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The Citizen, 1991-05-15, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 15,1991. WE llPP 1991 Taking a sensible approach to renovating homes Old houses need work; every­ body knows that. When you reha­ bilitate a house sensibly, you change as little as possible while adapting it to modem use. This approach preserves its special char­ acter, its period charm. WHY BOTHER? Sensible rehabilitation is the best way to protect your investment and community goodwill. •Sensible rehabilitation is the least expensive and most cost- effective form of renovation. •Careless renovation can spoil the value of your house or even damage its structure. •Rehabilitating your house sensi­ bly makes your neighbours happy by increasing the value of their property. •Zoning bylaws regulate what you do on your property. Change your house as little as possible and avoid potential infractions. •Its 'heritage' character is an important part of your house's appeal. Sensible rehabilitation will preserve or perhaps reclaim it. REHABILITATION When you live in an old house, your family continues where previ­ ous generations left off. But a house needs special care if it is to be as safe, comfortable and effi­ cient for you as it was in grandma's and grandpa's day. If your house has been well-cared for, a little maintenance will pre­ serve its special qualities. But if your house has had a hard life, you may have to devote major efforts to restoring its former glory. Plan to: •protect, repair and maintain the most important features of your house; •use its most important existing design features to inspire new fea­ tures or additions; •stick to he house's original style - nothing spoils an old house like this year's hot new design idea; •change as little as possible - this protects boln your pocket and the character of your house; and •make all your changes with good materials and construction methods - their quality will affect your house's market value directly. WHAT DO I DO FIRST? Before you start with the hammer and nails, devote some time to research. Study the history of the house. Check your local land registry office. Old deeds, plans and pho­ tographs will show the original lay­ out and setting. If you're very lucky, you might even learn some­ thing about the original interior decor. Study the building technology of your community. You'll be more able to detect modifications in your house if you know when materials such as factory-split shingles, round nails and various wall finish­ es were introduced in your neigh­ bourhood. Most important, examine your house itself very closely. It will tell you more than any other source. How healthy is the basic structure? This is the most important thing you need to know before you start any construction job. Some very obvious features will give you clues to your house's life story. Roughly-squared joists, per­ haps with bark still on them, beto­ ken a house built when the area was first cleared of trees. An unusually large bathroom in an old house was probably once a small bedroom - and indicates that indoor plumbing was installed well after the house was built. So the first thing to do is discover what you have to work with. •Have interior walls been moved? Look for vertical lines in the plaster. •Is this the original porch? A pale vertical stripe on t he wall and faint traces of paint in the brick mean it isn't. •How was the original floor fin­ ished? Pry up a comer of the floor covering and find out. •Have any doors or windows been blocked up - or added? Pay attention to he finishing and pro­ portions of existing doors and win­ dows. An oddly-placed opening might have been added later, or perhaps it once had a mate that has since been bricked over. •What are the walls made of? Plaster or panels, wallboard or dry­ wall - these give the best clues to the activities of previous renova­ tors. •Where are the original stove­ pipe holes and fireplaces? Knowing this will save you the expense and risk of installing new ones. Let the results of this examina­ tion, not just your imagination, guide your work. WHAT’S NEXT? Take the simple, conservative approach. Remember, you bought the old place because its feature and design appealed to you. Plan your work, concentrating on your house's special features: •renew surviving design and dec­ oration elements, uncover details and features buried by previous renovators; •choose and maintain the most important details - those that most clearly define character, such as door frames, fireplaces and stairs; and •design new elements in the spirit and style of the original features. Then assess your resources: •How much can you do yourself? •How much will it cost to hire help? •Can you use second-hand mate­ rials? •Can you get heritage funding? Do you want to? When you understand the struc­ ture and features of your house, it’ll be obvious which projects should be done first. Don’t let the lack of ready cash dictate the quality of the work. Wait until you have more funds before undertaking another priority project or do most of the work yourself. What if my house is a heritage building? If your house is historically sig­ nificant, or a fine example of its style or architecture, it might be a designated property - or perhaps it should be! Your local historical association and the records staff of your township or municipality will be able to help, both with research and information about heritage des­ ignation. Grants and loans are available to rehabilitate heritage properties, but owners have to sign easements to protect the public's investment. Consider the legal implications carefully before applying for her itage funding. WHY BE SO CONSERVATIVE? Look at the benefits of sensible rehabilitation: •you save money and achieve more with the money you spend; •your protect the value of your house, much of which lies in the quality of its design construction and maintenance; •you preserve the character of your area, cultivate good relations with your neighbours, obey zoning regulations; and •you help protect our national heritage. 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