Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 6/2/2004

Question
My husband and I looked at a 100 yr. old home yesterday. It is obviously plaster. It is a 10 bedroom home and very large. Every room in it the plaster is cracked and in some areas the floors (3rd) have some shifting. It's obvious from the doorways. There are also three fireplaces and I believe the weight of those is causing some of the structural damage. Is it possible to apply drywall over the plaster instead of repairing them? I'm sure you have run into a similar problem in the past. Can you tell me the best way to repair if that's not the easiest? I'd appreciate it. Thank you! Another thing that scares me about this hope is the price. It's in a great area in our town. The realtor says it has appraised at $225,000, but I've had appraisal courses and I just don't see it. I don't want to get in way over my head here, but it does need an extra amount of structural help. I can't see paying more than $130,000 for that house. It can be a wonderful house. Many of the homes in the area are 100 yrs. old and have been restored or renovated. Any suggestions on buying an older home. Can you tell me what you have run inot in your line of work and what to watch out for? Any 'heads up' would be great. My husband and I can do drywall, take out walls, put in walls, paint, some plumbing, etc. We've done it in the past. What is the major thing I would need to look for in this house? Is there somewhere on the net where I can get the last appraisal on this thing? Thank you once again!

Answer
Cheryl:

Thanks for your question!

Before you do anything about the plaster, you've got to find the reason for the cracking and stabilize it.  Settling foundations are almost always the cause, and in most houses (especially older ones) recent foundation settling is caused by water.  Water usually gets to the foundation from clogged or unconnected downspouts, and/or from the grade sloping in towards the wall.  These problems must be corrected first, or all of your subsequent efforts will be in vain!

If necessary, the frame of the house can then be jacked up to correct the "racking" of the walls (that's the problem you see at the doorways).  It's a fairly big job, but much better than rebuilding the doorways and window openings!

Once you've solved the settling problem, you can either repair the plaster by chiseling out the cracks and filling them, or by applying a 1/4" drywall veneer over the plaster.  The disadvantage of new drywall is that you have to remove and replace the baseboard, casings, crowns, switchplates, etc., then sand and paint.  Plaster repair is much easier and faster and will maintain the historic character of the interiors.

Regarding the value, it's always a function of recent sales in the area.  Even though appraisals seem complex, they're generally based on the recent sales price of similar homes in your area.  If you can find similar homes that have sold recently, calculate their sales prices per square foot and apply it to your house.  Then adjust the price according to any differences in condition, features, location, etc.  That'll give you a ballpark idea without investing $275 in an appraisal.  You can also find out what your county auditor has appraised the house at for tax purposes - the auditor's appraised price is usually a set percentage of the market price.  You can find out more about recent sales prices in your area at www.domainia.com.

I don't know anything about your area, but around here $225,000 for a 10 bedroom house is a steal!

The important things to look for are structural soundness; roof condition; termite and water damage; and utilities.  Many jurisdictions will require that all the plumbing, electric, and HVAC be brought up to code if you remodel.  The main thing is to get a solid shell - everything else can be repaired from that point.

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtastudio.com