Tips For Restoring Old Homes
Tips For Restoring Old Homes
Restoring an old home is quite a challenging task and is something people under estimate. In an effort to renovate old homes some people do frightening things too. In the name of home improvement, some homeowners tear out important architectural elements and replace them with off the shelf items from the local hardware store. We have all seen tasteless working on wonderfully elegant older homes and villas, which to be honest, do not add the full value potential to the finished result. Below are some of the common mistakes people make for renovating or restoring an older home.
People don’t make wrong decisions on purpose; the problem is that they are not educated on the subject. They may see a DIY show on TV or read an article in a magazine and think they can replicate that in their home. However, unless you are highly skilled at incorporating modern appliances with the classic looks of an old Auckland villa, you are in for a major job.
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One of the biggest mistakes that a person of make in the name of restoring old homes is trying to do what is hot right now. They don’t think that what is hot now will not be hot in 10-years to come. The best advice in this regard is to tear out nothing of architectural importance and restore only what is relevant in the moment. This will be easier on your wallet as well as the home’s value in the long run. Some of the basic and cost-saving renovations would be the walk-in-closets, heating & cooling systems and plumbing systems. Walk-in-closets should be added so that they don’t take the character of the house away. Plumbing and heating & cooling systems should help to save energy while being comfortable and convenient at the same time. Below mentioned are some of the most important tips for restoring old homes in a cost-effective way.
Covering old wood floors with a cheaper variety of modern carpet or tile is one of the biggest mistakes carried out by many homeowners. Some even go to the extent of replacing the floors with newer wood. This is a big mistake. Even if you do not like the appearance of the old wood, you can be fairly certain that any potential buyer in the future will be looking at the original features including old wooden floors. The best thing is to patch sections and refinish existing floors in order to save costs in the process. Old tiles should not be removed until they are completely cleaned. This will tell you whether they are usable or not.
If you have a bathroom which has not been modernised, you may want to start thinking about this. A smart and clean bathroom is one of the key selling features for any home, whether the house is new or old. So certainly give this a lot of consideration.
The same applies to a kitchen. It is often said that he kitchen is the biggest selling point. If you are going to replace or even extend your kitchen you want to make the counters look authentic when replacing them. The best thing is to only go for products that were available when the house was built. Wood, classic marble or granite are some options to be considered when replacing the kitchen counters. Stainless steel counter tops and modern laminates do not work if you want to recreate the style and elegance of the bygone days.
Continuing with the kitchen, you can retain the old cabinets, which are mostly made of solid wood and have them resurfaced. Most of the new cabinets are made of MDF board and often look out of place. However, if you work with a skilled designer, they can suggest modern kitchen cabinetry which will look fantastic in a newly renovated kitchen
Most modern aluminium joinery window frames usually look terrible in an old house. Since old windows are generally single paned and may have buckled a bit over the years, they often leak and certainly make a room cold. Old windows have antique value in them but you can have them repaired and re-glazed so that they would work more efficiently. However, a good restoration company can also offer modern windows and doors which will enhance your restored villa.
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The electrical circuits will have to be rechecked and most likely need to be replaced with modern wiring. The electrical codes used during the good old days were quite different to the standards that are approved currently. This is one of the most important tasks involved in restoring an old home since old wiring is a major cause of house fire.
The tips above are extremely important for homeowners who are considering of restoring an old home or villa. However, they are generally major projects which are beyond the scope of well-meaning amateurs. If you want a high quality restoration job on your old home, then certainly you should talk to a restoration company in Auckland.
So to avoid having a lower value home and being disappointed with the outcome of your attempts at restoring an old home, it is a much wiser approach to work with house renovations specialists.
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