Buying an Old House by Sara Pitzer

Author:Sara Pitzer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 1982-03-25T16:00:00+00:00

Floor Plan

In an old house, the floor plan may differ considerably from what you’re used to in a modern house or apartment, especially if earlier owners have added rooms and built partitions. The traditional rule says that you should not have to go through any room in the house to get to any other room. In actuality, this may not matter. For instance, many old houses have two upstairs rooms connected by a doorway, with only the front room opening into a hall. You have to go through this front room to get to the one behind it. If both rooms are to be used as bedrooms, this could be a problem; but if the front room is to be a study or den or sewing room, going through it would be only a minor inconvenience. What’s important is that you be aware of such things and decide, ahead of time, whether or not they bother you.

How the house is oriented and where the windows are located may make a difference to you. South-facing windows allow a great deal of light and heat. That extra solar energy is a bonus in northern climates. Windows on the north side of the house lose heat. Will this be a problem? Is there an open floor plan in the living areas to allow heat from a wood-burning or coal-burning stove to circulate? Of, if you don’t plan to have any space heaters, does the floor plan allow for a good circulation of air?

Other things to check in the floor plan include a bathroom (or place for one) close to bedrooms, proximity of an eating area to the kitchen, and an entry area so that you don’t have to walk directly into the house in muddy boots.

If you expect to make changes in the location of rooms and hallways, check with a carpenter to be sure the changes are practical.

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