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For those who are interested in our project to rebuild my great-great grandmother's house in a new, more desireable location (i.e., ocean front rather than a dying village on a tidal river), here's an update.
The house is gone. Having stood for 200+ years, the house succumbed to Charlie the demolition guy, his bulldozer and his picker. Charlie does not have a phone, or if he has one, he doesn't answer it. He also doesn't appear to have a mailing address. However, he was described as someone who liked to knock things down, so he seemed ideal for the job. He was hired by a third party who knows him, since he doesn't answer his phone. Wonder how he makes a living?
Floorboards, mouldings, tin ceiling, beams, doors, and miscellaneous lumber were saved, along with a field of massive granite blocks and lots of bricks, made in the local brickyard. The town has two roads that give a hint about industries once found there: Brickyard Road and Shipyard Road. We got the bricks but would be very surprised if there were any ships still left.
And, even though I knew that many of the beams in the house were hollowed out by carpenter ants and it was only a matter of time before the structure collapsed, I still feel a pang that it had to come down.
We have actually sold the land (or will by next Friday) where the house stood. Embedded in the sales contract was permission to store all the stuff saved from the house on the property until we could move it.
We have purchased some spectacular waterfront land about eight miles away.
We have a designer and builder, Chris from Belfast, who thinks we are nuts and that it is his job to convince us to be sensible. Classic words from Chris: "Of course you can do that, but it will cost more." We need his wisdom as we progress.
Bottom line: This is not an investment.
