Waiting for a person to inspect my house since I’m changing insurance companies. Had to spend time on the phone last night with the inspector explaining my unique home because the insurance company had not passed on the relevant information. Hopefully he will be better informed today, having done the online research I suggested.
The joys, and occasional frustration, of owning weird stuff.
Good luck, RNUG. I hope you get a reasonable and affordable estimate. I am constantly amazed that the estimated cost of rebuilding my home in the event of a catastrophic loss. When I bought the home, I was insuring a $100,000 farm house built in the 1890s with a 1970s addition. The estimated value was $125,000. Eighteen years later, my insurance assumes three times as much to replace the home.
I’ve already received a policy written on it at about 65% of what I was paying the other company. This company said they understood what the home was, a unique pre-fab housing experiment in the 1947 - 1950 period, and had no problem insuring the home, but they wanted photos and documentation of it.
When their person called last night about coming to take photos today, and started asking some of the same questions we had already gone through, it was clear things had not been communicated. They just can’t wrap their heads around things like the roof has never been replaced in 70+ years.
If you want to waste some time, use the Google and Wiki on ‘Lustron House’. One of the biggest communities of these homes was in suburban Chicagoland.
=If you want to waste some time, use the Google and Wiki on ‘Lustron House’. One of the biggest communities of these homes was in suburban Chicagoland.=
A friend of mine growing up lived in one of those homes. His dad always talked up the roof, sounds like he was right.
No. The Sears homes were more like 1910’s - 1940’s period. The Sears homes you ordered and, usually, assembled yourself. Grandpa built a Sears Starlite Cottage about 1914, then later expanded it himself. It still stands today.
Wow! We have two of these in Macomb, IL. I have seen one and always wondered what those panels were about. I read a story about them on a local’s Facebook page a few years ago, but never new what to make of them. The story just spoke in accolades about how durable they were. Thanks for the citation.
As you might guess, there is a group of people that love these Mid Century Modern pre-fabs. You either love them or hate them. And you have to adapt to the home, because they are not easily changed.
- JoanP -
I’m fairly well acquainted with a lot of the pre-fab experiments throughout the 20th Century. I started college in an engineering program, planning to become an architect, before I took a left turn into a related career field, and ended up working for government a lot of years.
Our Iowa home is prefab. Built right over the old house’s basement so it has a full basement. Original house burnt down in the 70s. It’s cozy. I guess they trucked the panels in and assembled it on site. It’s been pretty durable thus far. We’ve done the necessary maintenance (new roof, new boiler (the one from the 70s finally gave up the ghost)). It’s certainly well insulated.
- Blue Dog - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 7:39 am:
saw on TV last night some guy won $2 million in a queen of hearts drwg. these things are popping up all over. seem kinda fun.
- H-W - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 8:06 am:
I have been thinking about the differences between a grifter and a shyster. One is definitely a more accurate description.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 8:21 am:
Waiting for a person to inspect my house since I’m changing insurance companies. Had to spend time on the phone last night with the inspector explaining my unique home because the insurance company had not passed on the relevant information. Hopefully he will be better informed today, having done the online research I suggested.
The joys, and occasional frustration, of owning weird stuff.
- H-W - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 8:33 am:
Good luck, RNUG. I hope you get a reasonable and affordable estimate. I am constantly amazed that the estimated cost of rebuilding my home in the event of a catastrophic loss. When I bought the home, I was insuring a $100,000 farm house built in the 1890s with a 1970s addition. The estimated value was $125,000. Eighteen years later, my insurance assumes three times as much to replace the home.
Talk about inflation.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 9:20 am:
- H-W -
I’ve already received a policy written on it at about 65% of what I was paying the other company. This company said they understood what the home was, a unique pre-fab housing experiment in the 1947 - 1950 period, and had no problem insuring the home, but they wanted photos and documentation of it.
When their person called last night about coming to take photos today, and started asking some of the same questions we had already gone through, it was clear things had not been communicated. They just can’t wrap their heads around things like the roof has never been replaced in 70+ years.
If you want to waste some time, use the Google and Wiki on ‘Lustron House’. One of the biggest communities of these homes was in suburban Chicagoland.
- Lucky Livingston - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 9:45 am:
Republican County Chairs are meeting this weekend to appoint a replacement for Tom Bennett,
Any word on who has applied?
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 9:56 am:
Thanks RNUG and H-W for reminding me to check my coverage. House prices are crazy even in the sleepy bungalow belt I live in.
- JoanP - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 10:30 am:
@ RNUG - thanks for the time sink.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 10:39 am:
=If you want to waste some time, use the Google and Wiki on ‘Lustron House’. One of the biggest communities of these homes was in suburban Chicagoland.=
A friend of mine growing up lived in one of those homes. His dad always talked up the roof, sounds like he was right.
Were these sold by Sears at one time?
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 10:43 am:
== Were these sold by Sears at one time? ==
No. The Sears homes were more like 1910’s - 1940’s period. The Sears homes you ordered and, usually, assembled yourself. Grandpa built a Sears Starlite Cottage about 1914, then later expanded it himself. It still stands today.
- Mason born - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 10:46 am:
RNUG
You have a really neat house. I see why insuring it is a pain in the rear it doesn’t fit any of the boxes.
- JoanP - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 11:05 am:
@ RNUG and JS Mill -
The whole history of pre-fab homes is so interesting. Frank Lloyd Wright collaborated with Milwaukee manufacturer Arthur Richards with the American System-Built Homes: https://franklloydwright.org/site/american-system-built-homes/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_System-Built_Homes
This was just before WWI, and the war, plus a dispute between Wright and Richards, sadly ended the project.
- H-W - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 11:27 am:
@RNUG
Wow! We have two of these in Macomb, IL. I have seen one and always wondered what those panels were about. I read a story about them on a local’s Facebook page a few years ago, but never new what to make of them. The story just spoke in accolades about how durable they were. Thanks for the citation.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 11:45 am:
- H-W - , et al,
As you might guess, there is a group of people that love these Mid Century Modern pre-fabs. You either love them or hate them. And you have to adapt to the home, because they are not easily changed.
- JoanP -
I’m fairly well acquainted with a lot of the pre-fab experiments throughout the 20th Century. I started college in an engineering program, planning to become an architect, before I took a left turn into a related career field, and ended up working for government a lot of years.
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Feb 1, 23 @ 12:54 pm:
Our Iowa home is prefab. Built right over the old house’s basement so it has a full basement. Original house burnt down in the 70s. It’s cozy. I guess they trucked the panels in and assembled it on site. It’s been pretty durable thus far. We’ve done the necessary maintenance (new roof, new boiler (the one from the 70s finally gave up the ghost)). It’s certainly well insulated.