If the studding is in good condition, it is used again but if it is badly warped or of oak, it is left behind.  Century-old oak is as hard as concrete and must actually be drilled for nails.  When the studding is taken out, all window frames and doorways are removed and stored.

Now comes removal of stairways, feather-board partitioning, flooring and paneling in the order mentioned.  Offhand one would schedule the latter as one of the first things to be taken out but the building ways of the old workmen dictate otherwise.  As a means of stopping drafts, they put all paneling in from joist to joist, that is, from below the upper surface of the flooring to above the lower surface of the ceiling.  After floors and ceilings are out, it is a simple matter to loosen all paneling and remove it in large units.  Wherever possible whole room-ends go intact.  The stairway is also taken out as a unit, especially the more elaborate one in the front hall.  Prying loose the old wide flooring is a difficult operation.  The original hand-wrought nails have rusted fast and if too much leverage is used, the boards split.  Men used to such work salvage the old flooring with little damage, however.

At the same time that the paneling makes its exit, the large hearthstones are pried from position and moved to a waiting truck.  All that now remain are the chimney and timber frame.  By this time each joint of the latter has been numbered and given its color code.  With a simple derrick and ropes and pulleys, dismembering the frame commences.  The pins that make the joints tight are removed by driving or boring.  Roof rafters and purlins come first; then the yard arms that brace plate and summer beams, followed by these timbers themselves.  Second floor joists come after them, followed by the corner posts.  Each must be removed with caution and ingenuity.  There must be no sawing apart or proper re-erection will be impossible.  Since first floor rafters and sills are usually badly decayed, the general practice is to use new material.  So the old ones are left behind.

While this is in progress, two men pry lintels, cheeks, and other large stones from the fireplaces, as well as stones at the openings of brick ovens.  As many old bricks from the chimney are salvaged as possible.  Large stone door steps are also removed but generally no attempt is made to take along the dressed stone of the foundations.  The cost of hauling to the new site is out of proportion to the advantage gained.  Native stones uncovered in digging the new cellar are made reasonably square and used instead.  Old houses antedating 1800 are not usually over twelve or sixteen inches above the level of the ground and so little new stone is needed.

The chimney of the reconstructed house must outwardly resemble the original.  Where it comes through the roof it is of ample proportions and built of old brick, but except for old fireplaces and ovens, it is otherwise modern.  With flue tile, cement, mortar and hard brick, safety of construction is accomplished in much less space.  What is saved frequently becomes closets or the well for plumbing pipes.