The Japanese have already shown us that a country can carry in excess of 200% debt to GDP and the Greeks have shown us that 170% is unsustainable.

I knew that there was a chance that I could get stuck with this house long before we put a shovel in the ground, so instead of building the usual builder 2400 sq ft bi-level or small colonial, we went BIG, a 4800 sq ft Colonial in the Greek revival theme, it's on two acres.

You wouldn't believe some of the ancient stuff I've pulled out of walls and ceilings that didn't burn down the house.

The client has replaced several of the old uglies and the new units are quiet, perform well, and many tenants are pleased they're not living with "ancient" duct work.  

You have no doubt heard the ancient Chinese proverb, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with…..entering the destination into your GPS” or something like that...As I psyched myself up in the mirror that morning, I knew what I wanted to be.

Either a 'slide in' that is built into the counter, or tear out the uppers there, build a 'halfwall' behind the range about 45" high (as high as the range backsplash) and use a 'freestanding' one (less $$$). that would give some definition to the space also with out need the overhead ancients to do that.5) Where the double oven was, that could be more base, counter, and upper cabinet to make up for what you are loosing taking out the uppers over the peninsula.

So, in addition to ancient wiring you're likely to find "non-standard" wiring in more than a few places.So, please just take as a given that the entire house will need to be re-wired from the basement fuse panel through to every wing of the house.I don't know what the roof is made of but if you happen to have a ceramic tile roof don't get rid of it.

We started the 3rd floor reno on October 1 with the same plan as the first floor aside from two things: there was no illegal apartment to dismantle so that was easy, but the heating system was an ancient gas fired space heater sitting in the dining room.

(If OP took fancy financing classes they don't need to, but dear lurker: if that was Doric Greek to you, just google search "what is fractional reserve banking," but avoid the conspiracy theory websites, the truth is sufficiently crazy that they aren't necessary anyways)

My father-in-law buys and sells ancient roman coins and he has made a killing on them in the last few years.