This Ol’ House: Breathing New Life into a 1911 Duplex

This Ol’ House, a project I undertook in January, has been quite an adventure! I was hired to install new cabinets in a recently purchased 1911 duplex in the Alamo-Placita neighborhood, but it was a neglected rental for many years. It wasn’t in great shape. Once my clients realized I could do more than replace cabinets, they had ideas as to how they wanted this home to look.

Why “This Ol’ House”

I started calling it This Ol’ House because it reminded me of one of my favorite shows: “This Old House.” Bob Vila, Norm Abram, Richard Trethewey, and Tom Silva guided us through the ups and downs of remodeling an old home. I just loved that show! Because this house is old, I kept thinking about one of my favorite TV shows. And there were some necessary changes to make it safer and more secure. 

Starting with the Kitchen

New kitchen cabinets were necessary as the old ones no longer functioned efficiently, but when I looked at the kitchen, I asked questions about plumbing and its location, plus where the appliances would go, so I knew where to place the cabinets. They realized I could do much more, and they hired me to remodel their duplex.

After I set the cabinets, I needed to replumb the kitchen, including a new faucet and sink. The old kitchen flooring was removed, and the residue under the flooring was so rough that it couldn’t be sanded and refinished. It was stained black and badly warped from years of being covered.

They also wanted a different kitchen layout, to make it more user-friendly, which required my electrical subcontractors to install new wiring while I moved plumbing and hung a stove hood.

Next Remodeling Steps

My clients showed me the bathroom and had ideas about how modern it should be, including replumbing the faucet and drain for the toilet and the sink. I pulled out the old tub and replaced it with a new one. Then I needed to retile the shower. 

In addition to remodeling the bathroom, there was a closet nearby that was too small to be practical. I removed the closet, creating more space for a nice chest of drawers or a mirror.

The Addition from Hell

Off the kitchen was a poorly constructed add-on, which had been constructed many years ago. There were many problems with the addition: the floor was not level, there was no electricity or insulation, it had crooked windows that didn’t fit well, and there was a gap in the roof between the addition and the original house. There wasn’t any water damage, thankfully, so I didn’t have to worry about mold. 

My clients wanted the addition to be usable space, so I pulled off the drywall and insulated the room. I added new drywall and had a subcontractor mud and sand the walls. 

Because the original windows were badly crooked, I built new window openings to accommodate new windows.  I installed a false floor over the existing floor, making it acceptable to lay flooring on. Finally, I called a roofer to add flashing over the gap, securing it to the addition and the house. Now the roof–and the addition–are tightly sealed. I reinforced the framing to make the addition safer, bringing it up to modern code. Adding electricity made the space usable and bright. 

The addition also had steps leading down to the back door with no handrail, so I built a handrail. Now, it’s much safer and has a handrail for anyone going down the steps. I replaced the back door, making the house more secure.  

The kitchen and addition now have a new laminate floor, which is appropriate for high-traffic areas as well as completely level. They wanted the hardwood floors sanded and refinished, and I recommended someone to them. He did beautiful work; the hardwood floors look brand new. 

My clients hired a painter once I was finished with the big stuff, and once the painter finished, I installed the wood trim baseboards. 

Introducing a Beautiful, Updated This Ol’ House

From start to finish, this job took me two months, and I really enjoyed it. Each day was different, and it was a pleasure to see how homes were crafted over 100 years ago. Because of its neglect by other owners, there were some costly upgrades that needed to happen for it to be a safer home, particularly when we had to rewire most of the house to make it meet current codes. 

This 1911 duplex is now move-in ready. 

Remodeling an older home always has its challenges, particularly with plumbing and electricity. Much has changed with plumbing and electricity over the last hundred years, and really, for the better. Rewiring this 1911 house makes it much safer and brings the wiring up to the 21st century.

There’s something special about bringing new life to a space that has been overlooked for years, about preserving its history while giving it a future. This Ol’ House is no longer just an aging duplex; it’s a home that’s been carefully remodeled and thoughtfully updated. It's ready for its next chapter.