Before starting any remodeling project make sure you’ve addressed the water issue starting outside. An interior french drain would be my first move with a sump pump then exterior french drain if landscaping won’t move the water away from the house. Make sure your roof drains are working properly and drain at least 6 feet away from the house. Good luck and look forward to your progress.
Black mold is a hard no for me. It has devastated my life. I would never trust it was all gone, or would come back. Its a shame but not worth ongoing health issues.
That's exactly where I'm at. I'd have to do A LOT of tests before I'd even start to trust the place. We'll see :( A shame, indeed. It used to be a really nice house.
A friend moved into an old old home and there was mold everywhere… they bought some sort of super duper commercial grade herbal remover/killer and then primed and painted… had tests done and their place is totally fine now. You’ve gotta go with your gut on this one. Good luck!!
Same for me. I almost died before I figured out what was causing my severe health issues. By all appearances and tests, our 1936 farmhouse was in good shape when we bought it. Come to find out there was hidden mold from water damage under 4 layers of flooring. It’s not worth the risk in my opinion. I used to be so strong and healthy, I’ll never be the same again after mold. Demolish and start clean and build your dream cabin!! I would not workout in that house, especially not having a pro do the mold remediation. The risk to your health is too great to chance!
Besides the health issues that mold causes, if the foundation isn’t stable, wouldn’t you be worried that the basement may cave in? Wouldn’t it be less of a health risk and financial burden to bulldoze it and start over?
Living thru mold illnes and now a Functional Practitioner myself I would be on team complete tare down. That foundation will always leak water. I love a good slab on grade in MN to never worry about wet basements. You have the backhoe excavator rip that baby up! *easy for me to say* We faced a similar situation when we moved to our homestead and we tore down and built new. Never regret it.
Do keep in mind that one day- you will probably have more family, maybe grown kids? (I don’t know) who would possibly love to have a place close by to live on. Not to mention that as farm work gets to be more and more and larger, worker’s quarters and trading rent for work and WOOFER situations are very helpful. I would start by gutting it, killing mold and diverting water away from the house with improved drainage and good guttering (which you can harvest that water too to your garden) and that alone, keeping the area and soil around it dry can work miracles! Use it for storage if it’s safe and just wait. Once you tear it down, then done is done.. it’s worth waiting. Especially with such a large amount of land you have, you’re going to want help eventually and people to live on site and help with animals and crops so you can get away, travel and go do things.
@@cassiedunn6253aw this makes me sad re: "they don't plan on having kids" ...😢 They would raise some pretty amazing humans I think. All the helping hands to do these sorts of homesteading projects.
Between the foundation issue and mold I would bulldoze it without a second thought; that completely eliminates future worry about the mold. The mold would *always* be in the back of my mind even after remediation work. Yes, it’s a shame to bulldoze what was once a nice home but I think it makes more sense to spend your time and money on a fresh build.
Oof. I'm sorry. Hubby (background in construction & family with mold toxicity) and I both think you should probably bulldoze due to the issues and price to rehab. To really remediate the mold, you'll have to strip everything to the studs bc that mold is in the insulation and such. It's still there, even if you've painted over the surface areas. You've got to dig out and fix the foundation anyway, so I'd say just knock it down and light it off.
Keep it! Fix the foundation, waterproof the block wall , fix the plumbing and wiring issues. Make updates. There is a lot to fix but I promise it will not be as expensive as starting from scratch.There is value in what’s already there despite the previous water damage/mold. Try to look at all possibilities- is the property graded to allow water to flow away or towards the house? Obviously broken windows and plumbing pipes will allow water in. Looks like a diamond in the rough to me!
From a person who did a ton of remodel to an old farmhouse, in the end, it's always older construction even if it's remodeled. If you do not love the layout or have a reason to keep, I'd calculate the cost of remodeling & price out the cost of the A-frame you want. The cost to save might not be substantial enough, so you might as well scrap & do what you truly want. We jacked our house & put in a real basement & it's a huge undertaking. I don't know that I would have made the same decisions 20 years down the road.
i would look at it as you got the driveway and the extra land you needed, now bulldoze and burn. i was looking for a rehab for my home in maine, found some cute old homes that hadn't been lived in for years on nice land for cheap but kept running into the mold problem. as others have said here, to be sure it's really gone it all has to be stripped to the studs. that was a no go for me as i was going to live in it while working on it. in the end that's what prompted me to start looking at adobes in the desert sw, less chance of ,mold due to mud walls, very little wood framing and dry weather. found what i was looking for in new mexico. took a few years to fix up by myself but i'm glad i swapped the mold problem for the old adobe house learning curve. still, if i was a younger person and had another person working with me i'd have built something from scratch. good luck with whatever you choose to do! subscribed!
I would create a decision matrix to help you consider pros and cons. That way you can put a formula to the factors (cost, difficulty, etc.) that impact how you will come to a decision. It might give you more clarity on the course of action you want to take after you weigh the factors that are important to you. There are a bunch of decision matrix templates online that can get you started. Money is a huge factor, but think of the peace of mind you would have after building a new place that you can maintain from the start- you’ll never have that looming feeling of “did we get all the mold?” Or “is this place safe for guests?” I’d start over and build a simple A frame or find a modular “kit” solution- like the Tomu houses. Good luck!
We were in this exact same predicament. Bought additional property with a house on it - house had such a wet basement and leaking roof, mold galore 😢 In the end, we bulldozed it. Definitely check with your local fire departments and offer for them to use it as a training burn 🔥 that might be the best way to go. I honestly wouldn't take ANYTHING you suspect is mold contaminated.
That’s a fabulous idea! I’m wondering if they’d also have some kind of remuneration for property owners to cover clean up & clearing of the site that would save a lot of the demolition costs?
@erical.mcniece the fire department would not usually be able to fund that (most rural depts have a very small annual budget) but what's left won't be much. Wayyy less material will be left there afterwards so would be a smaller and less expensive cleanup than leaving it whole.
@@nholbrook1682 Ah! noted. I’m from a township in Ontario, Canada where the structure of the fire departments is a little bit different here for learning opportunities. I certainly agree with you that I’d be much happier cleaning that sort debris than the mass of moldy alternative!
Man that is a hard call because it is a really nice looking house! I hope ya'll showered really well after that and washed everything in vinegar water.....I used to do biohazard work so I have tons of experience with nasty things :) Not sure I would have done that not wearing a tyvek suit though :) Congratulations on securing the driveway for your property and it's wonderful it worked out. Looking forward to what ya'll decide to do....such a pretty property and I love that huge fir trees out front, I think they are firs? God bless ya'll 🕊❤
Agreed!! It used to be such a nice house and it's a big shame that it's come to this. It has some serious potential, just LOTS of time, $ and risk ahead in going forward with it. Ugh. Oh I totally hear you on the tyvek suit! I wanted one SO BAD! Unfortunately, the closest store is an hour away and we randomly decided to do this on Christmas Day (Merry Christmas to us! haha), so we just had to make do with what we had and washed ourselves and our clothes super well afterward. We certainly could have planned that out better :)
@@thehomesteadingrd I am the same way...when I got a chainsaw I was so excited I cleared a bunch of trees wearing shorts and flip flops.....now THAT is crazy :) smh at myself all the time 😅🤣😂
Looks like you’re doing the right thing. Mold is biggest issue and maybe the foundation. You skimmed over that a bit. If those two things are fixed then you have a great structure to use for whatever you want! Be sure to read the label on that mold killing paint. Some say they are not to be used on porous materials which would include wood.
I would seal the block walls also. Make sure the water sheds away from the foundation and all dammaged material is removed and the rest cleaned. As long as it stays dry you should be good! There are ways to kill the mold yourself. We did it in our basement. It's a good structure and far cheaper to keep and fix than to start over!
I would focus on a swale with drainage along the wet side of the building to avoid future flooding… don’t want to fix it all and have a repeat performance ❤️lots worth saving there!❤
I feel for you. I’m in a very similar situation. We have a 2nd house on our property with lots of deferred maintenance. Needs a new roof and foundation work. Don’t have the money to do what’s needed. We also don’t have the skills to do the work ourselves. We’re using it for storage and have a dehumidifier going 24/7. We tried letting family stay there and learned that we don’t want anyone living there. (A painful lesson) I agree with previous comment about remodeling something that is not to your liking, especially if you don’t like the location. It’s sad to tear down, but may be the right thing to do. Perhaps it can be safe as storage. What does your heart say? Good luck. Cheering you on whatever your decision 😊
SLOW and steady on this one. I would get a few professional opinions on the grading and water concerns and go from there. Also, since you don’t need it livable anytime soon, I’d test for mold well after it *looks* like the mold is remedied, before starting to rebuild.
We had a similar situation with a 725' beach house that was neglected for over 20 years. We hired a contractor. Basically gutted it down to the studs and rebuilt it. New everything. Except we didn't have a basement or mold to deal with but everything electrical, plumbing, heating air. Replaced bathtub it with shower only. I think it ran about 100k then. But there was really no other practical and of course the value increased tremendously.
No you’re not crazy!! Keep the updates coming. Initially I’d say take out what’s not needed and turn it into a big ol storage shed w space for his office. 😎
That definitely is a tough call. It seems like if the roof, framing, and foundation are solid, it would be worthy of consideration. It'd be a big project to tackle though, obviously. Good luck!
Such a tough call! You are correct - the roof is in good shape and the framing is decent. The foundation is caving in in the basement, but Ryan could dig the soil out from the outside with this excavator and fix it from there. Such a big project, though. We'll see!
To be honest, it unless you have deep pockets, I think I would just bulldoze it. Unless you want to do it up and rent it out, it would be an expensive storage shed and the health risk and the risk of the mold ending up on the things you store in there are too great for my mind.
I would totally keep it and do a total rehab and Airbnb it to pay off the expenses. All of the problems here are solvable except for possibly the foundation that one I would call in an engineer for. But one of the first things you need to do is to work on the outside of the house to make sure that the water is being brought away and not able to come in under that door. Once you dig away some dirt and put in some drain tiles around the house then it's worth while to work on the inside. But until you do that The water will just keep coming and so will the mold. Number one your roof has to be in good condition and the gutters have to be clear and bringing the water away. 2. Then work on the grading of the soil and making sure drain tile is in place where the water collects to bring it away from the house. Make sure all dirt is slanted away from that door. Renting a bobcat or a ditch witch for a day would be a great investment. 3 We have a walk outdoor like that. There is a concrete pad that was way below the door. Once we uncovered it then we went deeper on the opposite side of it away from the house and it added limestone gravel there where the water could drain down and then away from the house.
We had to have mold remediation in our house. Couldn’t do it ourselves with our health issues(not mold caused) so had to hire a company. It was so expensive but guaranteed for the life of us living here. Hopefully you can salvage the home with those beautiful fireplaces but if not, I agree, I would take out what I can, test to be sure the mold isn’t on that and be done unfortunately. It is a real shame someone didn’t think to take care of the house. It is a really nice little place you could rent out to teach people homesteading classes or all kinds of things.
It would be best to first deal with any water problems first like fixing the foundation leaks, then do the remediation. From the drone view, it looks like there under the patio deck, needs to have dirt brought in to have more slope to get the rain water to run away from the house.
Its a real kick to find so much problems but sounds like you are both up for the challenge! If the foundations and structure are ok I would do what you are doing and decide what the best layout for the space is to make the most of it for yourself. If that includes renting it out to reap in some of the costs then keep that in mind when remodelling. Best of luck and look forward to the updates. It's definitely better that having someone else buying and living there. My parents had land with holiday cottages but there was already another cottage with access rights. When it was passed on down the family they just made things awkward. You can't do anything then until they sell up (or you!)
Wow! That is a big project. My son bought a house with a basement like that. Vacant and waterlogged. We were tearing out the drywall, and out came a nest of snakes! There were about 20-25 non poisonous snakes living happily in the wall! The project was finished and turned out beautifully.
Since it shares a driveway with your main cabin and it’s in bad shape I would bulldoze. I wouldn’t what this house to remove the aww factor from my land
Love to see more updates! On whether to tear it down or not, I certainly think you’ll find it useful to have some kind of guest space on the property. We have family in a very rural area without any hotel/motel nearby. They bought an old cottage on the adjacent property, much like you did, and it’s been a great guest space.
As a remodeler I obviously understand the amount of work involved it’s a really tough call I understand why y’all are 50/50 on it. Whatever you do you can air b&b it. You get the extra income to help pay for some of it and you can block off time periods you want it for guests. Best of luck and either way you guys go on it we’ll be following along!
My wife just told me about your content we have a shared wish to do all we can to be self reliant and both of us come from a trades background any project big or small can be done with proper planning and budgeting overall scope and what future needs the project fill are foremost keep on planning and tackle as time and money permit ..sorry to add to your chore list😅
that's a big project! my 2 cents? I'd seal the basement off from the main house. If its possible, I'd totally open it up, make it into a big ol' mudroom or wet room, something like that. And then that leaves just the main floor for the cozy cabin. Regardless, looking forward to what you come up with, subscribed! 😅👍
Good morning from Forest lake Minnesota! Wow Katie, thats a tough one. The mold can probably be fixed with enough demo, but that foundation is going to be a lot of work to fix also..... hmmmmm
Once you gut the house you will have to fix the problems first. My understanding is you need to find out which kind of mold you are dealing with. Some surface mold can be taking care of with klorox. But you need too check the back side to make sure mold didn't penetrate through.For little cost it would be worth an expert to look at it. Stay safe.
It totally salvageable - mason on the foundation to remove repair and install deadman’s posts, French drain outside, storm door and new threshold on the basement door, ozone machine and bleach to kill the mold you can’t remove then seal, I’m not so sure you need all new windows if you you are just using it for storage - or plumbing… just fix the necessities - way cheaper than removing the house. We live in an old house (1880’s) and it has a rock foundation that was never meant to be water proof- to just remove the house we were quoted 60k - and that just gave us a clean hole to start with
I would bulldoze that ASAP!! I'm allergic to mold, and it causes major health issues. Clear and maybe buy a nice single wide manufactured home if space is needed sooner?? I just saw you want to build further in, and that sounds ds like a great idea!!
First thing I see is the question on the foundation. Is it sound or not? If not, underpinning may be required. If it is sound, a coating of Drylock on those concrete blocks will really cut down moisture penetration and help keep the basement dry
That interior T&G wood could be good to sell or keep for future projects. Besides that it look like great excavator demo practice. Maybe the local FD could use it for a controlled burn practice simulation.
Scary for sure!! But you both are very capable of tackling the project…gut, clean and kill the mold, find out really where the water is coming in and seal and or fix the issue-unless the price is too much! Then slowly reconfigure the top and then eventually the basement! My mom has to run a dehumidifier 24/7 in her basement so it possible to get moisture out, just depends on how much! Might also want to check for Radon…
It is a tough call and depends on your long term plans, but I have seen a lot worse houses that had the basements flooded right up to the 1st floor joists, that was solid black mold, get the mold removed and the basement block walls sealed and totally refinished, but it does come down to what is the end goal. And what the house is really worth to you, being it’s not going to be a primary residence, it might be easier to tear it down and build another building in a better spot that flows with the rest of the property
Personally, I would probably do what y'all are currently doing - fix what you can and see if you can salvage it for at least an office and/or storage space, and maybe one day build another little cabin nearby as a guest house.
I am really skeptical of mold idk if it will all go away. I’ve gotten to know people who were devastated by it and got sick from it. They left places if they found it. No one knew how to get rid of it when they would report it.
From my perspective and experience, if that foundation is compromised and can’t be salvaged for at a lower cost, I would start over (eventually). Like other have said, you’ll have a clean slate bulldozing the house. In the meantime at least making it weather tight so you can store items I think is important. If you plan to bulldoze I would keep repairs to a minimum. Don’t replace all the plumbing, just that you might use, like one bathroom and the sink. I’m sad for you! But youre seeing it in the most raw state and have a better picture than had something creeped up later. My brain automatically thinks barndominum! I think starting with some sort of general spreadsheet of costs would be beneficial as well.
Just be aware of how bad mold can really be for your health. And that mold killing/blocking primer doesn't get rid of mold that can harm your health... just my two cents from my life (and my kids' lives)!
If you’ve got the time black mold can be neutralized, and on the cheap, and don’t get scammed by those removal companies. I lived 5 years as a child/teen in a black mold basement, I do have lung and other health issues due to it . Good luck, wish you the best.
I would definitely look to see if you are saving money fixing it. You could bulldoze and probably purchase a modular cabin to place there. Money and time. Will you really be saving enough to make it worth doing all the work?
Get you some pool bleach. A liquid gallon is about 4 or 5 dollars. It is 100 times stronger then bleach you get in a store open up spots in walls and wood. Get a few sprayers and wet everything down with water. 2 oz per gallon of water with pool bleach plus about 4 drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid in another sprayer. Spray bleach after everything is wet make sure it’s well ventilated and you have fans. The dawn makes it evaporate slower. It will kill everything for almost 0;dollars. Then paint with mold inhibited after dry. Works on wood concrete, everything really. Good luck
Is the foundation structurally sound? Did you get an structural engineer to look at this? Also a French drain or sump pump may resolve future water issues.
Just curious: What is your disposal process for your area for the mold infested wood/construction materials? Are there city or county codes you guys have to abide by for demolishing and re-constructing the property? Again, just curious because there’s so many online DIYers out there but I have not seen (yet) of anyone talking about applying and receiving proper licenses. I don’t want to get into video making and making it into a side-hustle, but my partner and I are about to make an offer on a fixer upper. I plan on doing as much of the work myself, but I believe our locality is quite strict with licensing, etc. Just want to hear from others and their experience. Thank you! I love your homesteading content. It’s inspiring🙂
I agree with those who say it's a tough call ~ good and bad aspects. Maybe the question is not "is it worth it in the end to gut and remodel ?" but "what are you GIVING UP to spend time and money on to do this project?" Our time and money is limited, right, so what's the best use of it right now? If adding a storage/office/guest house would greatly benefit the use of the property and doing so doesn't delay other more important purchases or other projects, then go for it. But if it's a year long distraction and money pit from hell preventing you from getting further down the road of developing your property, then bulldoze it. Do you guys have an overall 1 yr. 2 yr or 5 yr plan? Of course unexpected things will come up but there are choices we make which majorly disrupt our goals. We have to avoid these. Not all good things are worth saying yes to. This one has you at an intersection. Will be interesting to see which you choose. Good luck! PS. Just a word of advise on mold: it's always worse than you think. It will be under the floors, in duct work, behind paneling, etc. and not always visible. Very difficult to get rid of. It can affect people differently ~ some can barely be affected, some only need one exposure and they are ill for years bc it grows inside the lungs. Treat mold like a house fire ~ gut everything, basement and main floor and start over.
You should keep it, do the necessary repairs. Everything is so expensive now, if you can take it time and do most of work yourself you won't regret it.
I had no idea that house was there. Did it come with any additional land? How much will the foundations cost? I think that's the biggest issue right now. How was the roof? It, potentially, has good bones, right? I mean even if you guys gut it, get rid of the mold and fix the foundation it can be a good place for storage. Just do the bare minimum to use it as an extra out building 🤷🏼♀️ Then you can still build the A frame
Surprise! It did come with its own parcel, but we've always included it in our total acreage amount (240 acres) from the beginning since we knew we were going to buy it. Yes, the foundation is one of the big issues for sure. Thankfully, Ryan could dig the dirt out from the outside with this excavator so we could fix it, but it would be a big job. We'll see! Starting with the bare minimum and hoping we can store some stuff in there.
Remove all the wood. Stairs, walls, posts. The block walls is the structure to hold up the main floor. The center posts can be replaced. Be sure to seal all concrete before covering it with a new post or anything. Concrete is porous & moisture will come through. If you leave a hole it will find it's way in. Vinegar is better than bleach. If you do most of the work, it isn't that much to have pros finish removing the mold.
Completely renovate and do an off the grid Airbnb with scheduled tours of your gardens and your Homestead.. offer classes of all your great skills! Since your such diy’s, you can earn back money invested into the place 🤷🏼♀️
I would not bulldoze it, the roof and walls standing contain a lot of value in material and hundreds of hours in labor. I would gut the basement leaving the fireplace. After removal of everything, see where there is mold and remove that. Then fix the foundation and install a sump pump. Fixing the foundation will be tens of thousands of dollars cheaper then pouring a new foundation. You have no additional cost to replace all of the piping, because if you bulldoze it you will still have to pipe the house anyway. Same goes for insulation, wall finish, electrical and heating. Then you can start on the upstairs, with a good foundation and mold free. Windows are costly, but if you tare it down, you will still have to buy windows. I would replace the windows I like and remove and reframe the rest. This will save some money, a gym and storage really don't need windows.
Is the foundation bad on one side or all around? Since you have an excavator, fixing one side isn’t too bad. If you have to repair two or more sides, it’s probably not worth it. If you repair/replace two sides or more, the other sides will go bad over time and you’ll be back at square one.
Oof I’m sorry, that’s a lot to stomach :/ does the house have an existing sump? If not you should def install that first before putting anything new up so you don’t have the water issue again
I'm not rich enough to even consider just bulldozing an entire house that's in that good of shape. My parents are though and did just that. They bought the house next door and bulldozed it because they wanted to build a large garage for their current house. They didn't need the house. Each to their own. I'd fix the problems. We've dealt with mold, asbestos, lead paint, etc. over the years. It's not as hard to get rid of these issues as people seem to think but I think you've already made up your mind.
I would want someone to come out who’s certified to make sure the foundation is worth saving and redeemable. If the roof is in good black and not needing help for another 10 to 15 years and the mold that is there isn’t something that has moved in upstairs in the insulation and your wiring is all good I would keep it tear out the bathroom and kitchen redo the plumbing and take out all sheet rock and make sure there’s a set up to detour any moisture that may run toward the house basement. Come summer I would try to see about an intense drying of the entire house then go thru the steps to remodel. If your bones are good there’s half the battle;)
Okay...yea, those are definitely big issues and a lot to deal with, BUT, it doesn't look like a complete lost cause. I think it's going to be a huge project, but it seems doable. If you have other living quarters, then my choice would be NOT to do a bulldozer on it, but a big restoration. I LOVE the wood panels. Good luck and if there is mold growing, please put use some masks (the proper kind) for walking around in there. You are breathing in that mold.
The cost of fixing it will worth it. This will make your property worth quite a bit more. Just go slow, do it right, and do it once. Time passes and soon this will just be a story you tell.
I would keep it… The whole update conversation.. just repair broken, not usable..and rethink every time you use the word STORAGE. My goal is everything is used at least yearly ( think Christmas decorations) or I don’t want it. And I am certainly not storing anything for someone else that definitely includes grown children. Relatives.
I would have section that land off and let it be someone else’s problem. Or just tore it down. Taxes are high enough with one house. Mold can kill. Lol, and if I had 200+ acres I sure as heck wouldn’t be sharing a driveway or living that close to a neighbor.
I think you should get some $$$ing first. But getting doors first. Wishing you lots of luck..
หลายเดือนก่อน
💯 100% NO livable space there with all that years of MOLD. Even if you "fix" it, the spores are there---perhaps dormant but there. I would start fresh with a new space.
Too many problems, tear it down. Do you really want another family living so close to you, even though you're renting it out? I would tear it down and build a small house/cabin for guests.
Before starting any remodeling project make sure you’ve addressed the water issue starting outside. An interior french drain would be my first move with a sump pump then exterior french drain if landscaping won’t move the water away from the house. Make sure your roof drains are working properly and drain at least 6 feet away from the house. Good luck and look forward to your progress.
Great tips!!! Thank you!
Black mold is a hard no for me. It has devastated my life. I would never trust it was all gone, or would come back. Its a shame but not worth ongoing health issues.
That's exactly where I'm at. I'd have to do A LOT of tests before I'd even start to trust the place. We'll see :( A shame, indeed. It used to be a really nice house.
A friend moved into an old old home and there was mold everywhere… they bought some sort of super duper commercial grade herbal remover/killer and then primed and painted… had tests done and their place is totally fine now. You’ve gotta go with your gut on this one. Good luck!!
Such a pity that it wasn't cared for... a similar thing happened to the house my grandpa built and it was demolished. So very sad.
Same for me. I almost died before I figured out what was causing my severe health issues. By all appearances and tests, our 1936 farmhouse was in good shape when we bought it. Come to find out there was hidden mold from water damage under 4 layers of flooring. It’s not worth the risk in my opinion. I used to be so strong and healthy, I’ll never be the same again after mold. Demolish and start clean and build your dream cabin!! I would not workout in that house, especially not having a pro do the mold remediation. The risk to your health is too great to chance!
Besides the health issues that mold causes, if the foundation isn’t stable, wouldn’t you be worried that the basement may cave in? Wouldn’t it be less of a health risk and financial burden to bulldoze it and start over?
Living thru mold illnes and now a Functional Practitioner myself I would be on team complete tare down. That foundation will always leak water. I love a good slab on grade in MN to never worry about wet basements. You have the backhoe excavator rip that baby up! *easy for me to say* We faced a similar situation when we moved to our homestead and we tore down and built new. Never regret it.
Do keep in mind that one day- you will probably have more family, maybe grown kids? (I don’t know) who would possibly love to have a place close by to live on. Not to mention that as farm work gets to be more and more and larger, worker’s quarters and trading rent for work and WOOFER situations are very helpful. I would start by gutting it, killing mold and diverting water away from the house with improved drainage and good guttering (which you can harvest that water too to your garden) and that alone, keeping the area and soil around it dry can work miracles! Use it for storage if it’s safe and just wait. Once you tear it down, then done is done.. it’s worth waiting. Especially with such a large amount of land you have, you’re going to want help eventually and people to live on site and help with animals and crops so you can get away, travel and go do things.
They don’t plan on having kids.
But in general, having room for guests is always nice!
@@cassiedunn6253aw this makes me sad re: "they don't plan on having kids" ...😢 They would raise some pretty amazing humans I think. All the helping hands to do these sorts of homesteading projects.
Between the foundation issue and mold I would bulldoze it without a second thought; that completely eliminates future worry about the mold. The mold would *always* be in the back of my mind even after remediation work.
Yes, it’s a shame to bulldoze what was once a nice home but I think it makes more sense to spend your time and money on a fresh build.
I couldn’t agree more. I don’t think I could ever trust this place. Thank you ♥️
Oof. I'm sorry. Hubby (background in construction & family with mold toxicity) and I both think you should probably bulldoze due to the issues and price to rehab. To really remediate the mold, you'll have to strip everything to the studs bc that mold is in the insulation and such. It's still there, even if you've painted over the surface areas. You've got to dig out and fix the foundation anyway, so I'd say just knock it down and light it off.
I couldn't agree more! Thank you for confirming the direction we need to go :(
I am so sorry 😣 that’s a tough call! I think Id call it a loss and build your A frame in the woods 💛 mold is just so dang scary and tricky.
The mold would be a no go for me. I don't trust that it ever goes away completely.
Keep it! Fix the foundation, waterproof the block wall , fix the plumbing and wiring issues. Make updates. There is a lot to fix but I promise it will not be as expensive as starting from scratch.There is value in what’s already there despite the previous water damage/mold. Try to look at all possibilities- is the property graded to allow water to flow away or towards the house? Obviously broken windows and plumbing pipes will allow water in. Looks like a diamond in the rough to me!
From a person who did a ton of remodel to an old farmhouse, in the end, it's always older construction even if it's remodeled. If you do not love the layout or have a reason to keep, I'd calculate the cost of remodeling & price out the cost of the A-frame you want. The cost to save might not be substantial enough, so you might as well scrap & do what you truly want. We jacked our house & put in a real basement & it's a huge undertaking. I don't know that I would have made the same decisions 20 years down the road.
i would look at it as you got the driveway and the extra land you needed, now bulldoze and burn. i was looking for a rehab for my home in maine, found some cute old homes that hadn't been lived in for years on nice land for cheap but kept running into the mold problem. as others have said here, to be sure it's really gone it all has to be stripped to the studs. that was a no go for me as i was going to live in it while working on it. in the end that's what prompted me to start looking at adobes in the desert sw, less chance of ,mold due to mud walls, very little wood framing and dry weather. found what i was looking for in new mexico. took a few years to fix up by myself but i'm glad i swapped the mold problem for the old adobe house learning curve. still, if i was a younger person and had another person working with me i'd have built something from scratch. good luck with whatever you choose to do! subscribed!
Absolutely! Sometimes it's just easier (and safer) to start over :( Sounds like you made the right choice!
I would create a decision matrix to help you consider pros and cons. That way you can put a formula to the factors (cost, difficulty, etc.) that impact how you will come to a decision. It might give you more clarity on the course of action you want to take after you weigh the factors that are important to you. There are a bunch of decision matrix templates online that can get you started. Money is a huge factor, but think of the peace of mind you would have after building a new place that you can maintain from the start- you’ll never have that looming feeling of “did we get all the mold?” Or “is this place safe for guests?”
I’d start over and build a simple A frame or find a modular “kit” solution- like the Tomu houses. Good luck!
Keep us posted on the progress. Best of luck to you guys!
We were in this exact same predicament. Bought additional property with a house on it - house had such a wet basement and leaking roof, mold galore 😢
In the end, we bulldozed it.
Definitely check with your local fire departments and offer for them to use it as a training burn 🔥 that might be the best way to go. I honestly wouldn't take ANYTHING you suspect is mold contaminated.
Shoot! I'm so sorry to hear that! I like the fire department idea - thank you! and yes, totally agree - mold is a hard pass for me.
That’s a fabulous idea! I’m wondering if they’d also have some kind of remuneration for property owners to cover clean up & clearing of the site that would save a lot of the demolition costs?
@erical.mcniece the fire department would not usually be able to fund that (most rural depts have a very small annual budget) but what's left won't be much. Wayyy less material will be left there afterwards so would be a smaller and less expensive cleanup than leaving it whole.
@@nholbrook1682 Ah! noted. I’m from a township in Ontario, Canada where the structure of the fire departments is a little bit different here for learning opportunities. I certainly agree with you that I’d be much happier cleaning that sort debris than the mass of moldy alternative!
Man that is a hard call because it is a really nice looking house! I hope ya'll showered really well after that and washed everything in vinegar water.....I used to do biohazard work so I have tons of experience with nasty things :) Not sure I would have done that not wearing a tyvek suit though :)
Congratulations on securing the driveway for your property and it's wonderful it worked out. Looking forward to what ya'll decide to do....such a pretty property and I love that huge fir trees out front, I think they are firs?
God bless ya'll 🕊❤
Agreed!! It used to be such a nice house and it's a big shame that it's come to this. It has some serious potential, just LOTS of time, $ and risk ahead in going forward with it. Ugh. Oh I totally hear you on the tyvek suit! I wanted one SO BAD! Unfortunately, the closest store is an hour away and we randomly decided to do this on Christmas Day (Merry Christmas to us! haha), so we just had to make do with what we had and washed ourselves and our clothes super well afterward. We certainly could have planned that out better :)
@@thehomesteadingrd I am the same way...when I got a chainsaw I was so excited I cleared a bunch of trees wearing shorts and flip flops.....now THAT is crazy :) smh at myself all the time 😅🤣😂
@@trinity885 Haha been there, done that as well! We're notorious for doing projects in flip flops 😅🤣
Looks like you’re doing the right thing. Mold is biggest issue and maybe the foundation. You skimmed over that a bit. If those two things are fixed then you have a great structure to use for whatever you want! Be sure to read the label on that mold killing paint. Some say they are not to be used on porous materials which would include wood.
Wow you and your husband are such a great team! I would love to see more updates on this house. Love, from southern Minnesota
Im thinking, big bonfire, big marshmallows & big A-frame house. 😅
ME TOO!
@@thehomesteadingrd ✌️🤣🤣🤣
I’m still trying to envision Big and A-frame 🧐
I would seal the block walls also. Make sure the water sheds away from the foundation and all dammaged material is removed and the rest cleaned. As long as it stays dry you should be good! There are ways to kill the mold yourself. We did it in our basement. It's a good structure and far cheaper to keep and fix than to start over!
I would focus on a swale with drainage along the wet side of the building to avoid future flooding… don’t want to fix it all and have a repeat performance ❤️lots worth saving there!❤
I feel for you. I’m in a very similar situation. We have a 2nd house on our property with lots of deferred maintenance. Needs a new roof and foundation work. Don’t have the money to do what’s needed. We also don’t have the skills to do the work ourselves. We’re using it for storage and have a dehumidifier going 24/7.
We tried letting family stay there and learned that we don’t want anyone living there. (A painful lesson)
I agree with previous comment about remodeling something that is not to your liking, especially if you don’t like the location.
It’s sad to tear down, but may be the right thing to do. Perhaps it can be safe as storage.
What does your heart say?
Good luck. Cheering you on whatever your decision 😊
SLOW and steady on this one. I would get a few professional opinions on the grading and water concerns and go from there. Also, since you don’t need it livable anytime soon, I’d test for mold well after it *looks* like the mold is remedied, before starting to rebuild.
Wow, that's a mess! But y'all work together so good. It's gonna be great!! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Would like to see updates, whatever you decide. I dont know that I would remodel, I have a hard time trusting that mold won't come back.
We had a similar situation with a 725' beach house that was neglected for over 20 years. We hired a contractor. Basically gutted it down to the studs and rebuilt it. New everything. Except we didn't have a basement or mold to deal with but everything electrical, plumbing, heating air. Replaced bathtub it with shower only. I think it ran about 100k then. But there was really no other practical and of course the value increased tremendously.
No you’re not crazy!! Keep the updates coming.
Initially I’d say take out what’s not needed and turn it into a big ol storage shed w space for his office. 😎
That definitely is a tough call. It seems like if the roof, framing, and foundation are solid, it would be worthy of consideration. It'd be a big project to tackle though, obviously. Good luck!
Such a tough call! You are correct - the roof is in good shape and the framing is decent. The foundation is caving in in the basement, but Ryan could dig the soil out from the outside with this excavator and fix it from there. Such a big project, though. We'll see!
Wow, that's a big project. I am glad that you know how important your lungs are 🫁and you both wore respirators. You're a good team. 👩❤👨
Absolutely! I'm sensitive to mold, too, and I felt 100% fine afterward so I was thankful that we had them!
To be honest, it unless you have deep pockets, I think I would just bulldoze it. Unless you want to do it up and rent it out, it would be an expensive storage shed and the health risk and the risk of the mold ending up on the things you store in there are too great for my mind.
I completely agree with you!
I would totally keep it and do a total rehab and Airbnb it to pay off the expenses. All of the problems here are solvable except for possibly the foundation that one I would call in an engineer for. But one of the first things you need to do is to work on the outside of the house to make sure that the water is being brought away and not able to come in under that door. Once you dig away some dirt and put in some drain tiles around the house then it's worth while to work on the inside. But until you do that The water will just keep coming and so will the mold. Number one your roof has to be in good condition and the gutters have to be clear and bringing the water away.
2. Then work on the grading of the soil and making sure drain tile is in place where the water collects to bring it away from the house. Make sure all dirt is slanted away from that door. Renting a bobcat or a ditch witch for a day would be a great investment.
3 We have a walk outdoor like that. There is a concrete pad that was way below the door. Once we uncovered it then we went deeper on the opposite side of it away from the house and it added limestone gravel there where the water could drain down and then away from the house.
We had to have mold remediation in our house. Couldn’t do it ourselves with our health issues(not mold caused) so had to hire a company. It was so expensive but guaranteed for the life of us living here. Hopefully you can salvage the home with those beautiful fireplaces but if not, I agree, I would take out what I can, test to be sure the mold isn’t on that and be done unfortunately. It is a real shame someone didn’t think to take care of the house. It is a really nice little place you could rent out to teach people homesteading classes or all kinds of things.
It would be best to first deal with any water problems first like fixing the foundation leaks, then do the remediation.
From the drone view, it looks like there under the patio deck, needs to have dirt brought in to have more slope to get the rain water to run away from the house.
Its a real kick to find so much problems but sounds like you are both up for the challenge! If the foundations and structure are ok I would do what you are doing and decide what the best layout for the space is to make the most of it for yourself. If that includes renting it out to reap in some of the costs then keep that in mind when remodelling. Best of luck and look forward to the updates.
It's definitely better that having someone else buying and living there. My parents had land with holiday cottages but there was already another cottage with access rights. When it was passed on down the family they just made things awkward. You can't do anything then until they sell up (or you!)
Wow! That is a big project. My son bought a house with a basement like that. Vacant and waterlogged. We were tearing out the drywall, and out came a nest of snakes! There were about 20-25 non poisonous snakes living happily in the wall! The project was finished and turned out beautifully.
Oh my!!!!
So crazy! Great video! I would love more updates!
Thank you! Will do!
I'm so sorry! I feel your pain! But you can do this. Have you tried comparing the cost of remodel vs start from scratch?
Since it shares a driveway with your main cabin and it’s in bad shape I would bulldoze. I wouldn’t what this house to remove the aww factor from my land
Have you ever considered those shipping container homes? Might be an option with a tear down.
Love to see more updates! On whether to tear it down or not, I certainly think you’ll find it useful to have some kind of guest space on the property. We have family in a very rural area without any hotel/motel nearby. They bought an old cottage on the adjacent property, much like you did, and it’s been a great guest space.
As a remodeler I obviously understand the amount of work involved it’s a really tough call I understand why y’all are 50/50 on it. Whatever you do you can air b&b it. You get the extra income to help pay for some of it and you can block off time periods you want it for guests. Best of luck and either way you guys go on it we’ll be following along!
My wife just told me about your content we have a shared wish to do all we can to be self reliant and both of us come from a trades background any project big or small can be done with proper planning and budgeting overall scope and what future needs the project fill are foremost keep on planning and tackle as time and money permit ..sorry to add to your chore list😅
that's a big project! my 2 cents? I'd seal the basement off from the main house. If its possible, I'd totally open it up, make it into a big ol' mudroom or wet room, something like that. And then that leaves just the main floor for the cozy cabin. Regardless, looking forward to what you come up with, subscribed! 😅👍
Good morning from Forest lake Minnesota! Wow Katie, thats a tough one. The mold can probably be fixed with enough demo, but that foundation is going to be a lot of work to fix also..... hmmmmm
Hi there, Pat! It's a tough one indeed. Lots of potential there, but also lots of risk, money, and time ahead.
Keep us posted
Once you gut the house you will have to fix the problems first. My understanding is you need to find out which kind of mold you are dealing with. Some surface mold can be taking care of with klorox. But you need too check the back side to make sure mold didn't penetrate through.For little cost it would be worth an expert to look at it. Stay safe.
Great advice!! Thank you. I think getting an expert over to take a look is a great idea.
Yes more updates please
It totally salvageable - mason on the foundation to remove repair and install deadman’s posts, French drain outside, storm door and new threshold on the basement door, ozone machine and bleach to kill the mold you can’t remove then seal, I’m not so sure you need all new windows if you you are just using it for storage - or plumbing… just fix the necessities - way cheaper than removing the house. We live in an old house (1880’s) and it has a rock foundation that was never meant to be water proof- to just remove the house we were quoted 60k - and that just gave us a clean hole to start with
I would bulldoze that ASAP!! I'm allergic to mold, and it causes major health issues. Clear and maybe buy a nice single wide manufactured home if space is needed sooner?? I just saw you want to build further in, and that sounds ds like a great idea!!
Just rip it down and rebuild !!
I would absolutely like to watch your progress/decision on this property.
Stay tuned!! It's not looking so good right now... We're basically putting everything on hold until we get a second opinion next week.
First thing I see is the question on the foundation. Is it sound or not? If not, underpinning may be required. If it is sound, a coating of Drylock on those concrete blocks will really cut down moisture penetration and help keep the basement dry
That interior T&G wood could be good to sell or keep for future projects. Besides that it look like great excavator demo practice. Maybe the local FD could use it for a controlled burn practice simulation.
Love the controlled burn practice simulation idea!
Everything in the structure, even if it *looks* good, is contaminated with mold spores...
Scary for sure!! But you both are very capable of tackling the project…gut, clean and kill the mold, find out really where the water is coming in and seal and or fix the issue-unless the price is too much! Then slowly reconfigure the top and then eventually the basement! My mom has to run a dehumidifier 24/7 in her basement so it possible to get moisture out, just depends on how much! Might also want to check for Radon…
This can be fixed!!! Gut the basement and one project at a time.
It is a tough call and depends on your long term plans, but I have seen a lot worse houses that had the basements flooded right up to the 1st floor joists, that was solid black mold, get the mold removed and the basement block walls sealed and totally refinished, but it does come down to what is the end goal. And what the house is really worth to you, being it’s not going to be a primary residence, it might be easier to tear it down and build another building in a better spot that flows with the rest of the property
Personally, I would probably do what y'all are currently doing - fix what you can and see if you can salvage it for at least an office and/or storage space, and maybe one day build another little cabin nearby as a guest house.
Updates would be nice. Sad to see all the destruction weather can do to a place. Was probably someone’s dream hunting cabin
I am really skeptical of mold idk if it will all go away. I’ve gotten to know people who were devastated by it and got sick from it. They left places if they found it. No one knew how to get rid of it when they would report it.
From my perspective and experience, if that foundation is compromised and can’t be salvaged for at a lower cost,
I would start over (eventually).
Like other have said, you’ll have a clean slate bulldozing the house.
In the meantime at least making it weather tight so you can store items I think is important. If you plan to bulldoze I would keep repairs to a minimum. Don’t replace all the plumbing, just that you might use, like one bathroom and the sink. I’m sad for you! But youre seeing it in the most raw state and have a better picture than had something creeped up later. My brain automatically thinks barndominum! I think starting with some sort of general spreadsheet of costs would be beneficial as well.
Just be aware of how bad mold can really be for your health. And that mold killing/blocking primer doesn't get rid of mold that can harm your health... just my two cents from my life (and my kids' lives)!
Lovely horror house (with lots of potential) !🧟If you're crazy ? Yes, a bit. Great music in the video... from ?
I agree with the majority, bulldoze it, mold is bad stuff as you already know and pointed out. Please keep us updated with more videos on this.
Absolutely agree and I sure will!
If you’ve got the time black mold can be neutralized, and on the cheap, and don’t get scammed by those removal companies. I lived 5 years as a child/teen in a black mold basement, I do have lung and other health issues due to it . Good luck, wish you the best.
I would definitely look to see if you are saving money fixing it. You could bulldoze and probably purchase a modular cabin to place there. Money and time. Will you really be saving enough to make it worth doing all the work?
So, this is the opposite of clearing hiking trails!
Offer it as a practice/training burn for the local FD, then sterilize the concrete and rebuild.
Safest process for your health.
I don’t know that I would spend the money on such major issues. Build the AFrame you would love.
I totally agree!!!
Get you some pool bleach. A liquid gallon is about 4 or 5 dollars. It is 100 times stronger then bleach you get in a store open up spots in walls and wood. Get a few sprayers and wet everything down with water. 2 oz per gallon of water with pool bleach plus about 4 drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid in another sprayer. Spray bleach after everything is wet make sure it’s well ventilated and you have fans. The dawn makes it evaporate slower.
It will kill everything for almost 0;dollars.
Then paint with mold inhibited after dry. Works on wood concrete, everything really.
Good luck
Is the foundation structurally sound? Did you get an structural engineer to look at this? Also a French drain or sump pump may resolve future water issues.
Just curious: What is your disposal process for your area for the mold infested wood/construction materials? Are there city or county codes you guys have to abide by for demolishing and re-constructing the property? Again, just curious because there’s so many online DIYers out there but I have not seen (yet) of anyone talking about applying and receiving proper licenses. I don’t want to get into video making and making it into a side-hustle, but my partner and I are about to make an offer on a fixer upper. I plan on doing as much of the work myself, but I believe our locality is quite strict with licensing, etc. Just want to hear from others and their experience. Thank you! I love your homesteading content. It’s inspiring🙂
I agree with those who say it's a tough call ~ good and bad aspects. Maybe the question is not "is it worth it in the end to gut and remodel ?" but "what are you GIVING UP to spend time and money on to do this project?" Our time and money is limited, right, so what's the best use of it right now? If adding a storage/office/guest house would greatly benefit the use of the property and doing so doesn't delay other more important purchases or other projects, then go for it. But if it's a year long distraction and money pit from hell preventing you from getting further down the road of developing your property, then bulldoze it. Do you guys have an overall 1 yr. 2 yr or 5 yr plan? Of course unexpected things will come up but there are choices we make which majorly disrupt our goals. We have to avoid these. Not all good things are worth saying yes to. This one has you at an intersection. Will be interesting to see which you choose. Good luck! PS. Just a word of advise on mold: it's always worse than you think. It will be under the floors, in duct work, behind paneling, etc. and not always visible. Very difficult to get rid of. It can affect people differently ~ some can barely be affected, some only need one exposure and they are ill for years bc it grows inside the lungs. Treat mold like a house fire ~ gut everything, basement and main floor and start over.
You should keep it, do the necessary repairs. Everything is so expensive now, if you can take it time and do most of work yourself you won't regret it.
I had no idea that house was there. Did it come with any additional land? How much will the foundations cost? I think that's the biggest issue right now. How was the roof? It, potentially, has good bones, right? I mean even if you guys gut it, get rid of the mold and fix the foundation it can be a good place for storage. Just do the bare minimum to use it as an extra out building 🤷🏼♀️ Then you can still build the A frame
Surprise! It did come with its own parcel, but we've always included it in our total acreage amount (240 acres) from the beginning since we knew we were going to buy it. Yes, the foundation is one of the big issues for sure. Thankfully, Ryan could dig the dirt out from the outside with this excavator so we could fix it, but it would be a big job. We'll see! Starting with the bare minimum and hoping we can store some stuff in there.
goood news when neighborhood nice.
I would just salvage what you can then, tear it down. You could use all that shiplap in your new house 😊
Anything from inside is contaminated with mold spores.
Remove all the wood. Stairs, walls, posts. The block walls is the structure to hold up the main floor. The center posts can be replaced. Be sure to seal all concrete before covering it with a new post or anything. Concrete is porous & moisture will come through. If you leave a hole it will find it's way in.
Vinegar is better than bleach. If you do most of the work, it isn't that much to have pros finish removing the mold.
Thank you for all of this! Much appreciated
Yeah... I would just bulldoze it and build something fresh later on. Dedicate it to farm space maybe.
Completely renovate and do an off the grid Airbnb with scheduled tours of your gardens and your Homestead.. offer classes of all your great skills! Since your such diy’s, you can earn back money invested into the place 🤷🏼♀️
I would not bulldoze it, the roof and walls standing contain a lot of value in material and hundreds of hours in labor. I would gut the basement leaving the fireplace. After removal of everything, see where there is mold and remove that. Then fix the foundation and install a sump pump. Fixing the foundation will be tens of thousands of dollars cheaper then pouring a new foundation. You have no additional cost to replace all of the piping, because if you bulldoze it you will still have to pipe the house anyway. Same goes for insulation, wall finish, electrical and heating. Then you can start on the upstairs, with a good foundation and mold free. Windows are costly, but if you tare it down, you will still have to buy windows. I would replace the windows I like and remove and reframe the rest. This will save some money, a gym and storage really don't need windows.
This is all so helpful!! Thank you!!
Wow that's a lot! What product did u use to paint on the walls? I think we need to get some for some of our basement.
This is what we're using: amzn.to/4aGKZM3
this is totally doable. don't worry about the naysayers. you guys got this.
Is the foundation bad on one side or all around? Since you have an excavator, fixing one side isn’t too bad. If you have to repair two or more sides, it’s probably not worth it. If you repair/replace two sides or more, the other sides will go bad over time and you’ll be back at square one.
Good question! It's only bad on one side, so it might be worth fixing?
@@thehomesteadingrd Yeah, if it’s only one side it’s definitely worth fixing. Especially since you have the excavator. Good luck!
@@joeblow9284 Thank you!
Oof I’m sorry, that’s a lot to stomach :/ does the house have an existing sump? If not you should def install that first before putting anything new up so you don’t have the water issue again
I'm not rich enough to even consider just bulldozing an entire house that's in that good of shape. My parents are though and did just that. They bought the house next door and bulldozed it because they wanted to build a large garage for their current house. They didn't need the house. Each to their own. I'd fix the problems. We've dealt with mold, asbestos, lead paint, etc. over the years. It's not as hard to get rid of these issues as people seem to think but I think you've already made up your mind.
I would want someone to come out who’s certified to make sure the foundation is worth saving and redeemable. If the roof is in good black and not needing help for another 10 to 15 years and the mold that is there isn’t something that has moved in upstairs in the insulation and your wiring is all good I would keep it tear out the bathroom and kitchen redo the plumbing and take out all sheet rock and make sure there’s a set up to detour any moisture that may run toward the house basement. Come summer I would try to see about an intense drying of the entire house then go thru the steps to remodel. If your bones are good there’s half the battle;)
Great advice - thank you!!! Lots to think about for sure
well i guess if your doing a big 2 you could put some hot water in the bath and put your feet in lol. those purple carpets have to be burned.
Okay...yea, those are definitely big issues and a lot to deal with, BUT, it doesn't look like a complete lost cause. I think it's going to be a huge project, but it seems doable. If you have other living quarters, then my choice would be NOT to do a bulldozer on it, but a big restoration. I LOVE the wood panels. Good luck and if there is mold growing, please put use some masks (the proper kind) for walking around in there. You are breathing in that mold.
The cost of fixing it will worth it. This will make your property worth quite a bit more. Just go slow, do it right, and do it once. Time passes and soon this will just be a story you tell.
more updates
I would keep it…
The whole update conversation.. just repair broken, not usable..and rethink every time you use the word STORAGE. My goal is everything is used at least yearly ( think Christmas decorations) or I don’t want it. And I am certainly not storing anything for someone else that definitely includes grown children. Relatives.
I would have section that land off and let it be someone else’s problem. Or just tore it down. Taxes are high enough with one house. Mold can kill.
Lol, and if I had 200+ acres I sure as heck wouldn’t be sharing a driveway or living that close to a neighbor.
I think you should get some $$$ing first. But getting doors first. Wishing you lots of luck..
💯 100% NO livable space there with all that years of MOLD. Even if you "fix" it, the spores are there---perhaps dormant but there. I would start fresh with a new space.
It’s a total gut job for sure!
I would be wearing a good breathing mask in there! Black mold has upended my life 😭 what a shame. Could have been a great spot!
It's got to go.
Not crazy at all. it would be crazy to tear it down. It can be repaired.
airbnb for income!
I wouldn’t through your time, energy, money and health away if it has that much mold- 😢
❤👍
Thank you for your support! It's been a wild ride at our new place!
Too many problems, tear it down. Do you really want another family living so close to you, even though you're renting it out? I would tear it down and build a small house/cabin for guests.
You really shouldn't be in there without a mask! Ugh I'm so sorry!!