Guides
How US homeowners should sequence a historic renovation
A five-step order for US homeowners on a historic renovation: establish status, research the building, consult early, then write the description before design.
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Guides
Guides
Which measured drawings matter most in architecture and interiors?
Architecture and interiors in measured drawings: what plan, section, elevation and detail each answer, and where documented sets can be found.
Guides
Booking a structural engineer for old house projects
What to expect when you hire a structural engineer for old house projects: credentials to verify, the site visit, the report, permits, scope and scheduling.
Guides
Choosing Period-Accurate Exterior Trim and Siding Colors for Old Houses
Trim value, not wall color, decides whether an old house reads as period. Era-by-era pairings, contrast rules and paint research steps for exterior palettes.
Guides
How Sun, Salt and Freeze-Thaw Wear Period Paint Colors on a Historic Home
How sun, salt air, humidity and freeze-thaw wear exterior paint on old houses, which pigment families and finishes last, and how to test a period palette outdoors.
Guides
Historic Home Restoration Contingency Funds: How Much to Set Aside
Set a 15 percent reserve and a $10,000 floor for historic home restoration, then add 5 percent when small-market trades are booked months ahead.
Guides
How to Document an Old House Before Restoration Work Begins
A step-by-step guide to photographing, measuring and logging original details in an old house before restoration, so color and repair calls rest on evidence.
Guides
How to Read Old Paint Layers Before Choosing Exterior Colors
Learn to read paint layers on your old house exterior, test for lead before scraping, and turn the chips into period-appropriate paint colors that fit the era.
Guides
What does a preservation specialist do in an old house?
What does a preservation specialist do? Learn how the consultant assesses an old house, defines repair scope, documents work, and coordinates with contractors.
Guides
What to Do When a Restoration Bid Comes In Higher Than Expected
A bid that lands over budget is a scope problem before it is a price problem. Cut finishes, phase systems, and use credits and reserves to close the gap.
Guides
How do former homes fall out of use, and what takes their place?
Former homes and how large houses are lost: the running-cost arithmetic, the order in which things go, and what each new use leaves in the fabric.
Guides
How to read an old interior: what to look at first and how to record it
A method for reading alterations in an old interior in order: floor, wall and junction evidence, ghost marks, paint layers, and how to record what you find.
Guides
Historic-home renovation: when to book in Charlottetown
Historic-home renovation in Charlottetown: plan the May-to-October season, the winter booking window, the CAHP directory, and what to sign before a deposit.
Guides
Plaster repair in century homes, what Ontario and Quebec crews see
Plaster repair in Ontario and Quebec turns on lath failure, horsehair plaster, and heating cycles that push century walls harder than milder climates do.
Guides
Restoring original wood windows for a Canadian freeze-thaw winter
Original wood windows handle Canadian freeze-thaw winters when air sealing, weatherstripping and storm panels are fitted before the first hard freeze.
Guides
Heritage Home Renovation Grants Canada: Alberta and Toronto
Heritage home renovation grants in Canada, worked through Alberta's conservation grants and Toronto's Heritage Grant: caps, owner shares, forms, deadlines.
Guides
Hiring a Historic Home Restoration Contractor: Scope Before Price
Hiring a historic home restoration contractor starts with what the estimate leaves out: exclusions, allowances, and who approves changes before work starts.
Guides
How to Pick Period-appropriate Exterior Paint Colors for Your Old House
Historic exterior paint colors by era, compared four ways. Paint analysis, published palettes, brand lines and consultants each leave something unresolved.
Guides
How to Remodel an Old House Bathroom without Losing Its Character
An old house bathroom remodel that keeps character starts with code clearances, not finishes. Here is how small footprints shape the plan for your house.
Guides
How to Spot Foundation Problems in an Old House
Old house foundation repair signs are mostly about width, movement and water. Learn which cracks are historic and which need a structural engineer.
Guides
Original Hardwood Floors: Refinish vs. Replace in an Old House
Refinish original hardwood floors vs replace: old-growth oak and heart pine, the wear-layer test, and the criteria that decide what an old house needs.
Guides
US homeowners: First steps for a badly restored house
US homeowners inheriting a badly restored house: stop active damage, document what survives, check applicable rules, and find the right expert.
Guides
Plaster wall repair: how it works and why repair comes first
Plaster wall repair: how it works, from diagnosing failed keys to choosing reattachment, patching, skim coating, replastering, or board replacement.
Guides
A first-year checklist for restoring a historic home without regret
A first-year checklist for a new old-house owner: what to test, photograph, measure and ask, in the order that prevents expensive surprises later.
Guides
Restoration Costs Checklist: Which Records to Keep
A restoration costs checklist for old-house owners: the bids, contracts, permits, payment records, lien waivers and closeout paperwork worth keeping.
Guides
5 details of historic home restoration people miss
Five details owners overlook in historic home restoration: water first, documentation, the right treatment, hazards, and the permits your address actually needs.
Guides
Old House Projects Planning: Scope Through Closeout
Old house projects planning, from written scope and investigation to permits, historic review, job sequencing, protection, and closeout records.