This will be the last post in our series Tips For Historic Home Owners. I really hope you’ve enjoyed these helpful mini posts and that you’ve found some value in the info. We’ve been told that patience is a virtue all our lives. Well, it turns out that when it comes owning an old house [...] Read on →
If you live in a part of the world, like I do, where insects are a daily nuisance you’ll want to pay close attention to this tip! With Mosquitos and other annoying pests just waiting for you to step outside you might be tempted to screen in your wonderful open air porch so you can [...] Read on →
If it’s your first time in an old house it may seem troublesome looking out the windows at the blurry images surrounding you. Generally, the older the house the more flaws and ripples you’ll find in its old windows. And despite the perfectionist in us all this glass, though old and outdated, is a rare [...] Read on →
When it comes to your old home’s exterior nothing is as important as the details. Fish-scale shingles, jigsaw cut balustrades, creative cornices. There are so many things that make your old house unique. And saving them or replicating the missing pieces distinguishes your historic home from its neighbors. If you own a crumbling Victorian or [...] Read on →
Remodel or Restore? They may sound like the same thing, but they are very different when it comes to an old house. And understanding the difference is key. Remodel To remodel something literally means “to alter” it. Because of that you might think that remodeling is juxtaposed to the idea of preserving an old home, [...] Read on →
In historic preservation there is a hierarchy of how to care for a historic structure. And when you own an old house it’s a good idea to follow that hierarchy. Repair & Maintain – The first step is always to repair and maintain your house as you go along. An ounce of prevention is worth [...] Read on →
Every old house has its own story, and each one is unique. Once you move in, your family has now become a part of that story too. While I may talk a lot about saving the historic and original features of your home, I realize that an old home is not a museum. Maybe the [...] Read on →
Restoring an old home can be rough. Often times you’ll come to the end of your rope either from lack of energy, funds, knowledge or all three. When that time comes (and it will come) it’s time to look outside yourself. Finding a “tribe” of old house lovers to be a part of is the [...] Read on →
Sometimes the amount of work that needs to be done on an old house is overwhelming. Every little project seems to fall victim to The Mushroom Effect and your budget fades into a distant memory. The project gets so big that many homeowners get paralyzed and don’t know what to do next. But you can [...] Read on →
I think my family doctor is great. He really is! And one of the reasons he is so great is because he sends me to the best specialists in town. He sent me to a no-nonsense ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist) when I needed my tonsils out, a very sweet-natured allergist when my hay [...] Read on →
Every old house is hiding some pieces of its past, and it’s up to you to figure them out. Many folks want to restore old details that have been removed or covered up over the years. And while some remodels may have completely wiped out any signs of the past there may still be ways [...] Read on →
So many folks go a little crazy with the seemingly endless list of repairs they inherit with their first old house. It can be overwhelming. There is too much to do and too little money and time that they freeze up and don’t do anything! Well, don’t become one of those people. There is a [...] Read on →
Your home wasn’t built all by its lonesome. It has friends all around the neighborhood, built at the same time by the same people using some of the same techniques and materials. Just like you can learn a lot about someone by asking their friends, your house is no different. Maybe your historic house has [...] Read on →
Your historic home’s proportions were carefully thought out. They were planned by a designer or architect to work together and complement the overall style of the house. An out of scale addition like an oversized dormer or an undersized porch will only serve to confuse the look of your house. If you’re planning a renovation [...] Read on →