The ‘diamond in the rough’

It was like Goldielocks and the Three Bears when searching for a place to call “home”.  Some houses were too small and not sufficient for our growing needs of storage and a workshop, some too expensive, and others simply too boring.  We came across a listing in Chester, which had been vacant for several years, and took an immediate interest in the building style and history which came with the property.  Some people thought we were crazy to buy such an old, probably haunted, house which was run down and neglected over the years; others saw the same vision we had for bringing the house back to life.

The post and beam constructed home, predates the founding of this country with the original cape portion of the home estimated to have been built around 1769 with additions added in the 1800’s and 1900’s.  We always had plans to do an extensive remodel, but the timing was never right to upheave our lives and begin such a messy, overwhelming, reconstruction of our home… That is until we decided to “start small” with installing replacement windows and new siding to improve efficiency and appearance.

As soon as the layers began to be pulled back, we realized we were going to be deep in the trenches and fast.  The walls consisted of patched in framing, bits and pieces of fiberglass and foam board insulation stuffed into nooks and crannies along with corn cobs and knick knacks from centuries of families who occupied the home before us.