The well maintained building at 39 Woodland Street in Hartford is identified by the Structures and Styles book as the Melancthon W. Jacobus, Sr. House. Its Tudor Revival architecture is in excellent condition 110 years after construction! Kudos to the State for the recent maintenance to keep the 29,571 square foot structure looking good. The building is currently the central office for the Connecticut Technical Education and Career Center.
Photo: CT Department of Housing Property owners in a portion of Connecticut have been struggling with foundation problems. The concrete mix used to build their homes included pyrrhotite, which is a mineral that causes foundations to deteriorate due to exposure to air and water. There is no way to repair a defective foundation. The only way to save a home with pyrrhotite is to replace the foundation, a very expensive project. Home insurers didn’t think
“Close the door” is a time-tested piece of advice. Growing up in Vermont, the main reason to close the door was to keep the heat from getting out. Apparently barns are notorious for having open doors where I’m from. Being told to close the door was generally followed by a comment about how we don’t live in a barn. Which was true, we didn’t live in a barn. There’s a strong case to be made
As a homeowner and a listing agent, I dislike clutter. The more that is removed, the better. Last fall I spent some time on the perpetual project of organizing and cleaning out our basement. There were four boxes of empty 3-ring binders that had been on their way out for quite some time. All the paper they used to contain was recycled long ago. After removing the labels and other personalizations, it was time to
“Do you have an electrician that you can recommend? How about a plumber? Floor refinisher? Painter? Kitchen designer? Landscaper?” A peppering of questions came from a buyer client this past weekend. They’re looking to buy a place that needs some work and feel somewhat overwhelmed by the number of contractors they need to find and hire. Well, let me tell you, I’ve got a guy. In fact, I’ve got a lot of guys. They live