Hiring A General Contractor To Restore A Vintage Home

Have you bought a vintage house recently and are contemplating what should be repaired and replaced? 

You can’t resist the elegance of century-old homes, but they also need to be revamped to stave off possible health hazards, like asbestos or a roof caving in.

Choose a general contractor such as https://putnamexteriors.com with extensive experience in full remodeling, including vintage dwellings.

Here are some tips on what to restore or replace in your antique house.

What To Repair or Replace In Your Vintage Home

Things that may be difficult to find a replacement for should be first on your list of repairs unless they are past redemption. 

Some areas and items worth repairing are the floorings, fireplaces, entire windows and frames, the interior and exterior doors.

The Flooring 

You may be surprised that there is fantastic wood flooring under the carpet of your newly bought vintage home. If the floor is not covered, all the better. 

Meanwhile, the smart move, which a knowledgeable general contractor will know, is that the carpet must be removed. A thorough inspection is done for insect and water damage to determine if the floor is repairable or needs to be replaced entirely.

You can get the floor completed and retain the antique’s elegance as you save money as you redesign your old home if you consider it in good shape.

The Windows

Ancient houses have wavy, stained glass. Since these characters are difficult to reproduce, your original windows should be retained.

It is necessary, however, to examine the frame for any water damage or deterioration from insect infestation, which when you will want to contact an expert to help.

You may have to put in some new wood if the frames are significantly damaged. The good news, however, is that glass can often be salvaged.

The Doors

Antique doors are usually bulky and solid. They also have complex layouts or panels that are difficult to reproduce.

You can sand and freshly stain the doors instead of replacing them, which will maintain the retro elegance of your home while enabling you to add some personal touch and save money while your old home is being revamped.

Moldings and Trims

Once you still have the original shapes, moldings, and baseboards, only sand and finish them in a color of your choice.

Antique homes’ aesthetics are built around trimming and molding. Additionally, all the refinishing and trimming would save money on your refurbishment.

If the trimmings are incomplete, some warehouses and shops save those vintage elements.

What To Replace In Your  Antique Home

Once an area has sustained insect or water damage, it needs to be gutted and replaced.

Fortunately, you can often obtain similar supplies from stores and warehouses that focus on historical buildings.

As a last resort, you may need to get the item reproduced from contemporary materials with an antique look.

The Roof Must Go!

Although the roofs on historical residences are built to last more than a century, a new roof will likely be needed when buying the property. 

There are several older homes with slate roofs. You can opt to place your antique home under a new slate roof, but it can be costly.

You may add a shingle roof that looks like slate, which costs a lot less, and your general contractor will walk you through what’s ideal with their wealth of experience.

Items With Lead or Asbestos Must Go!

When you buy a rustic home for the first time, it makes sense to hire an inspector to check for typical hazards like asbestos, which is widespread in early 1900s structures. 

Hiring contractors licensed and insured who also have extensive experience in safely removing hazardous material is crucial.  

Finding replicas will not be possible since they’d also be loaded with lead and asbestos. Therefore, you’ll have to search for equivalent components that will complement your vintage decor. 

Your HVAC, Plumbing & Wiring

If the House did not have an HVAC system, which is highly likely didn’t, it needs to be installed. 

The wiring used then has been upgraded in terms of state requirements multiple times over the years, which will have to be replaced.

Last but not least are the plumbing fixtures and fittings, which may be too old, faulty, and may pose a leak or flooding hazard.