Dwain Livengood can save money on his home renovation project by doing the work himself. But he also knows that do-it-yourself projects in historic homes like his 100-year-old farmhouse require extra planning and research, and that mistakes can be costly.
“Self-awareness is pretty huge,” said Livengood, who grew up in the house in Lancaster, Pa., and is the third generation of his family to own it. “Saving money isn’t worth it if in the end it looks like an amateur did it.”
He is planning the first major renovations to the property, including a new kitchen, floor restoration and window repair.
DIY “fails” in historic homes can do more than look bad; they can seriously damage a home’s structure and character, said Jody Robinson, historic preservation officer for the city of Bellevue, Ky. DIY has a place in historic home renovation, she said, but it needs to be well-researched.
If your home or neighborhood has a historical designation, there probably are restrictions on what you can do, particularly to exteriors.
“The difference with a historic home is the materials used and how they were constructed,” Robinson said.
Slate roofs, wood gutters, weight-and-pulley windows, plaster walls and old building materials require special attention, experts say. Luckily, there are numerous places where homeowners can find information about which projects they should and should not attempt on their own.
Cities, preservations societies, restoration enthusiasts and even businesses that specialize in historic renovation often offer workshops and classes.
Understanding your home’s construction and appreciating historic renovation methods are the first step, says Benjamin Curran, department head for historic preservation at Savannah Technical College in Georgia. Through its Historic Homeowners Academy, the school teaches classes geared to the do-it-yourselfer.
When homeowners try to apply modern solutions to old homes “a remodel can easily turn into a re-muddle,” he said. For example, using the wrong mortar can damage old bricks.
Livengood, who has experience restoring antique carriages and tractors, plans on repairing the 40 wood windows in his foursquare house. Using tips from a restoration company, he will replace the rope that holds the cast-iron weights that allow the windows to move up and down, and will paint the windows’ interiors. He’s hired a professional to tackle the exterior. He anticipates the work he does will reduce the repair costs by $200 per window.
Windows are a good DIY project because the work is more time-consuming than difficult, said Danielle Keperling, part-owner of Historic Restorations in Lancaster.
To maintain a home’s character, repairing old windows rather than installing new ones makes a big difference, said Keperling.
“Windows show the age of the house,” she said.
