Ever dream of sipping tea on the wraparound porch of a Queen
Anne Victorian, or gazing at the soaring ceilings of a Gothic Revival
after an endless workday?
Lexington Historic homes carry tons of charm, but here’s the
thing: They’re old. And that means they
often come with truckloads of hidden or weirdly unexpected issues—and may
require exorbitant upgrades.
But fear not! With smart planning and a few expert tips,
you can renovate the historic home of your fantasies. And, hey, why not create
some new history while you’re at it?
Shaunna and Matt West, the restoration team
behind the HGTV show “Sweet House Alabama,” have some ideas to get you started.
The Wests have been involved with countless remodeling and design projects
through their successful shop, Perfectly Imperfect in Troy, AL, so they know a thing or
two about polishing up historic gems. (Above is a Southern Colonial-style home
they worked on for the show.)
Before you get your heart set on updating a sprawling Georgian
manse (like the “Home Alone”
house in Chicago), don’t! Instead, read this
list of things to avoid:
1. Don’t
fall in love before you really know the deal
Before you make an offer, know what you’re getting into, Matt
West says. 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 general contractor with
experience renovating older properties—walk through and identify all critical
issues,” West says. Topping the list: lousy wiring and plumbing,
drafty or otherwise inefficient windows, badly sloping foundations. “Get
estimates from at least three contractors for repairs,” West says. “You might
find that the extra costs and time involved are just beyond your reach.”
Also, West recommends tapping your city’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 FHA standards.
2. Don’t
create a budget with no wiggle room
As with any older-home renovation, expect the unexpected when
you open up walls and floors, West cautions. Chances are, something’s lurking behind them.
“When you undertake a reno project, you always need to leave
some space in the budget for those unforeseen hiccups, like a lead pipe in a
wall you were going to tear down, or water damage in a ceiling,” he says.
“Factor in an extra 10% into the budget to tackle those problems, as well as
some extra time to get unplanned work completed.”
If the renovation goes sideways, remind yourself it’s more
important to get the work done right the first time.
3. Don’t
lose sight of the place’s character
What makes older homes so enticing? They have personality,
uniqueness—and most important—history. Preserving all those characteristics
while refreshing the look and floor plans is an important piece of the
renovation puzzle.
“Some of these homes have
design elements that can’t be replicated easily such as detailed crown moldings
or ornate fireplaces in nearly every room,” West says. “Design around those details instead of removing them.”
Keep in mind, too, that there might be limitations on what you
can change if the surrounding area is designated as a historic neighborhood by
your city or state, or if it’s
listed on the National Register
of Historic Places, which contains more than 90,000 listings across
the United States. Make sure you run your renovation plans by code
enforcement and your local historic preservation board before any work gets
underway.
4. Don’t try
to save money by doing it all yourself
Sure, you might be an arena-level rock star when it comes to
painting walls and installing light fixtures, but leave the major projects to
the pros. Electrical rewiring, foundation and structural repairs, and
reconfiguring plumbing aren’t tasks suited for the casual DIYer. Bring in
experienced contractors who have worked on older homes before (ask for
references!)—unless you want bigger, more expensive headaches down the road.
Trust us on this one.
5. Don’t
ignore the things you can’t see
Asbestos, lead, radon, wood rot, and mold are common
environmental issues that crop up frequently in historic home renovations,
especially if a property has been vacant for a long time. Hire a licensed home inspector who can catch these issues early on
and recommend companies to address them. If significant mitigation work is
required, you’ll be in a good position to negotiate those items (or the price)
with the seller.
Now, go forth and get historic.
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