Old house products & services – Yes, you likely can find it.

“Nobody makes that anymore.”

“Nobody does that anymore.”

While it may not be at the local mass market “big box” store, very often it IS available and with numerable options. It’s frequently more a matter of knowing where to look or who to ask.

I’ve a couple personal favorites:

• - The Old House Journal Restoration Product Directory — once upon a time only available via their print catalog. You can now reference this online. If you’ve an old house you need to know about this resoure.

• - Clem Labine’s Traditional Building — He was the original creator of the OHJ. Personal note… I actually have copies of his early “magazine” from when it was still in a black and white, stapled and hole-punched form.
  

Recently there were two different inquiries on where to find capitals for some porch columns. These are generally available locally but with limited options mostly fitting a few standardized dimensions. Tapping either source above would likely overwhelm with the available options… including many with prices comparable. To that you factor repair relative to replacement in terms of price, quality of replacement and what’s being sent to the land fill.

For example, we recently purchased a mortised lock set for a screen door from Van Dyke’s. The type of item not found in a “big box”. When done our 80 year old screen doors will be good for many more decades. Wonder what the life expectancy is and various costs are on a “green” replacement screen door.

The above links and more on the evolving Beloit NPA Links page.

Janesville – Walking Tour & Garden Walk

Had an exceptional “Old House” day today.

A couple months ago we attended a conference in Madison for Historic Preservation Commissioners, in the case of Beloit it’s the “Landmarks Commission”.  There we had the opportunity to meet folks likewise involved in other communities across WI.  Among those we met was Rick Fletcher who chairs the Janesville Historic Preservation Commission. Rick provides guided walking tours of various historic areas around Janesville.  Today we had the good fortune to attend Rick’s tour of the “Old 4th Ward”.   It was WONDERFUL!

There were ~70 people in attendance following Rick around getting some insight into Janesville history as well as period architecture. We finished up with being invited, all 70+  of us into the fine home of one of the residents.  It was a -very- cool house.

While there we were reminded that today was the Janesville Garden Walk. While sponsored by and for the Rotary Garden it consisted of eight residential gardens, five of which were in the “Courthouse Hill” historic district.  Keep an eye out for this next year and go.  It was… amazing!

To cap it all off, being “Old House” home owners and enthusiasts ourselves we really enjoy meeting and talking with others who share this interest. We had a chance to meet several homeowners in the Courthouse Hill historic district. Big fun.

Now, Janesville’s historic district house walk is coming up in August. I forget the date but will be broadcasting it here. We went last year and it was very enjoyable and we’ll be attending this year as well. It might be fun to get a group together to attend. Lemme’ know if you’d be interested or simply comment below.

~Rick M    rick@BeloitNPA (dot) org

1217 Bushnell, Beloit WI 53511

It’s refreshing to see the fine job they’ve done with this distinctive period home. It makes a huge difference and makes for a beautiful home. Take a look at the pics on the realtor’s listing. Amazing! Check out the woodwork, lighting and hardware. They’ve really done a wonderful job with this classic and dignified “old house”. If you’re moving to the area and have an appreciation for fine old homes and want/need move-in ready you should check this one out.

Though we had not been inside we knew the prior owners and understand the house needed some work. We’ve seen a number of sad homes where the “updating” was done by those with little understanding or appreciation for the original charm or period style of the home. Those homes have been stripped of their base, window/door, crown trim and other woodwork and replaced with anemic, under-scaled home center generics. They’ve pulled out the doors, hardware and lighting and replaced with generics. They’ve cheapened the home and made it bland IMO. Once removed it is very expensive to replace and often cost prohibitive. <exit soap box>

This home is very much still intact and beautiful. Worth a look.

• - Realtor’s Listing Here.
• - This home is not within any of the current historic districts.
• - Walkability Score: 77 out of 100, “Very Walkable”.

649 Church Street, Beloit WI 53511

We go by this house all the time. Though we’ve never been in it’s a beautiful and distinctive vintage home with a strong Craftsman influence. The professionally landscaped yard is wonderful and perhaps the nicest in the areas. Church is a wonderful street of fine homes, great neighbors and only a block from the college. Very convenient.

.

.

• - Realtor’s Listing Here.
  
• - Within the College Park Historic District. Eligible for the Historic Home Owners Tax Credit.
• - Walkability Score: 85 out of 100, “Very Walkable”.

617 Harrison Street, Beloit WI

• - Realtor’s Listing Here.
• - Within the College Park Historic District. Eligible for Historic Home Owner’s Tax Cridit.
• - Walkability Score: 83 out of 100, “very walkable”.

1614 Emerson St. Beloit WI

Want a grand home significant enough to already be on the National Register? Here you go, the Florence Yates house. We’ve not been inside but the realtor has a great virtual tour of this amazing historic Beloit home.

 

• - Realtor’s listing here. Virtual tour here.
• - Not within any of the historic districts but is individually listed on the national register and is therefore eligible for the Historic Home Owner’s Tax Cridit.
• - Walkability Score: 49 out of 100, “Car-Dependent”.

901 Wisconsin Ave. Beloit WI

• - Realtor’s listing here.
• - This home is not within any of the current historic districts.
• - Walkability Score: 65 out of 100, “Somewhat Walkable”.

Garagescape or Porchscape?

Happened to be driving by a ‘planned residential development’ today and saw the perfect example of what I’d heard once defined as a ‘garagescape’. You likely only need the picture to illustrate the concept.

I make no secret of my bias, I love old houses and neighborhoods. Residential developments such as these leave me completely cold and help define ‘Generica‘. I can hear the prospective home owner talking to their realtor. “Yes, we’re looking for a three car garage with a house attached. Our garage is the priority as we’ll be miles from absolutely everything and anything we’d ever care to do we want to drive there.” They’re clean, new, fully modern and ‘efficient’ homes I’m sure, but one’s ‘quality of life’ is greatly influenced on where one makes their home and I find these… well, interesting. No doubt our old neighborhood shows it’s wear-n-tear after eighty to a hundred years or more. I wonder what condition this development will be in half as many years.

Me, I love a ‘Porchscape’ pedestrian neighborhood. Likewise, this term is best described by some pics of a neighborhood that looks warm, interesting and inviting even in the snow.

Read more