Scrape the white and paint it. I would paint it beige and the columns white. The screen and door frames in black. Fix that nasty gutter. Power wash the faux stone, steps and walkway. Then let him finish the kitchen :)

You best option for the stucco is to stucco over that fugly stucco with a nicer stucco. (Don't say that 10 times fast).

you have many choice

b

Also you can adding other hardscape,such as :porch...

Want to comment regarding the boiler. We just sold a house with a 72 year old boiler. It was original to the the house. I loved the boiler as it provided a nice warm heat. Over the 20 some years we lived there we had made several repairs to the boiler and had removed the radiators. We had also tapped in to make an additional unit for the upstairs to replace baseboard electric heat. One company had serviced it for us during our ownership. The new owners inquired of that company about the cost of replacing the boiler. The company strongly urged them not to do so. He said that the boiler would continue to work for many years since it was a simple unit. A new unit would have features making it more prone to fail in not too many years.

Lucido,
These mock ups are so helpful. Once I saw the header over the porch the same color as the foundation, everything came into proportion for me. Thank you!

For landscaping, he plans to go full on vegetable gardening in the front yard. but that's next year!

If he is going to add insulation, the kind you squirt in through holes in the walls may be an option. If so, do that first, repair the holes and then paint. It's annoying to disturb a year-old paint job to add insulation.

I think this house could be very attractive. He might want to try a few Wisconsin-cold-okay roses and lilacs in the front. Vegetable gardens are great, start small.

Any photos of the kitchen you are working on?

A vegetable garden in the front yard will be a disaster for curb appeal! It belongs in the back and if there isn't enough sun, go to the farmer's market. Your growing season in WI is short and it will look very odd and out of place during the summer and very scrubby and unsightly in the off season. He needs some carefully chosen foundation plantings to soften the faux stone and two large pots of flowers on top of the stairs and grass. A vegetable garden is not landscaping!

I think that Lucidos has shown us that a grey with blue undertones will look great and hopefully satisfy his penchant for "blue."

This is an attractive blue, called blue note: from Benjamin Moore Here is a lighter version:

I'm sure he will create an interesting mix of foundation plantings,raised beds and food stuffs. This is his first home and it's all a learning process. He is creative and eclectic. attached are some kitchen photos, he has a friend who is a professional painter who is going to paint the kitchen, we chose a soft grey for the walls, white for the open upper cabinets, a dark grey for lower cabinets and a some what aqua blue for an accent wall, with the interiors of the upper cabinets the same.

Oh, my gosh, that kitchen is going to be so much better when you are finished. I hope he can get a good vent fan in over the stove: it looks like an outside wall, so easy enough when spring comes. The fake brick peeled off nicely?

If he needs to do heavy duty cleaning of bathrooms and floors, I recommend the drill brush attachment for a cordless drill. It's so much more fun than scrubbing by hand. http://www.drillbrush.com/4-inch-yellow-general-purpose-scrubber/

The kitchen stove has it's own vent. The plastic brick came right off and eventually he will install a backsplash. Fresh paint , new light fixtures and a wood topped iron pipe island will make all the difference.
The entire house is carpeted, including bathrooms. the living room has gorgeous crown moulding and under the carpet, herringbone borders on the wood floors. Someone replaced full length windows with tiny sliders and paneled the whole room. They also added built in bookcase on either side of the entry to dining room...that is where we can see the original floor. We think this can be knocked down but don't know for sure that it is not structural. The dining room poses the greatest obstacle, layers of subfloor and 9"VCT, we all know what that can mean. Height of floors in kitchen and downstairs bath hint at even more demolition.
Good bones on this house and loads of potential. Major expenses will be going from 1 1/2 cobbled together, replacing boiler, and 28 windows. Flooring could be an expense in many areas, everything else looks like elbow grease and paint supplies. I just tell him, it's a labour of love!

Down with the bulkhead?

A diamond in the rough! Following...like a stalker! haha

Great suggestions on the house, lucidos.

lizzie, show this to your brother-in-law. It made me smile…we, also, have had a tough winter. I bet we share sentiments.

Great house! Colonial blue would look wonderful.
With all those projects, I wouldn't worry about the ugly stucco. Foundation plantings can cover that.
Agree with kadodi on the boiler- good servicemen usually love these old systems and take great pride in keeping them running.

The problem with old boilers is that they are only 60% efficient, but they are dependable. For such a small house, you would get more bang for the buck with weatherization, and Wisconsin has a Focus on Energy program that will give you rebates for that. Before you start tearing stuff out, figure out what is old and worth keeping and fixing, like the old windows (with storms and new glazing (not DAP) ) and what to get rid of (like old knob and tube).

You can get an energy audit to verify what needs to be done, but take what they say with a grain of salt. Old houses don't lend themselves to modern solutions, and you could end up with a real mess. Also don't go blowing in insulation everywhere without careful air sealing first. You have balloon framing, which means that the space between the joists is open to the walls and if you blow stuff in, it will go everywhere, and you probably have old wires and pipes and stuff in there. And with hydronic heat, if a pipe leaks or bursts, the insulation will get wet and grow mold and cause all kinds of damage. Also without a proper vapor barrier, you can create moisture problems.

Stucco already has a lot of moisture in it. Was it originally stucco? You should check, because if clapboard is under it, that is bad news.. Foam has its own issues, but is somewhat better.

I have an old house too, and I'm considering using fire retardant foam to seal the sill, the top plate, the space between the ceiling and the roof in my closets, where I know there is no wiring, and maybe between floors, but leaving the gap in the walls. There are some DIY solutions that use long straws and whatnot to get to tight spots. I'm really cautious though, because our understanding of these issues has changed a lot in just the past 10 years, and you really have to do you homework to get it right.

I recommend The Craftsman Blog for good basic tips for an old house owner, and a good e-book too. Old House Journal is pretty good and Fine Homebuilding has quite a lot of insulation and retrofitting stuff, but not so much for really old houses. Minnesota has some of the best info on preventing ice dams and insulation out there, and University of Maine has some really good info on inexpensive ways to weatherize your home. DIY interior storm windows work well too, Even window film.

As for the exterior, blue was a really uncommon color in the 1880s except for accents because it wasn't colorfast. They used a lot of earth tones and typically had dark trim and medium body color. A dull blue grey with light trim would be OK, but more like 1910. Even if the trim and casing is light, the window sash was always dark--dark green, dark brown, red brown were the most common colors until 1930s or so.

I don't know how extensive his home inspection was, but I would consider getting a good contractor or inspector or designer who works a lot with old houses to work out a triage plan to tackle the most important things first, and then get to the decorative and nice to have stuff.

His original home inspector really pushed that a new boiler would be more energy efficient. The house is 5 bedrooms, large formal LR, DR and kitchen. Not at all small. We were there for the weekend and we were very toasty, his utilities are running the same per month as our 1 year old energy efficient ranch and we keep the heat at 62 degrees. I think the stucco is not original. Inside the screen porch, the exterior walls of the house are narrow overlapped wood. I had a sense that blowing insulation into the walls might not be efficient but not that it could cause problems. he has some pretty bad ice dams in 2 areas and we plan to investigate and try to remedy before winter hits again. Found a lot of info re dams from the State of Maine, will definitely check out state of Minnesota sites.
He moved in in December but did get plastic up inside on all 28 windows. I'm all about low maintenance, solid vinyl, low e, argon, single hung replacement windows but Houzzers are opening my eyes to other options. I know about Jeldwins Zap Packs but what other lower cost options are out there?

Well, I got a high-tech high efficiency furnace and it is quite touchy and expensive to fix, and I have to worry constantly about the intake pipes getting clogged when it snows. The whole thing shut down in January after it was serviced because the intake gas pressure was not within tolerance, and I spent the whole night manually forcing it fire up every hour to keep my pipes from freezing. It is only 3 years old, and it is costing me another $1000 to fix on top of the $9000 it cost to put it in. My old furnace was about double the capacity of our house, and had other issues.

Replacing that plus the roof took all our extra cash and kept us from doing the other things we wanted to do. So really think about it first. They keep on making improvements all the time, so it can pay to wait on that one.

I have two old homes and have learned some lessons the hard way. Don't take what people say at face value, especially for old houses. And it is not easy to do your research. I have a background in architectural history, and I find it hard sometimes. So I am working on my certification as a home inspector and my goal is to become a certified historic home inspector, and have design and triage services on the side.

Windows:

Studies done in Vermont show that a old wood window that is properly glazed, weatherstripped and with a storm window has nearly the same R value as a new vinyl window--about R3. Energy loss through windows make up only about 10% of a home's energy usage and changing out windows will reduce that by only a fraction and has about a 40 year payback in energy conservation, but the windows will need to be replaced well before that. Lifespan of a vinyl window is around 20-30 years at best. The seals get brittle and start to leak, and eventually the frames can crack. If you must replace, fiberglass and wood covered with aluminum (although moisture can penetrate) are better options, but that old-growth wood is waaay better than the stuff they used these days..

The thing is modern windows are "low maintenance" until they fail, then they have to be completely replaced. Sometimes you can replace a component, but it can be tricky. Everything in a wood window can be replaced inexpensively and fairly easily, and they just look so much better on an old house, and you can paint them any color you like..

Wood can last centuries with proper maintenance, and fixing them can be a low-cost DIY project. I'm on the 5-year plan for my own home, with windows dating from 1925-1962.. John Leeke is the best resource for how to fix old windows and wood trim, and he has a lot of free videos on his website, and some e-books with the nitty-gritty.

Twenty eight windows is intimidating, but start with a few--maybe some smaller ones in the rear, not the worst ones--and try it out. Leave the plastic up on some of the windows until you can get to them. Steam is the best way to remove old glazing, and traditional linseed oil putties are best. Leeke had an article about it in Old House Journal about a year ago that listed the acceptable glazing putties. Dap is crap is a saying in the business.

Bubblewrap (spray glass and stick on) will instantly double the R-value of the glass. You can make your own interior storms with window plastic and simple wood frames with a gasket of weatherstripping or even stapled 3-mil plastic, doubled. Mother Earth News has some good DIY on that, plus info on DIY shutters, shades and drapes, which can make a big difference, esp. at night.

If you use the Zap Pacs, you still have to strip the old window openings, so you might as well keep the old windows. It is better than tearing out the whole thing, but I'm not convinced that new windows are the best and most cost-effective solution. I can see doing it in someplace like the kitchen or bathroom, where they are opened and closed a lot and probably on the rear of the house, and maybe in the basement if you have rusty old metal casements. Otherwise, I would be cautious and spend the money on other projects.

Stucco:

Stucco over clapboard is bad news. I would keep an eye on the stucco and take a look to see if it is rock lathe (perforated metal sheeting) laid directly over the clapboard. If your windows are flush with the stucco, it could very well be done like that.--was done in years past as a "quick fix" to peeling paint. This is a recipe for moisture retention, which will rot out the clapboard and eventually damage the framing. Fortunately old-growth wood can take quite a lot of abuse and still be fixed, but blowing insulation into the walls is a double bad idea if that is the case.

I don't have time right now to look up all the links. But John Leeke, Bob Yapp and The Craftsman Blog (best instructions for metal weatherstripping of doors and windows) will point you in the right direction.

Bottom line, the best way for your brother to maintain the value of the house is to keep as much of the original as possible. Even if he has to replace some things, keep the old stuff in the basement or garage or attic, so it can be fixed later. And take lots of pictures!

Victorianbungalowranch...I couldn't agree more with your comments on the windows!!

There is nothing stronger or more resiliant than old growth wooden windows. I have been reglazing mine one by one. When done correctly they will last another 75-100 years! NO replacement can ever make that claim.

@ lizziegardens...There are a couple other old house forums I'd like to suggest visiting for info.

The first one is Old House Web: http://www.oldhouseweb.com/forums/index.php?sid=bfa6e53fef97e0b03b716479fe88af8f
There is a ton of great info there, but in the last year or so, the site owners have not addressed a bad spam issue. The search function is great, so you can find about 12 years of great info.

Most of the active & long time menbers have moved over to https://www.wavyglass.org/
There isn't the long history yet, but you're more likely to get a quicker, more accurate response to any questions.

Those site members are long time electricians, plumbers, woodworkers & restoration experts. There is one great lady who does sash restoration for a living. Jade will be happy to send you any info you want along with step by step directions on how to reglaze your windows. That is her passion & she even holds classes for free to show others how to do it. She has done this for years.

This is my new house and I hope to have some photos of the interior, etc. ASAP. I think one thing is clear - I am definitely rethinking the idea of replacing 28 windows. There is a home show in LaCrosse this weekend and I hope to get some ideas on a thing or two. Thanks everyone for the bounty of comments. It is all a bit overwhelming, but I know i have a lot guidance from good sources.

I opted for storms (47 windows) and have no regrets- OK, the occasional stuck sash- but I still think it's worth it.

Is that LaCrosse WI??

One of my old house web buddies lives there. He's in the James Vincent House.

Talk about a stunning home...this one hits the ball out of the park!! It was built by a lumber baron, so needless to say, the woodwork in this place is amazing. On the National Register as well.

http://www.oldhouseweb.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=19486

I look forward to seeing pics of the interior. Old houses like this are compelling, and it's great to see that this one is being saved.