Preserving The Past
by Sugar
The Street Where We Live
If moving into a small town of 5,500 wasn't challenging enough, our decision to restore this beautiful 1870's beast was the icing on the cake.
The best advice I can give to anyone thinking about restoring a historic building ... or historic home ... plan on doing a massive amount of historical and renovation research before starting construction.
If you have zero patience, go find some quick, you're gonna need a bunch ... especially when the workers don't show up as promised.
Then there's the "coming to terms" with the fact that you may not live to see the pay back on your investment. Either way, you've preserved an historical place to enjoy for many years to come. That is unless the asteroid hits first.
There are places where you may find funds available for restoring a historic structure ... our city had such a fund ... and then there is a federal rehabilitation tax credit available for projects that qualify. See below.
Last but certainly not least ... the Contractor's Truism ... 90% of the work will be carried out beautifully, as promised, while the remaining 10% of the work will take what seems like three lifetimes. The deck was started last April and is almost done;)
On my last nerve ... I created a hand written finish up checklist, so it could be checked off as each line item was completed. While it took the boys 5 days to take the taped list to the fridge ... where their Mountain Dew chilled... seriously ... it worked!
To date ... still waiting for a few things to be completed but after a year and a half ... never thought I would be so overjoyed to see dust settle.
If I knew then what I know now ... Start by making a pact with yourself, better half, or pet ... if you have one, to promise to finish what was started before starting on something else.
The best advice I can give to anyone thinking about restoring a historic building ... or historic home ... plan on doing a massive amount of historical and renovation research before starting construction.
If you have zero patience, go find some quick, you're gonna need a bunch ... especially when the workers don't show up as promised.
Then there's the "coming to terms" with the fact that you may not live to see the pay back on your investment. Either way, you've preserved an historical place to enjoy for many years to come. That is unless the asteroid hits first.
There are places where you may find funds available for restoring a historic structure ... our city had such a fund ... and then there is a federal rehabilitation tax credit available for projects that qualify. See below.
Last but certainly not least ... the Contractor's Truism ... 90% of the work will be carried out beautifully, as promised, while the remaining 10% of the work will take what seems like three lifetimes. The deck was started last April and is almost done;)
On my last nerve ... I created a hand written finish up checklist, so it could be checked off as each line item was completed. While it took the boys 5 days to take the taped list to the fridge ... where their Mountain Dew chilled... seriously ... it worked!
To date ... still waiting for a few things to be completed but after a year and a half ... never thought I would be so overjoyed to see dust settle.
If I knew then what I know now ... Start by making a pact with yourself, better half, or pet ... if you have one, to promise to finish what was started before starting on something else.
Historic Preservation Grants and Funding
for Historic Preservation Projects
- ACHP | Sources of Financial Assistance for Historic Preservation Projects
- Sources of Financial Assistance for Historic Preservation Projects
- Historic Preservation Grants for States
- Grants for States Historic Preservation Fund
- Grants and Funding
- PreservationDirectory.com is a research tool and directory of resources for historic preservation and cultural resource preservation.
The Past Owner Posted a Sign in the Window for 8 Years That Read ...
Renovating for Jordan's Future
No kidding!
Really!
Can you say, SLUMLORD?
Ok ... that's mean but I calls'em like I sees'em. I'm sure she meant well;)
According to Wikipedia ... A slumlord (also spelled slum lord) is a derogatory term for landlords, generally absentee landlords, who attempt to maximize profit by minimizing spending on property maintenance, often in deteriorating neighborhoods. They may need to charge lower than market rent to tenants. Severe housing shortages allow slumlords to charge higher rents.
More like creating deteriorating neighborhoods!
What We Knew Before We Started
More than meets the eye.
1. Circa 1870 - Leban's Harness Shop and then a variety of Variety Stores.2. Two-stories and one scary basement.
3. Upstairs started as one home and then was poorly built out into 2 apartments.
4. Main floor was one large room with brick walls and gorgeous maple floors ... under 6 layers of baked on dirt.
5. Single car garage with a flat rooftop for future expansion (should have kept the vintage garage door, when it was replaced ... oh well.
6. Built with a Jordan brick exterior and some interior (which is no longer manufactured).
7. There are 27 windows that need to be replaced ... and none of the 15 doors or doorknobs matched.
8. A small kitchen was built into the would be dining room and that needed to be ripped out.
8a. The main kitchen was ... well disgusting through and through.
9. While the wood floors were mostly in need of a good refinishing ... some of them had been altered slumlord style.
10. The electrical was very scary and we'd already had one fire from a lamp housewarming gift. (LOL now ... not so funny then.)
11. The main bathroom was ... well ... admit to showering in there and I would use the sink but found myself always closing my eyes ... pretending
to be somewhere else.
11a. Plumbing ... well if the electrical was whacked ... you get the picture.
12. Mix and match old appliances ... slumlord style ... and the faucets, tub, toilets, showers and sinks were worse.
13. There were walls where they shouldn't be and we didn't have a clue what the the original layout of the space was.
14. The space only had 2 small closets but as a bonus there were a few cupboards nailed to the wall for extra storage.
15. The deck, driveway and sidewalks needed to be replaced.
... and this was only the beginning.
Move In Day
A rocky road with a grand finish ... almost.
Knowledge is Power!
Historic Renovation and Preservation
History is a novel for which the people are the author. ~Alfred de Vigny
Renovating a Historic Building Online
It's all there if you know what to look for.
The bathroom collaboration between my contractor and I was totally designed online. l was out of town and he inhabited our space, while we were gone, to start the work. Can't tell you the number of times I worried needlessly (I can say that now) about my final design and material decisions.
As it turned out, I couldn't have done it without the websites below. Each and everyone of them helped me find the technical name of the restoration items that I was looking for and in turn made my online searches more precise.
Learned early on that if you know what you're looking for it doesn't have to cost you an arm and two legs ... lot's of really great seller's and deals out there!
As it turned out, I couldn't have done it without the websites below. Each and everyone of them helped me find the technical name of the restoration items that I was looking for and in turn made my online searches more precise.
Learned early on that if you know what you're looking for it doesn't have to cost you an arm and two legs ... lot's of really great seller's and deals out there!
- Houzz - Home Design, Decorating and Remodeling Ideas and Inspiration, Kitchen and Bathroom Design
- The largest collection of interior design and decorating ideas on the Internet, including kitchens and bathrooms. Over 500,000 inspiring photos and 90,000 idea books from top designers around the world. Remodeling and decorating ideas and inspiration for designing your kitchen, bath, patio and more.
- Rejuvenation
- Rejuvenation is built on a passionate love affair with history, architecture, and bringing back the best lighting and house parts ever made. We obsess over the details of period authenticity and great design like no one else.
- Restoration Hardware
- Furniture - Bed & Bath from Restoration Hardware, furniture of lasting value, classic design and imbued all with a brand that speaks to superb taste and a free spirited individuality.
- Van Dyke's Restorers
- Van Dyke's Restorers has over 25,000 items to make your house a home. Vandykes.com features vintage styled restoration hardware and supplies for any home decor project.
- Antique Restoration Hardware for Home Renovators.
- House of Antique Hardware provides high quality antique hardware and reproductions at an excellent value, and with expert help. We offer accurate period hardware reproductions for restored vintage homes.
- Etsy - Your place to buy and sell all things handmade, vintage, and supplies
- Felt good about spreading the wealth to hardworking Mom and Pop stores. There's a ton of vintage here!
- Ebay has a ton of Vintage Hardware and Restoration Treasures
- Loved finding treasures that would normally cost me twice as much!
You're Gonna Need Vintage Hardware
and it's not cheap!
Vintage hardware or reproductions of vintage hardware is far from cheap! The very, very high side from stores like Restoration Hardware, Rejuvenation and Van Dyke's Restorers but they do have the coolest stuff around. I found that once I knew the descriptions of the vintage hardware I was looking for ... Ebay and Etsy were a blessing. So many great people out there selling vintage hardware at fair prices. Only drawback is that it takes a ton of time to find multiples of vintage hardware and there may be some prep time in removing rust, in some cases.
What if Victorian/Traditional isn't for you ...
Where there's a will there's a way.
Recreating the past and sticking to the period can be really tricky especially when the era boasted mostly Victorian decor or very Traditional.
Decided on an Arts & Crafts / Craftsman style to accentuate past while bringing in a more modern updated feel.
Worked perfectly!!!
Decided on an Arts & Crafts / Craftsman style to accentuate past while bringing in a more modern updated feel.
Worked perfectly!!!
Arts & Crafts, Mission, Craftsman Style was the way to go.
Photo courtesy of Houzz.com
Start at the Beginning
and Grab a Dust Mask, Broom and a Dumpster
We started with building a new deck. Had to ... it was like death waiting to happen.This being the first lens of our Historic Renovation journey, I'll have to adjust all my images to size before moving on for more.
Cheers!
