Ok a few years ago I never would have considered this but now I am seriously considering it. We bought a older large square looking 2 story house that needed a lot of work in fact no one has lived in it really in probably 30 years. Its been about 2 years now living in it "roughly" I did gut the kitchen last winter, it still needs some more work but its alot nicer now.
We keep the upstairs door blocked off all the time, some stuff is stored up there like kids toys, papers, etc. but mostly not used because it needs all new wiring, insulation, windows, sheetrock, etc. There is 1 bedroom on the first floor and a real big area like a hallway in between the bedroom, bathroom and living room. We have been keeping the kids bunkbeds here. Not ideal but just making the best of it until its better. I have figured up a few different floor plans that I think I can get 2 maybe 3 bedrooms on the first floor and still have the kitchen, bath, dining room, living room. It also has a nice sized enclosed front porch for extra space. So for the 4 of us less is more especially during winter.
We heat with wood and would like to go through less wood and just make it feel more comfortable all the time. Money is also a big concern. Now I am penciling this a few different ways but possibly gutting everything upstairs and blocking the entire roof down until its sitting on the floor, the other idea is to just tear it off and build back new but that seems real wasteful to me and expensive. The shingles are older and will be putting a metal roof on at some point but for now it doesn't leak.
A side note, labor isn't being calculated. I am a carpenter, my dad is a carpenter although he doesn't live close I might be able to get help. I also have access to farm machinery like a tractor with loader, possibly for getting stuff up and down and whatever.
So......what do you all think?
Build a new house in the back yard and use this one as a barn!?!?
Lower roof down
Get in demolition mode and rebuild with a new roof