Editor's note: The Michael D. Coffeen Mansion is one of the historic homes of Homer, Illinois, a small town west of Urbana. Also known locally as "The Homer Castle," the house sat vacant for two years before it was purchased by Ray and Christine Cunningham on December 31, 1998. Below is some excellent advice from the voice of experience.
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We have succeeded on a house that others have failed on because of one central fact: We are motivated and totally committed. We will spend hours and hours on a project and we do not give up. You have to be motivated and totally committed to any restoration.
There is a specific type of person that will succeed in house restoration. If you enjoy long golfing weekends, this sort of thing is not for you. If you wake up and are thinking about what you desire to tackle first at 6 AM, well you have found your calling.
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Savor the small victories
I have seen so many house restorations fail because the motivation is lost by one person or the other. I know a woman who renovates night and day while her husband fishes. I have seen couples with high hopes turn into nightmares and bitter divorces. The work is hard and the rewards are sometimes few. I am impressed after rewiring a fixture or putting in a ceiling light that we now have light in that area.
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| Don't be afraid to roll up your sleeves and learn new skills. Above, Christine strips and refinishes a clawfoot tub. Ray tackles the floor. Below, one of the feet from the tub, newly restored. | |
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Don't be afraid to learn new skills
I often think of it all as a very large art project with a large variety of skills put to the test. If I have to learn a new skill then I calculate how long that will take and get to work on it by reading all I can find on it first, then find a practitioner of the trade and learn. Do not be afraid to learn new skills - I love to watch trades people do their work. Concrete, drywall, electricians, carpenters, no matter what the skill, I watch and learn from them. Also, don't be afraid of spending money. I have wasted money in these projects but what I have learned from the experience is more valuable. I have a large left over stock of plumbing supplies from mistakes but I can use the parts for other projects. Just be sure you don't waste money on contractors! One bad contractor will bleed you faster than anything.
Know your limits
Know what you can do and what you cannot do. We have a contractor do the things we cannot or do not choose to do. Our structural carpentry is done by a contractor. While we can do drywall, we tend to shy away from it because the contractor can do it faster, better and we can do the rest. You can learn the skills. I know some who just pay someone to do it all. That is alright but if you are stuck once or twice with a bad contractor the experience or renovating and restoring will lose its appeal real fast.
Plan
Carefully plan your projects - If you have a difficult problem, seek advice.
I always spend time thinking about a project and discussing it with friends. My mother made an offhanded remark about a pantry "Make it a bathroom," she said. I laughed but the more I thought about it, she was right. I investigated the feasibility of plumbing a toilet in the room and found it would be easy. We now have a small water closet in the old pantry and it is quite handy.
Listen
Listen to advice. I scan the discussion boards and read what others are saying about their projects.
Other parts of this story: | Buying a mansion | Restoring the turret |
All photos are courtesy of Ray and Christine Cunningham. For more details on this project, visit the Cunningham's Web site. Visit the Old House Web's bulletin boards.
