 7/16/2019 2:52:25 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer

Check this out when ya get chance.

View Quote

Thanks. I’ll check it out.

Posted: 7/17/2019 1:58:51 AM EDT

[#31]

nice!

Posted: 7/17/2019 10:04:28 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
A few quick photos. We have been running all over trying to get moved, unpacked, and wrangle the kiddos.

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/107188/ED7F0C53-2417-4CB6-B902-3FB207B3F183_jpeg-1017257.JPG

Having a hard time getting pics that are small enough to upload.

View Quote

That. Is. GORGEOUS!!!!!

I'm envious. It looks to me like a lot of work has been done on it already! That's awesome (I'm assuming the work was done well.)

I use a free program called Photoscape to resize and edit pics.

I upload the resized pics to fototime, which is our photo hosting site. It's a paid site, but I have zero hassles, so it's worth it to me because I'm not very techy.

I look forward to seeing more of your house.

So VERY excited for you!

ETA: Can you get closer pics of the capitals/column tops?

Inquiring nerds want to know.

Posted: 7/18/2019 8:56:13 AM EDT

[#33]

Moments like this make the work involved in living out in the country worthwhile

Attached File

Posted: 7/18/2019 8:57:24 AM EDT

[#34]

Absolutely !

Posted: 7/18/2019 9:04:46 AM EDT

[#35]

Quote History

Quoted:

That. Is. GORGEOUS!!!!!

I'm envious. It looks to me like a lot of work has been done on it already! That's awesome (I'm assuming the work was done well.)

I use a free program called Photoscape to resize and edit pics.

I upload the resized pics to fototime, which is our photo hosting site. It's a paid site, but I have zero hassles, so it's worth it to me because I'm not very techy.

I look forward to seeing more of your house.

So VERY excited for you!

ETA: Can you get closer pics of the capitals/column tops?

Inquiring nerds want to know.

View Quote

I am using the Compress app for now.

Here are a few pictures of the columns. I don’t know the history of them but they shell, for lack of a better term, is aluminum.

Attached File

Posted: 7/18/2019 4:27:04 PM EDT

[#36]

Awesome Place. Would love to see some pics of the inside of house and the various outbuildings if you have an chance

Posted: 7/18/2019 11:02:56 PM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:

I am using the Compress app for now.

Here are a few pictures of the columns. I don’t know the history of them but they shell, for lack of a better term, is aluminum.

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/107188/F2D90258-024D-444B-A957-C77C5A462BE3_jpeg-1020532.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/107188/F7C45DBF-CA09-43BA-A6CF-7113B885A36C_jpeg-1020535.JPG

View Quote

Ah, so not original. They looked really fancy to be original for that house, which is why I was asking.

They're very pretty.

Posted: 7/22/2019 1:25:29 PM EDT

[#38]

Yea not original. Once we are more settled I’d like to do some research on the history of the place and try to get a better understanding of what was built or added when.

Posted: 7/22/2019 1:38:36 PM EDT

[#39]

Rat wife = jealous

Nice find.

Need pics of the inside

Posted: 7/22/2019 3:01:43 PM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
Yea not original. Once we are more settled I’d like to do some research on the history of the place and try to get a better understanding of what was built or added when.

View Quote

If you get time, run the deeds back to originals, ive gone back to 1900s on my property.

Posted: 7/22/2019 3:18:32 PM EDT

[#41]

Are the graves of the family cemetery marked?

Posted: 7/22/2019 4:08:43 PM EDT

[#42]

There is just something about normally scaled farm/ag buildings that I like, like the stone buildings OP has. Modern big ag. "farms" just don't do it for me.

Posted: 7/22/2019 5:48:19 PM EDT

[#43]

Quote History

Quoted:
There is just something about normally scaled farm/ag buildings that I like, like the stone buildings OP has. Modern big ag. "farms" just don't do it for me.

View Quote

Agreed. I like weathered wood barns that have "If these walls could talk" memories, and stone buildings like this, too.

Posted: 7/22/2019 6:55:25 PM EDT

[#44]

Agreed on stone buildings.

Rant:

Modern construction bothers me in this way, pet peeve if you will, that everything is built to last about 50 years.

After 50 years, cookie-cutter houses, pole barns, any other stick structure, will be about done.

Can you squeeze more out of it? Maybe, maybe with major remodel/repairs. But they are certainly in the "everything is falling apart" state of affairs. Modern houses with manufactured I beams, OSB everything, the entire house is basically glued/pressed saw dust

.

We have the technology (actually, the tech is thousands of years old) to make buildings that simply last for centuries.

If I'm ever crazy enough (or wealthy enough) to build again, its going to be either rebar & concrete to steel rafters, or a steel house on thick concrete foundation. There will be ZERO structural wood. I want a house that my children's children can live in w/o rebuilding it, something that you can pass down, not the throw-away buildings we make today.

/rant

Posted: 7/22/2019 6:58:54 PM EDT

[#45]

Quote History

Quoted:
Agreed on stone buildings.

Rant:

Modern construction bothers me in this way, pet peeve if you will, that everything is built to last about 50 years.

After 50 years, cookie-cutter houses, pole barns, any other stick structure, will be about done.

Can you squeeze more out of it? Maybe, maybe with major remodel/repairs. But they are certainly in the "everything is falling apart" state of affairs. Modern houses with manufactured I beams, OSB everything, the entire house is basically glued/pressed saw dust

.

We have the technology (actually, the tech is thousands of years old) to make buildings that simply last for centuries.

If I'm ever crazy enough (or wealthy enough) to build again, its going to be either rebar & concrete to steel rafters, or a steel house on thick concrete foundation. There will be ZERO structural wood. I want a house that my children's children can live in w/o rebuilding it, something that you can pass down, not the throw-away buildings we make today.

/rant

View Quote

You can do it out of wood, but it's expensive to do it that way.

Posted: 7/23/2019 8:36:36 AM EDT

[#46]

I always meant to ask what your username was, but never got around to it.

Looks like a really great place. I'm interested in seeing the progress as it transpires.

Cool of you to share that with us.

Posted: 7/28/2019 2:21:13 AM EDT

[#47]

Cool.

That would be a very expensive place in Utah. You really can't find anything like it here unfortunately.

Posted: 7/28/2019 12:09:23 PM EDT

[#48]

Brothers hs buddy bought and old stone farm house.
Gutted the insides completely, new plumbing, wiring and most importantly properly insulated the place by making the exterior walls thicker.
Saved al the natural quarter sawn oak trim. In the end it wasn't enough, had to have some new stuff made to match old stuff.

Spent lots of money but the place is fantastic! Like walking into the late 1800's.

Very few "restorations" of old homes look decent, too much "updating" which when your done you have an old looking house that is modern on the inside and it just doesn't work, its always a let down.

Posted: 7/28/2019 10:50:07 PM EDT

[#49]

Quote History

Quoted:
I always meant to ask what your username was, but never got around to it.

Looks like a really great place. I'm interested in seeing the progress as it transpires.

Cool of you to share that with us.

View Quote

Here I am!

We are very excited about this place. It’s gonna be enough house and space to have some fun and raise a bunch of kids.

We don’t have internet setup at the house yet but once I do I hope to post more and will have more photos of the interior. I don’t like posting and uploading photos from a phone.

Nothing too exciting happened this weekend; fixed a toilet, cut the grass, moved our five laying hens and chicken tractor over to the new house, had some guests over and smoked a few chickens.

Who needs a truck? I bet we got some good looks driving up 77.

Attached File

Posted: 7/29/2019 11:12:00 AM EDT

[#50]

Lol, food looks great, id suggest finding a 3/4 - 1 ton long bed beater truck, youll need it, lol.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 1873 South Carolina Farmhouse Adventure (Page 1 of 2)

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