Questions About Remodeling an Older Home
What owners ask us most about opening up a house that was built a long time ago.
Wiring, plumbing and structure
Look in the attic or basement for single wires running through white ceramic knobs and tubes. Many houses have a mix of old and newer circuits, so we check the panel and open a few boxes during the walk-through.
Galvanized steel corrodes from the inside, which narrows the pipe and lowers pressure long before a leak shows. When walls are already open for other work, replacing it costs far less than coming back later.
Yes, once we know what it carries. Older framing was sometimes altered without permits, so an engineer checks the load path and we install a beam sized for it before the wall comes out.
Original details
When they are sound, yes. We remove them by hand, number each piece, store it and reinstall it after the walls are finished. Where a piece is missing, we have new trim milled to match the profile.
Plaster that is still keyed to its lath can be patched and kept. Where it has let go across a large area, or where every wall must open for wiring, new drywall is often the honest choice. We show you which walls are which.
Yes. We match the sash proportions, the grille pattern and the trim around the opening, and we can keep the original casing even when the window itself is replaced.
Price, permits and timing
From a written scope after the walk-through. It lists each system, each room and each allowance for finishes, so you can see where the money goes and change the scope before you sign.
Yes. We prepare the drawings or work with your architect, file for the permits and schedule every inspection. Rough wiring, plumbing and framing are inspected before walls are closed.
Houses built before the late 1970s may contain them in flooring, plaster, pipe wrap and paint. Testing before demolition keeps the work legal and the house safe to live in afterward.
Ask about your own house
Every older house is different. Send us a few lines about yours and we will answer the question that matters for it.