The best thing about a bungalow is its old neighborhood with row after row of historic Arts & Crafts homes, each one different from the other & the fellowship to be found there. Home tours, potlucks, monthly meetings- moving into a bungalow neighborhood gives you the opportunity to meet some wonderful new people, form strong friendships & have some great adventures.
Often, these associations have a preservation committee through from you can learn a great deal. I also urge you to participate in that committee for all the same reasons as those mentioned above. And, if they don’t have a historic preservation committee, you can start one one. Don’t know what to do? I’d be so happy to teach you! Here’s an article about some of the activities we hosted.
LET’S VIEW SOME GREAT BUNGALOW NEIGHBORHOODS!
Celebrating 100 Years of Chicago Bungalows
Chicago Bungalow Association
A delightful & warm video about Chicago bungalows.
Check out my article on these charming homes & the vibrant neighborhoods represented by the Association.
I promote the use of Benjamin Moore paint for old houses based on my experience & based on the recommendation of the best painter I have ever known. We both swear by their quality. Just brushing it on is luxurious. Its creamy texture beautifully covers & application marks just melt away.
Ben Moore offers great durability & while I might use another brand inside, outside, it’s my first choice. The colors are yummy & their support is unsurpassed. My favorite Customer Service rep, Earl, I have on speed dial. He’s a genius who is great at dumbing it down for science-challenged me.
Very important to me is their environmental responsibility. They offer a green interior paint with zero VOC’s & zero emissions. The R&D required to formulate such a product is ridiculous! And as importantly, they contribute to the preservation community. Altogether, the company has a wonderful, well-deserved reputation in the industry.
This is not a DIY site, but, if you are hiring a painter, it’s good to know about the materials that they will use. My preference, especially for exterior work, is always Ben Moore & my preference in painters is for guys who recommend & use that my favorite products.
They have created an abundance of valuable videos. I have curated the ones most pertinent to old houses. Because of the quantity of them, I’m going to skip descriptions. The titles pretty much let you know what they’re about. I thought I knew everything about paint, but I have learned plenty from these videos.
HER-R-R-RE’S BENJAMIN!
How To Fix 5 Common Painting Mistakes (3:18)
Benjamin Moore
How to Choose the Best Paintbrush for Interior Projects (2:55)
Benjamin Moore
How to Touch Up Paint (2:32)
Benjamin Moore
Choosing the Right Paint for your Walls (3:03)
Benjamin Moore
How to Clean & Store Paint Rollers (2:22)
Benjamin Moore
I also suggest reading the series of articles that I wrote on appropriate paint colors.
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I’m not sure who loved our bungalow screen doors more, me or the pussycats. I was always ready to add or remove a layer of clothing for the opportunity to throw open the front door & get a whiff of my garden outside.
Having a deep porch protects you from the elements. In Florida, this meant being able to have the house open even when it was raining, letting in the breeze, the pitter patter & the rumbles. There were a few times that the wind would blow the mist in, but it was worth it to be able to hear & feel the storm.
Neither the Hare House nor my Tampa bungalow came equipped with screen doors but I wanted my kitties to be able to enjoy the world without having to experience it. When the doors were installed, both kits instantly found their places, shoulder to shoulder, tiny noses to screen, a pair of furry, sniffing sentries quivering with excitement as the occasional lizard scittered by.
I encourage you to experience the world outside, through your own screen door!
While this is not a DIY site, I occasionally slip in some how-to’s. Though I’m not a woman who enjoys getting her hands dirty, I trained my handy-man on many aspects of old house restoration with such videos. He enjoyed the education.
WATCH SOME VIDEOS ABOUT BUILDING SCREEN DOORS!
How to Make a DIY Screen Door (7:27)
Woodshop Mike
A lesson in making a simple screen door.
How to Build and Hang a Custom Screen Door (11:58)
This Old House
Some fine points of building & installing.
That Old Screen Door (3:50)
Mike Manuel
“Back when life was simple, just like that old screen door.”
You can read more about my doors & my kitties here!
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I know that when you come home at the end of the day, you just want to relax but, you need to be alert to your environment. It’s no longer just a cozy bungalow, but the second the first crew walks in the door, it turns into an place in which there could be power tools, construction dust & debris & slip & trip hazards.
I have seen injuries that could have easily been prevented had somebody just bothered to assess their current surroundings, determined sources of possible danger & planned accordingly. I mean, I have seen some really goofy stuff! This applies to anyone on the premises, not just the workers. Please also take a look at my post on staying healthy when you have all kinds of construction chaos going on.
These videos were produced by folks who have a great deal of experience & wisdom & can actually teach you a few things that could come in handy.
WATCH THESE SAFETY FIRST IN OLD HOUSES FILMS & APPLY WHAT THEY SAY!
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) – 3D Animated Video (3:22)
Safety Videos by Custom Animation
Darling cartoon, great for a homeowner!
DIY Safety Tips: How to Properly Quarantine Your Work Area (5:16)
My Old House Fix
This information in this video by Chris Hewitt applies to the DIY’er, but is also very important for any homeowner who is living in a jobsite.
HEALTH HAZARDS IN RENOVATIONS OVERVIEW (21:55)
NICA SAFETY
Asbestos, lead, silica, & mold, oh my! Does your contractor foster a strong safety culture?
Safety Toolbox Talks: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (7:01)
NAHBTV
More on PPE.
Although I was in the construction industry for almost half a century, when I watched these films I learned a great deal. I really wish I had seen them before I inhaled a wall of a hundred year old, moldy, infested house as it came crashing down 2 feet in front of my unprotected face!
Another good resource is my post on how to read Material Safety Data Sheets. You should know about the products that are going to be used in your home.
You are under contract on a new old house. It’s your first venture into bungalow living & your home inspector has said that he has discovered knob & tube wiring. Because the majority of you are not electricians & many of you have never even heard this term before, I have put together these videos to help you understand what knob & tube is & how it could affect your home purchase.
Forewarned is forearmed!
SO LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT KNOB & TUBE WIRING
Knob and Tube – early electrical insulation (4:34)
EdisonTechCenter TechCenter
A great show ‘n’ tell!
Testing 100 Year Old Knob and Tube Wiring (13:34)
Electromagnetic Videos
Checking out a 100 year old system.
Issues with Old Electric Wiring | Knob and Tube (8:02)
Everyday Home Repairs
Issues of an aging electrical system.
So now that you know what knob & tube is, you can discuss it with your electrician & together, you can make some decisions.
STAY IN THE BUNGALOW KNOW!!!
Sign up for our newsletter & receive our FREE E-book, 7 VITAL Things to Do Before You Hire a Contractor.
The best thing about a bungalow is its old neighborhood with row after row of historic Arts & Crafts homes, each one different from the other & the fellowship to be found there. Home tours, potlucks, monthly meetings- moving into a bungalow neighborhood gives you the opportunity to meet some wonderful new people, form strong friendships & have some great adventures.
I promote the use of Benjamin Moore paint for old houses based on my experience & based on the recommendation of the best painter I have ever known. We both swear by their quality. Just brushing it on is luxurious. Its creamy texture beautifully covers & application marks just melt away.
I’m not sure who loved our bungalow screen doors more, me or the pussycats. I was always ready to add or remove a layer of clothing for the opportunity to throw open the front door & get a whiff of my garden outside.
I know that when you come home at the end of the day, you just want to relax but, you need to be alert to your environment. It’s no longer just a cozy bungalow, but the second the first crew walks in the door, it turns into an place in which there could be power tools, construction dust & debris & slip & trip hazards.
“What is knob & tube wiring anyway?”