There is certainly a cost involved in the process and sometimes a great deal of it. At other times, the historical significance of the location or the home in general easily offsets the remodelling expense.
Let me share with you 6 questions you should ask yourself and other well-informed people before taking up the renovation project of an old, in-need-of-repair home.
Q1. Does the home fall in a historic district?
If it is in a historic district you may have to spend over your allocated budget to procure permits and approvals. Also, this may take a considerable amount of your time and test your patience as well.
This being said, smartly renovated houses in historic areas sell at a premium; your effort will invariably be worth it.
Q2. Is there a natural setting along the line of the home?
Do not cut the old trees to raise your home’s new structure. Alternately, use this natural setting. Yes, your home may not turn out to be entirely linear but it will look a picture because you used nature to your advantage.
You can read about this home which was specifically designed to adapt to the trees and natural foliage in its vicinity.
Q3. In what shape are the windows?
Give a profound glance to the windows. For older or historic homes, they are the last things you want to change. Effective weather-stripping, caulking and introduction of retrofit storm window options can keep their charm alive and make them more energy-efficient at the same time.
Q4. Is the basement irredeemably worn out?
The condition of the foundation is crucial to your project. While renovating fixer-uppers, a decrepit foundation can curse your effort more than any other issue can unsettle you. Not only will it cost you a fortune to revamp such a home, you might not even get the necessary permit to move ahead with your plan.
Slanted floors, cracks in the basement and water seepage in the crawl spaces are some of the telltale signs of a debilitated foundation.
Q5. In what condition is the roof?
Judging the condition of the roof is almost as crucial while renovating an older home. If it’s a fixer-upper, you may have cedar shake or shingle roofs. In both cases, any renovation project will require reinforcement to bear the weight of the new materials.
Judge for yourself if the roof can take up your “photovoltaic/energy harvesting” goals in the future- weak and worn out roof structures may be the last place you want to put a solar array up.
Q6. Are there traces of asbestos and lead?
Carefully figure out the presence of asbestos (so customary for older homes). You know how their presence is associated with a disease of no lesser severity than Mesothelioma. At the risk of spending more than you had bargained for, make sure that you hire the services of an abatement crew.
They will ensure that not a shred of asbestos is left in your fixer-upper. As an aside, remove presence of lead completely to avoid Sick Building Syndrome.
Taking care of these aspects will help you complete your remodelling project successfully. I vouch for this.
If you have a major project and mind and are located in Sydney, why not give me a call – I will be happy to help.