This is my home in Charleston, South Carolina.  Though I bought it in 2004, the house was actually built (well some of it) in 1852.  It partially burned in the earthquake of 1886 and was rebuilt with the mansard roof you see.  The bit with the porch on the left was actually a little house next door that was hauled over and attached, probably also around 1886.  The house has 4884 square feet with seven bedrooms and five bathrooms of plumbing and HVAC hell.

When we moved-in there were 13 window air conditioners and an old boiler for heat.  It took three contractors, two lawyers, and 18 months to upgrade the heating and cooling.  Painting such a house takes a month and seems to need doing every five years no matter what paint you use.  Our next adventure is… gutters!  It's a piece of history, but I have learned that having a historical home means spending historic amounts of money over and over and over again.