Restoring A $7,000 Mansion: Big Project Update

This video is a construction project update on the 100% restoration and remodel of my 1917 farm house (mansion). We have officially been working on the house for 8 months.

The video begins by giving a small brief about myself, and then quickly jumps into everything we have accomplished outside and inside the house so far. Once the recap is completed, I walk around the house and go over how the house is laid out, and what construction still needs to be done. I also discuss things like the project completion timeline, the project budget, the hardest part of the project, and if I would do anything differently. I wrap up the video with a few questions, and talk about some of the supplies that I need to order.

If you really enjoy this video, no need to worry, there is an incredible amount of mansion to be built! There will be many more videos to come!

► Disclosure: I receive a commission on items ordered through the links. Thank you for helping support the channel.

► Fan Mail:
PO Box 383
Waterloo, IA 50704

[NavexCole]

You are also a husband and father to me and our boys! 😉😇

[albiebaker]

If a designer hasn't gotten back to you in months, NEW designer!

[frozenfeather]

You know, I wasn't going to say anything because it will probably get buried, but in case it doesn't, I genuinely appreciate the ending of this, to see a real man stand there and be so genuine and lay it out that he appreciates everyone, from the clicks, views, prayers, financial help, and just community, I really appreciate that Cole sees that and recognizes its worth in all of our lives and his. I just thought that was really awesome to hear, and made me glad to be a watcher and subscriber. I love helping, even in a small way, to someone who seems like a genuine and awesome human. Thank you.

[larksong]

Your Grandfather is smiling down on you from heaven!! All of your hard work and dedication to the farm and family is a testament to your commitment and character as a man!! God Bless you and your family!!

[MrSv]

1. Here in norway we dig along the outside of the house, plastic dimple up to the concrete and gravel and drain pipes when u fill it back up

[DavidEckard]

As an IT person, I can tell you that as long as you have the walls open like that, you want to run at least cat six ethernet throughout the house. You'll still use Wi-Fi but when you can plug it in, do it.. it's more reliable. You also want to plan a wiring closet for all the IT equipment. In other words you bring in the internet connection and everything is central to that closet. You want to run to ethernet in the walls in PEC. PEC is what you run your water in these days. Just don't use red or blue because that tells you hot or cold. The reason for doing this is that if a wire ever fails, you attach a new wire to the end of the old wire with tape then drag it through the wall. Without using something like PEC, it's a bigger issue. That home theater will also need a lot of ethernet connection so keep that in mind. Mind you, you just said one ethernet to where the equipment is and then use a switch to feed all the devices. How fast is the internet out there? The time to think about all that wiring is before you bring in the electricians because you wire it at the same time. For Wi-Fi, do a mesh network and know that putting the antennas higher toward the center of the volume of the house is best. After all, your kids are going to want to be able to play on there internet toys on Wi-Fi and have no hiccups. If you learn how, you can also restrict what they see at the source of the internet in your house. It's not that hard.

[johnbeck]

Just a word from an old contractor…..never feel bad for asking people to do the job you are paying them to do. If they didn’t want to deal with clients, they’d pick a different profession. Ride them (politely of course) until they fulfill the contract. You got this💪🇺🇸

[PlanetMojo]

On #2, I would not spray foam the floor at all. The foam for the PEX floors has grooves in it for laying the tubes into. Having a wavy smooth spray foam floor would just be a mess. I would lay a plastic barrier then the PEX foam, then lay in the PEX according to your zone plan.

[onamissionize]

I think Nave needs a washer and dryer on the second floor, the bedroom floor. So much easier than hauling thousand pounds of laundry up and down basement floor.

[mill]

I’ve been watching you for a couple of years, I’d say. This channel has never been offensive to my sensibilities, morals, or intelligence 😊 Always looking for your most recent uploads! ❤😊

[marykorpal]

For Naves sake think about an additional SECOND FLOOR LAUNDRY. Washer and dryer close to the dirty clothing, so there isn’t the need to carry heavy loads up and down.

[AdventureswithJack]

1. Take a look at Ardex to waterproof the walls.
2. Plastic on the floor is a great idea.
3. Not necessary to put plastic under the footer.
4. The county will tell you what you need. Yes, you can do it yourself.
5. 2x12 work fine. Do not drive rebar into the ground. They will rust pretty quick.
6. Hire a concrete company to pourthe walls. The other option is to use block, then fill the block with concrete.
8. Just order pump-able concrete. Talk to the concrete salesman. Hire a pump company, set your pour time with the pump and the concrete company.
9. Normally the rebar comes from the concrete company. Again, talk to the concrete salesman.
Message me if you would like to chat. I am a retired residential contractor and have been a commercial superintendent for the last 10 years.

[patrickkenny]

Cole, nice update. Just an electrical/architectural engineer, but I do have a few recommendations for your questions stated and not:
1. Wall construction and water. Goal 1 is to limit how much water comes in. The best way I have seen to do that is epoxy injection into cracks or holes. The dimple mats work best on the outside of the wall, but going with dimple mat and then a spray foam gives you drainage plus vapor barrier.

2. Floor insulation and vapor barrier. I don't recommend spray foam on the floor; use the foam sheets with a vapor barrier backing and tape the seams. You do need to maintain continuity of the slab vapor barrier with the wall vapor barrier though. Get boards that have a marked 1x1' grid on them to simplify your radiant heat piping install.

3. You don't need a vapor barrier under your footers... but you need to maintain continuity of the vapor barrier between the slab and walls.

4. Footer forms-- you can use something cheaper than a 2x12 but it requires more bracing. I have seen drywall used but it looks sloppy to me.

5. Your meda room is a perfect application for using ICF-- insulated concrete forms. If you can keep the walls simple it is likely much easier to build, just canteliever out the bump out above. ICFs are easy to modify though to accommodate whatever you want to do. Plenty of youtube videos on the subject, but it is something you might do well to hire an expert consultant to help make sure things are done correctly. Two lifts will likely be needed.

And the unrequested advice... do what you can to finish the foundation and slab as soon as possible and get everything backfilled before winter.

[raymondheckard]

Cole the best way to mitigate water intrusion on your existing basement wall is to execrated the foundation and on the rubble stone foundation pressure wash it and use a spray on water proofing, install a perimeter drain and back fill with gravel to intercept the ground and surface water transporting it to the drainage system.

To provide thermal breaking spray the foundation with closed cell insulation and the apply the spray on water proofing. This will also prevent radon gas from laterally entering your house through the foundation. with Iowa frost line in the winters, exterior spray on closed cell insulation on the rubble stone foundation will help make the whole house more energy efficient

Installing a dimple mat on the inside will will allow a moisture build up and could also provide moist environment for mold and mildew to grow.

Also one thing you have not addressed or even considered, under the Iowa Fire Safety code for homes for finished basements, the size of the structure are building, and having a finished out basement, you will need to install emergency exits from your basement to the outside, which can be an emergency egress window or a man door.
I would build install a man door in the area where you have the the ramp and an emergency egress window on the wall where the old big water tank was.

God forbid if your house was to ever catch fire and your only exit from the basement was blocked by the fire, any one in the basement would die, and having the the underground theater in the basement where the family will be spending time, you need the emergency exit.
Talk to the Iowa Fire Marshal to see how many emergency exits you will need, for your finished out basement. If you put any bedrooms in the basement, each bedroom will need an emergency exit out side.

[chaosmann]

Hi Cole,
to your questenions:

1. Don't just put something on the inside. You don't want the wall to be wet. Do the waterproofing on the outside. Maybe you should look after bitumen coatings. This would be the way to go for me in germany with an existing basement.
6. Have a look at ICF. It's basicly a Lego like isolation system that is your pooring form at the same time.
7. You can cut ICF just to your need. So the 22.5° angle is not a problem.

[bethknight]

I remember when you started this channel. I can’t believe it’s been 6 years and you have created all this from your vision and hard work. You’re very inspiring, Cole.

[mickeybailey]

My son died six years ago at 37 year's old. He and I worked on refitting his old home, from his wife's grandfather no less, and those are some of my best memories. Watching you reconnects me with my boy. I hope you never get to feel the loss. You keep me inspired here in my golden years of retirement.

[MrKnotWright]

Only advice I have for you Cole, coming from 40+ years in construction, I would contract out the concrete work. Save your back and the headache. Concrete contractors already have the equipment, formwork, experience, and insurance. Your time is worth more doing other things. In the short time you have to get it dried in, the concrete guys can GET ER DONE a lot faster than you.

[donaldcatanzaro]

#1, the "best" water mitigation is to not have it inside, thus the "best" thing is to dig on the outside of your house, waterproof the foundation walls and put in drain tiles outside (and put up gutters) to get bulk water away from the house. However most people wouldn't go thru that hassle but since you are doing so much, what is just a bit more work? #5 I'd suggest looking into Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) for the footers and the 14' walls for your movie theater/addition. ICF are very light so you and Roman can put them up, you brace them just like traditional forms (and can have a catwalk around the perimeter) and the best thing is that they have ~2" of foam on the inside and outside which stays in place after you pour the walls (which can be 4-12" thick) so you not only have a strong, monolithic pour but also an insulated wall. #7 with ICF forms you could have a monolithic pour for your whole house and you can cut the forms to any shapes such as your half hexagon (curves also). For the opening you want, you'd have to put in a whole heck of a lot of bracing for the opening to get into the movie theater. Also, in most cases, spray foaming the rock is going to be a lot more expensive than 2" of rigid foam.

[diyradiodj]

Plan #1-Please wrap the outside walls. I ran into the same problem with small leaks in my wall. The hydro pressure will push that water through your walls and when you sheetrock that wall mold will build up behind it. I trust your perimeter walls are strong enough cause Roman could barely get through it with a jack hammer lol. (100 yrs cure) You've put so much time and money into this project that water proofing the outside wall will be a super win for you. You have a great crew and you guys are inspirational!!! You guys are now my #1 show on Youtube:)