What I Found Inspecting a 1920s Riverside Bungalow

Published January 4, 2025 by Mike Chen

Jacksonville, FL

Key Takeaways

  • Riverside homes from the 1920s often have original knob-and-tube wiring that needs updating
  • Foundation settling is common in Jacksonville's sandy soil, but not all cracks indicate serious problems
  • Historic wood windows are charming but may need restoration or replacement for energy efficiency
  • Galvanized plumbing in pre-1960 homes is usually at or past its expected lifespan

The house on Oak Street had the kind of curb appeal that makes people slow down while driving through Riverside. Original wood siding, a deep front porch, mature oak trees that had probably been there since the house was built in 1923. My clients, Sarah and Tom, had already fallen in love with it. My job was to find out what surprises a hundred-year-old house might be hiding.

I've inspected hundreds of homes in Jacksonville's historic districts. Riverside, San Marco, Avondale. They all have character you can't replicate in new construction. They also have issues you'll never see in a house built last year. That's not a reason to avoid them, but it is a reason to know what you're getting into.

This particular inspection taught me something I try to share with every buyer considering a Riverside home: the charm is real, and so are the challenges. Here's what we found.

The Electrical System: A Century of Updates

The first thing I check in any pre-1950 home is the electrical panel. This one had been updated to a 200-amp service, which was good news. But that's not the whole story in a Riverside bungalow.

I found original knob-and-tube wiring still active in the attic space. This wasn't unusual. Many homeowners update the panel and main circuits but leave the original wiring in place for lights and outlets in areas that weren't renovated. The insulation had been blown in around some of the knob-and-tube, which is a fire hazard. Knob-and-tube was designed to dissipate heat into open air, not to be surrounded by insulation.

Sarah's face fell when I explained this. "Does that mean we can't buy it?"

Not necessarily. It meant they needed to budget for electrical work. I estimated $8,000 to $15,000 to properly remediate the knob-and-tube, depending on how much was still active behind walls. That's a significant expense, but it's also a known quantity they could factor into their offer.

Why Knob-and-Tube Matters for Insurance

Beyond safety, knob-and-tube wiring affects your ability to get homeowners insurance in Jacksonville. Many carriers won't write policies for homes with active knob-and-tube, or they'll charge significantly higher premiums. I always recommend buyers get insurance quotes before finalizing their purchase of a historic home. The Riverside house would need an electrical update before most insurers would cover it.

Foundation Cracks in Jacksonville's Sandy Soil

Jacksonville sits on sandy soil. Not the good kind of sandy that drains well and stays stable. The kind that shifts with moisture changes and allows foundations to settle unevenly over time. After a hundred years, most Riverside homes have some evidence of this.

The Oak Street house had diagonal cracks at two window corners in the block foundation. I see these regularly. The question is always: are these stable cracks from past settling, or are they actively getting worse?

I looked for recent patching that might indicate the seller knew about ongoing issues. I checked whether doors and windows operated smoothly or were binding in their frames. I examined the interior walls for corresponding cracks. Everything suggested this settling had happened decades ago and stabilized.

"These cracks don't worry me," I told Tom as we stood in the crawl space. "But I'd recommend a structural engineer confirm that before you close. A few hundred dollars for peace of mind on a hundred-year-old foundation is money well spent."

The Plumbing Situation

Original galvanized steel plumbing has a lifespan of about 40 to 50 years. In a 1923 house, you're looking at pipes that have been replaced at least once, hopefully. The Oak Street bungalow had a mix: copper supply lines to the kitchen and bathrooms (probably updated in the 1970s based on the fittings), but galvanized drain lines that were original or close to it.

I ran water in every fixture while checking drain flow. The kitchen sink drained slowly. The bathroom sink in the hall bath had visible corrosion where it connected to the wall. These weren't emergencies, but they signaled that drain line replacement was in the home's future.

For Jacksonville specifically, I also checked for evidence of polybutylene pipes. These gray plastic pipes were popular in homes built from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s and are prone to failure. The Riverside house predated that era, so it wasn't a concern here, but it's something I flag in Mandarin and Southside homes from that period.

The Bottom Line for Riverside Buyers

Sarah and Tom did buy the Oak Street house. They negotiated $12,000 off the asking price to account for the electrical work and got the seller to credit another $3,000 for the plumbing concerns. The structural engineer confirmed the foundation was stable.

Six months later, they sent me a photo of their renovated kitchen. The new electrical panel was visible in the background. They'd addressed the knob-and-tube and updated the galvanized drains while they had the walls open for the kitchen renovation.

That's the reality of buying in Riverside or any of Jacksonville's historic neighborhoods. The issues are real, but they're usually manageable if you go in with your eyes open and your budget realistic. A thorough inspection isn't about scaring you away from a charming old house. It's about helping you understand exactly what you're buying.