Tips for Restoring Your Home

Are you the owner of an older house or historic property? Depending on the condition it was in when you purchased it, it may fall on you to restore that property over time.

The home renovation process can be challenging, and may be one you need to perform in stages over the course of a number of years, depending on the amount of work in front of you and the budget you have to work with.

Here’s an overview of what you should know about renovating an older, potentially historic home.

Restrictions may apply

If you have a home that’s considered “architecturally significant,” there’s a possibility there could be restrictions on what you’re able to do to the property in the way of home renovations.

You may be prohibited from adding square footage, so adding an addition may not be an option. You might also find it difficult to replace certain windows or shutters, especially if the originals are still in place. If you do find replacements, you might need to make sure they are of the same architectural style. The same goes for the roof—the materials used may be required to be the same as what was used on the original roof.

Restoration tips

Regardless of the restrictions that may or may not apply to your home, you should consider the unique features that make your older home interesting or appealing. It’s beneficial both for aesthetics and for the value of the property to make sure you preserve those features as much as possible.

We suggest you create a list of the features of your home that you love and want to preserve or restore to their original splendor. For example, if you have an original hardwood floor that’s not in great condition, you should do everything you can to sand and refinish it to restore it rather than ripping it out and replacing it. Hardwood floors can withstand a lot of abuse, and even if you have to replace some individual boards, it’s better than replacing the entire flooring system.

In addition, keep in mind that home renovation and restoration doesn’t mean you can’t modernize. You should feel free to make parts of your home more modern, so long as you maintain some of the historical features that make the property so unique and appealing. It’s a good idea, for example, to try to preserve the layout of a kitchen, but you can certainly bring in modern appliances. For a bathroom, consider replacing fixtures, but if there are classic elements like gorgeous mirrors, chandeliers or clawfoot tubs, try to keep those whenever possible.

Finally, if you’re working with a professional contractor for your restoration project (and you definitely should), make sure it’s a contractor who has experience in working with older or historic homes. These contractors will be able to provide you with some guidance on how you can properly renovate your home in a way that updates it while preserving its historical integrity.

Interested in learning more about how you can renovate a historic property? Contact the team at Green View Building & Design Company, Inc. to learn more about how we can help with home renovations.

Categorised in: Historic Remodeling