The Village Squire, 1981-09, Page 12John Brock in his attic apartment
bedrooms for all of the kids; walk-in
closets.) Your place of residence should
also serve you, and houses built seventy-
five or one hundred years ago were not
designed with the 1980 family in mind.
Too, he says, you should not increase
the value of your house more than
twenty-five per cent beyond the neigh-
bourhood average. That means doing a
practical study of where you live and
current and projected market conditions.
Most importantly, perhaps, you should
set a budget or know up front what your
renovations will cost and just how far you
can take them. There is nothing wrong
with doing things in stages but you should
plan carefully. That's where professional
help is often a good investment.
Brock says energy conservation should
be attached to all renovations, and the
availability of government assistance
programs should be investigated.
The renovations game (whether it's
restoring, modernizing or whatever)
should be an enjoyable experience. You
can become as involved (or detached) as
you wish, be it in turning spindles for your
staircase or selecting drapes or carpeting.
Brock suggests that if you opt for major
changes you should plan your holidays for
the same time period. The workmen will
have an easier time knocking out the wall
if you aren't standing behind them crying.
When it comes to these sorts of things.
John Brock is an architect who knows of
what he speaks.
There are books to help you renovate
Here is a list of reading material that you might find helpful
when hunting for and/or fixing up the house of your dreams:
Finding and Fixing the Older Home Joseph R. Schram
New Life in Old Houses Mary Jukes
How to Avoid the 10 Biggest Home Buying Traps A.M. Watkins
How to Inspect a House George Hoffman
The McGraw-Hill Homebook/ 1980
How to be Your Own Architect Murray C. Goddard
How to Rehabilitate Abandoned Buildings Donald R. Brann
Diagnosing and Repairing House Structure
Problems Edgar O. Seaquist
The Renovator's Primer Meryl and Jeffrey Bennett
How to Remodel and Enlarge Your Home
Basic Construction Blueprint Reading
M.E. Daniels
Mark W. Huth
It would also be wise to become familiar with your
community's official plan, bylaws that cover zoning, mainten-
ance and occupancy, plumbing, (and perhaps swimming pools),
the Ontario Building Code (Part 9), the Ontario Water Resources
Act/Plumbing Regulations 647 (May 1981), the Ontario
Hydro/Electrical Safety Code (18th edition, 1977).
As well, you will probably need to know about any or all of the
permits which cover building, plumbing, electrical, pools and
occupancy. People at your municipal offices can help.
PG. 10 VILLAGE SQUIHE/SEPTEMBER 1981
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