Construction of an old southern plantation house after lightning struck it.

[sculptor]

I've been away from the forum due to lightning striking my house/workshop, and catching it on fire. The lightning came in through the attic. I was home at the time, and thought for a minute I was a goner! Nobody was hurt and that's the main thing. I spent a decade restoring this house before it happened. I thought the some of you might enjoy this picture thread .

 

[sculptor]

Here are more photos

 

[sculptor]

This is what it looked like before the fire. I'll post more after pics....
(broken image removed)
(broken image removed)

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That is a shame that lightning hit. I predict you'll make it better than before.

 

[sculptor]

Thanks Dennis- It turned into a good thing in the end. The house had no insulation prior. Every wall they tore into they had to build back up to code. I got my entire house re-wired. Every exterior wall was insulated (no all so...), And, the ceiling on the second floor was insulated, and a new roof. I think the additions were great, and they didn't destroy too much of the 'old charm' so too speak.

 

[wenger7446]

Is that an outdoor shower I see? You, my friend, are after my own heart. Big fan of outdoor showers.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That sounds great fsculptor.

 

[fishingpol]

Glad no one was hurt. Lightning strikes can be scary. We had an old victorian about 6 houses up the street hit this summer. Not a lot of damage. Nice job putting it back in proper order. Most would have leveled the house and rebuilt. It has some nice charm to it.

 

[Eatonpcat]

Glad noone was hurt...Nice house!

 

[smoke show]

Nice place! Everything happens for a reason...

 

[jharkin]

Beautiful old house, glad to hear nobody got hurt and you were able to rebuild and save some of the old charm.

I love hearing about old houses that get saved

 

[ScotO]

Beautiful "before" pics, I'm betting the farm it'll be better than new when you get it finished. Its a shame that the fire happened, but you came out of it with your lives and that, in the end, is all that matters. Your restoration of the home will leave your name solidly with the legacy of that house. Good on you. Make sure to post some "after" pics when its completed. I love those old homes....

 

[fossil]

This is an important chapter in the ongoing saga of the "life" of this beautiful old home. It's great to see that the needed resources are available for its restoration from this tragedy, and that the workmanship looks to be quite good. The house will be better than it was in some (mostly hidden) ways. With careful attention to detail its former charm will surely be brought back. I imagine the same cannot be said for the pants you were wearing at the time it occurred. Rick

 

[Flatbedford]

Wow! That was some major repair work. Darn near a new house.

 

[sculptor]

Thanks everyone! I was told it was right on the line of repairing or demolishing. This is a trial winter. I was at the point where I wanted to sell and move into a house with central heating and air, and not as much work. Winters are getting more expensive!!

When I first moved in, and elderly townsfolk asked me if I found the secret room yet? She said it being built right after the Civil War, they built secret rooms to stash their silverware, etc. when the Yankees rolled through. If found two places that might have been used for that purpose. It's just miles away from the last big battle of the war (Bentonville battlefield). I bought a metal detector and have found numerous things related.

Outdoor shower. LOL! Love it!

 

[fishingpol]

I had a relative that lived along the river a few towns up from me. There was a filled in tunnel that ran from the riverbank to the basement. It was known that the house was used as passage for the underground railroad.

On another side note, my neighbor has a large Queen Anne victorian house. I have helped him gut many walls and found no insulation anywhere. There were old 1890's newspapers tacked in the stud bays to help cut air movement, but that was it. Back in the day it was coal fired steam boilers and then oil fired. I can't imagine the heat loss on that structure was over the years. He has done right by and and insulated and re-wired over the years. The house is vinyl sided, but the shinglework underneath is stunning. Just a shame to have covered that up.

 

[Eatonpcat]

Thanks everyone! I was told it was right on the line of repairing or demolishing. This is a trial winter. I was at the point where I wanted to sell and move into a house with central heating and air, and not as much work. Winters are getting more expensive!!

When I first moved in, and elderly townsfolk asked me if I found the secret room yet? She said it being built right after the Civil War, they built secret rooms to stash their silverware, etc. when the Yankees rolled through. If found two places that might have been used for that purpose. It's just miles away from the last big battle of the war (Bentonville battlefield). I bought a metal detector and have found numerous things related.

Outdoor shower. LOL! Love it!

I have to admit, the outdoor shower comment went right over my head at first, But that is hilarious...Now!