Challenges Are Inevitable. But Hiring the Right Renovation Team Makes Them Solvable.
A historic home is a treasure, but the materials and architecture that make it unique can also pose difficulties. Over time, historic homes face many issues because of their age. However, this is completely normal and not something that should persuade you against renovation. After all, any older home, even ones that are not considered historic, is going to require repairs.
A historic home renovation company can help you address these challenges as part of the process of transforming your house into a home with historic charm and modern functionality.
Look Out For Water Damage
Water can get into a home and cause damage to the foundation, walls, flooring, and more. Signs of water damage in your historic home include:
- Mold.
- A musty smell.
- Warped walls or flooring.
- Water stains.
- Peeling paint.
- Visible water in the basement.
- Humidity issues.
- And more.
Water is a symptom of a root cause that needs to be addressed. The usual suspects are:
- Your home’s foundation.
- Window and door seals.
- Leaking pipes.
- Roof deterioration.
- Clogged or missing gutters.
- Landscaping and drainage.
Although a historic renovation company’s primary role is to develop a one-of-a-kind architectural design, they can simultaneously address water damage issues. After the renovation team solves the problem, you can return your focus on accentuating the home’s history or adding desired contemporary features.
Address Pests to Protect Your Historic Home Renovation
Older homes, no matter how well they are maintained, can still be a magnet for certain pests. These pests can do considerable damage to your home, if they aren’t properly addressed. Unfortunately, the way some older homes were built makes them far more appealing to certain animals and insects.
- Termites: Termites are more common in homes that weren’t constructed with today’s pressure-treated or engineered wood, which is considered more resistant to termite damage.
- Woodpeckers: Woodpeckers, of course, love nesting, roosting, and foraging (pecking holes) on homes with wood siding, such as cedar shake and lap. Many historic homes were built with wood siding, prior to more modern siding methods, like vinyl.
- Bees and wasps: Bees prefer areas that aren’t well-sealed off, while wasps like overhangs and eaves that are characteristic of architectural styles of the past. Bees damage walls and insulation with their heavy nests and cause staining and odors throughout your home. Wasps can chew through insulation and wood, causing structural issues.
- Rodents: Rats and mice also love poorly sealed homes, finding crevices and gaps to enter indoors, particularly during the coldest months. Rodents can cause structural damage to electrical wires, insulation, your home’s foundation, and more. They also carry disease.
If you’ve discovered damage prior to your consultation with a historical home renovation team, consider beginning pest control efforts before work begins. You can also ask your renovation team for their advice during your consultation, as they’re likely connected to experts for the situations you’re facing or can prioritize upgrades that will help keep pests out.
Many homeowners learn about damage during the historic home renovation process. In this case, your historic architectural design team can collaborate with exterminators to resolve your issues, so the renovation can continue as planned.
Check For Lead Paint and Asbestos
Although lead paint and asbestos don’t cause outright structural damage to the home, they can cause major health concerns.
Lead paint and asbestos were used as building materials in many historic homes. Lead paint wasn’t federally banned until the 1970s, and asbestos was not commonly understood to be a health hazard until the late 1940s.
A historical home renovation team has likely encountered many homes that contain either lead or asbestos. They can resolve your worry by performing abatement, so you can enjoy a historic home design that is elegant and safe.
No Need to Worry! Unique Challenges Are Common During Historic Home Renovations
Historic home renovations don’t always include repairs due to damage, but it’s important to be prepared in the event that you need to address specific issues. It’s not unusual for any home renovation to include challenges that aren’t strictly related to improving the design or aesthetic.
An experienced historic renovation company will likely view your home’s challenges as part of the process, as it’s wise to address issues to ensure a new design concept doesn’t face the same difficulties again. The team may even find ways to turn damage into an opportunity. What appears to look like damage now, may prompt a solution that turns an affected area into a newly designed part of the home.
Seek out a historical home renovation team that can offer support for all your home’s challenges by directly addressing them or coordinating with their trusted list of contractors. You’ll want to find a team that isn’t simply performing a superficial makeover. You need a team that creates design concepts that are beautiful, built to last, and honor your home’s history.
