Dec 23, 2009: This Old Victorian

[xoxoxoBruce]

You’ve seen them on the news. People that feel a need to beat themselves with chains, cut themselves with knives, blow themselves up… or restore Victorian homes.
This couple in New Jersey have been working on this 1890 Victorian home for years. This is just one of the minor challenges.

The front gables are somewhat reachable by ladder as we have a sizeable front porch roof. This makes ladders a possibility. The gables themselves are in moderate condition.
The carvings are caked with paint and it will need to be scraped out with a heat gun and scraper. Some of the panels are cracked and will need to be repaired filled and sanded. There are tiny pencil sized molding around the perimeter of each panel that needs to be replaced.

The other three sides, however, are another matter.

With one guy helping him more or less full time.

The bottom line here is that had no choice. This machine is a 51' fully articulated, 4 wheel drive, two man, boom lift. This was not cheap to rent at all! I rented it for 30 days. So, in order to be able to afford this little monster, I called up my painter and made a deal with him to reduce the price of painting the house if I painted all four gables and all 57 windows myself. This means that we need to repair all damage, scrape, wood fill, sand, prime, and paint two coats of paint in four colors on the remaining 3 gables in 30 days. Oh by the way, I have a full time job.

It looks great, but what motivates people to abuse themselves in this manner, especially the interior while living in the house, baffles me.

And really, you ain't seen nuthin yet.