A bathroom remodel in an old house is an experience that turns out to be more difficult than a lot people expect. It’s not as easy as the HGTV shows make you think, and it certainly doesn’t take a quick weekend to do right. After doing my fair share of bathrooms, I figured I’d give […]
There are a lot of options on the market when it comes to plumbing today. Old houses can have tons of different types of pipes from remodels and repairs over the years. Sometimes these different generations of plumbing can get along together, but sometimes its like mixing vinegar and baking soda (aka things get messy!) Just […]
I just returned from a much needed 10-day vacation visiting friends and family. Over that time, I had a lot of time to slow things down and do some long overdue reading and reflecting. It wasn’t long before I knew exactly what I wanted my first post of the year to be. There was one […]
Nobody likes bare walls in their house. We spend time and money to find attractive paintings and decor to hang on the walls of our home. And a house doesn’t feel quite like a home until the walls are covered with decoration. But, what if instead of putting pieces of art on your wall, you […]
“The greenest building is the one that is already built.” Architect Carl Elefante who is the Director of Sustainable Design at Qunin Evans Architects in Washington, D.C. said it very succinctly. Eco-nerds talk about sustainability and energy-efficient design as much as us preservation-nerds talk about wood windows and plaster. But isn’t it amazing when two worlds that […]
Today’s question comes from Jacques: “What would you recommend for plaster walls and wood trim/mouldings on a 90 year old house? My wife and I are planning on having kids, so we’d like to get the house lead free in a safe way.” Jacques, in a 90-year old house you’re not as likely to have lead paint […]
Using primer should be an easy choice before any paint job. You don’t always have to prime before painting, but in the end it saves you time and money. Priming helps your paint cover in less coats, last longer and look better. It’s a win/win/win (if there is such a thing!) Choosing the right primer […]
I get asked a lot about insulating old houses, especially in the wintertime. It makes sense. People fall in love with the character rich architecture of these homes, but they don’t want the crazy heating and cooling bills that come along with that character. Chances are good that if your house was built before the […]
Asbestos is that persnickety little thing that can be hiding anywhere in an old house. From siding to plaster, vinyl floor tiles to insulation, it can be almost anywhere. What makes matters worse is there is no simple way for the average homeowner to determine if they have asbestos in their house. You can’t tell […]
Old houses have a lot of terms that you may not be familiar with. So, having a working definition of those terms will help save you confusion and overuse of phrases like Whatchamacallit or Thingamajig. Save yourself the hassle with this handy guide to 25 old house terms you need to know. Baluster (Balustrade) – […]
In my grandfather’s garage there was a shelf above an old carpenter’s table that was full of mason jars. Each jar had different types of fasteners. Nuts, bolts, machine screws, washers, nails of every size. Anything you could possibly need to attach one thing to another could be found in those jars. For a little […]
The American Foursquare, sometimes called the “Prairie Box” was a hugely popular architectural style in almost every part of the country. It is one of the consumate American house styles. Though not technically an architectural style on its own (it’s a subtype of The Prairie Style), the American Foursquare is so prevalent that I thought […]
