Hello All! It’s been a very busy summer building and renovating here in Fairfield County and we have not been keeping up with our blog!

As we begin to look at our new website analytic results, we see that many of you are interested in Historic Restorations, so here we go with our first in a series of Historic Restoration blogs!

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN GETTING STARTED WITH HISTORIC RESTORATIONS Part 1:

#1: What is the historic value of the house- is it listed on the National Register of Historic homes? If so, there may be rules governing changes to the exterior of the home (shape of roof, material choices, allowable windows, paint colors, etc.).

#2: Is in located in the Historic district? If so, there are rules and codes that govern the alteration and restoration of these homes. You will need to find out about the rules and codes and may need to arrange a hearing to review your historically significant home. Typically, review committees will focus on the street side view of the home so as to preserve the historic character of the neighborhood and may not focus so much on the rear side or interior renovation of the home.

#3: Once you know the parameters, you should look for an architect- preferably one with Historic restoration experience. If your historic property is located in Fairfield County, CT or surrounding area, we will be happy to refer you to several qualified architects.

In Part 2, we will review pitfalls, challenges and rewards to Historic restorations- coming in October!