Thinking about bringing a historic home back to life? There is great romance in the dream of owning a historic home, and with it comes the great responsibility of finding balance between thoughtful restoration and modern upgrades. If you have fallen in love with a home that is past its prime or of historic value, special care MUST be taken when dealing with old structures and building materials. Without the right experience or a plan in place, you risk making costly errors along the way that could have been avoided. If you’re thinking about purchasing and restoring an old home, it’s important to thoroughly research both the process and the professionals you hire to do the job. Depending on the scope of the project and the condition of the property, Bob Evans can use his historic renovation expertise to guide you in this exciting, yet sometimes daunting endeavor..
Tip #1: Don’t Fall in Love Before You Really Know the Deal
Before you make an offer, know what you’re getting into. Sure, you (presumably) already know about getting a standard inspection, but a historic home requires something more. Have a team of top-notch professionals—an agent who specializes in historic neighborhoods, a good home inspector, and a residential consultant with experience renovating historic homes —walk through the property with you in order to identify all critical issues. At the top of the list: lousy wiring and plumbing, drafty or otherwise inefficient windows, badly sloping foundations.
It is also advisable to tap into your city or county’s code enforcement office as a resource for determining whether a historic property is up to code. If you’re obtaining an FHA loan and don’t have the extra cash for renovations, ask your lender if you qualify for the 203(k) loan program. The program allows borrowers to wrap renovation costs into their home loan if the property meets the right FHA standards.
Tip #2: Always Research the History of the Home
The defining factors that make a house “historic” are important to note and preserve when starting the initial design process. Before starting any renovations, reviewing the home’s rich history is of utmost importance to see if there is any historical significance. If so, you could consider restoring the house to that specific time period to help better interpret its history. Consulting with an experienced restoration professional can help you identify the quirks and historic details that are worth preserving to their original state, such as wavy or stained glass at the windows, the odd nooks and crannies, original tile or woodwork, types of stone and pointing used, details of crown, trim, and cornices, to name just a few. These details are what set antique homes apart from today’s more standardized homes and structures
Tip #3: On a Tight Renovation Budget? Start Small.
Don’t underestimate the cost of refurbishing an old home. Thanks to specialized materials and methodologies, plus the need to locate builders and contractors who have a specific skill set (and thus charge more), and some of the unexpected surprises and challenges that arise when working on an old house, it can be more expensive to refurbish a beloved historic than a more modernized home. It is important to remember that more often than not, the older the home is, the more it’s going to cost in renovation. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t try to start a huge renovation project. Start small, and then take it one step at a time.
An important budgeting tip to remember when renovating a historic home, is that whatever your estimates might be for the project you want to complete, double the budget for good measure.
This will ensure that you get the proper renovations done the right way without cutting corners, your home looks great in the end, and you may still have some cash left when all renovations are complete. Such an important project deserves the time required to do it right. It requires good planning and patience. Taking the time to restore your historic home’s unique features is the best way to preserve both its charm and its value.
Tip #4: Historic home renovations usually don’t go to plan.
However, this is often typically the case because there wasn’t a plan to begin with. Many homeowners question the need to duplicate existing conditions on paper or waste additional time and resources during the planning process, therefore skipping it entirely. Why put money into plans, they ask, when what I want is tile and cabinetry? In addition, in older homes, there’s a tendency to jump into crisis management— repairing termite or foundation damage, for example—without pausing to assess future needs fully. The trouble is, without a plan to work from, you risk facing many more errors along the way that result in more time and money spent in the long run when you go this route.
There is also the persistent (and incorrect) assumption that tradespeople will conduct logical improvements in keeping with the scope of a project, even when that scope has never been spelled out fully. For example, HVAC subcontractors like to put their systems in the path of least resistance, such as in the middle of a potentially finishable attic. Without a plan in place and uninformed about future plans for that space, they are less likely to reach the “logical” conclusion of locating the air handler out of the way.
“It’s quite simple, planning and detailing the scope of your historic home renovation in clear, specific terms is key to success and your dream home.”
Tip# 5: Know What to Sacrifice & What to Preserve.
It’s the details of your historic home that infuse it with charm and individuality. Restoration means returning the interior and exterior appearance to a particular date or time period to help interpret its history. It could be when the house was built, or when a significant event took place there. Rehabilitation means making the house functional for a modern household while retaining and preserving important historic and architectural features. Strict restorations that eliminate all present historic elements are uncommon, as most restorations include modern conveniences such as plumbing and electricity and while retaining the character and details that add to the home’s history.
Knowing what to sacrifice and what to preserve is one of the most important decisions when renovating a historic home. Windows are not the only parts of an old home that should be restored. Custom mantels, hand-blown glass, hand-built doors and hardware all showcase character that cannot be entirely replicated with modern materials.
It’s not always architectural beauty that needs to drive your improvements either. Old systems, such as electrical knob-and-tube wiring (when inspected for safety), can function with perfect adequacy in certain situations. Above all, resist the temptation to replace materials because of minor imperfections. The results of restoring a historic home are worth the effort and expense knowing that the character, charm, beauty and solidity of the house have been preserved for another generation
Tip #6: Updated, Modern Technology is your Friend
Nobody can deny that historic homes are beautiful landmarks that are certainly worth preserving. That being said, over time building technology has continued to evolve, and older materials are not always the most energy efficient, and in some cases may not even be considered safe. The wiring in older homes often does not stand up to modern electrical codes, and old plumbing systems typically consist of materials like galvanized steel, cast iron, and lead, that are no longer recommended for safety. Sometimes, outdated heating systems can work perfectly fine, but they are not likely to be energy efficient.
While updating heating, cooling, and electrical systems of a home can easily become the most expensive part of any renovation, try not to worry that making these modern updates will necessitate ripping out all the period details you’ve come to love in the first place. There is no need to put a thermostat in plain view, when you can hide it in a closet or out of the way space. The key is to consult with a renovation specialist that knows how to restore a home for efficiency and comfort, without causing issues over the long term for your newly updated home. You can also find replacements that function in a modern way but look old-fashioned. Great brands are making products with modern technology and a historic look, such as light switches.
Contrary to what most people believe, renovating an old house is not about the past as much as it is about the future. When considering modern upgrades, ask yourself this question:
“50 years from now, will my home look timeless? Will it still function as it should be? Will I still care about those unique attributes that first drew me to the home? Will future generations be happy I did all that I could to honor the home’s history?”
Tip #7: Hire a Renovation Consultant to Guide You!
There’s a romantic notion about bringing an old home back to life: done right, the results of a restoration can be incredible. If you’re thinking about purchasing and restoring an old home, it’s important to thoroughly research both the process and the professionals you hire to do the job. Historic home restoration is a specialized and intricate field – and just as you wouldn’t hire an electrician to work on your plumbing, you shouldn’t hire a simple contractor to restore an old home without the relevant experience to handle the job.
Renovation of a historic home is a massive undertaking, yes, and at times it can seem overwhelming. However, know that these structures are dependent on us to protect and celebrate the history they hold within their walls. Historic homes are not only a connection to our past, but help us understand our culture and can help keep history alive, ensuring their stories will remain a part of our lives for generations to come
Do you have a historic home renovation or restoration project in mind, but need a little help along the way to make your dream a reality? Ask Bob Evans!
