Where To Start With Historic Restorations
Do you have a historic home or property in need of a facelift? Whether it’s a personal home you want to renovate, or a commercial site you’re looking to restore, navigating historic restorations can be a minefield with council approvals, historic listings and local perceptions all playing a part in what changes may or may not be allowed to your property. If you’re looking to restore or renovate a historic dwelling, here’s our guide on what to know before you start.
Research your property’s history
If you know you own an old building or property, it’s a good idea to find out as much history as you can on the place. For well-known historic sites, a quick google search could wield a wealth of information on your property, including when it was built, what it’s been used for, and local historic significance. For the average heritage home-owner, you might require a bit more digging. Check out your local library and/or historic committee to see if they have any information on your building. You might even find that local council has original building plans or early photos of it being built!
Understanding the history of your site is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, knowing the history of your home or property can be pretty nifty and help you feel a deeper connection to the premises. It might also explain any quirky features of your building(s) – that ugly doorframe you wanted to knock out might be one you actually want to keep! Having information on your home’s history will also assist in early assessments of what can be done to your site – keep in mind that an old home that’s always been a home will have less restrictions on renovations than a well-known local site will.
Take time to consider the possibilities
So your house is 200 years old – what now? Whether you’re looking to restore your property to its former glory, or you want to give it a bit of a modern look, taking the age and style of your building(s) into consideration can make a huge difference when restyling your home. Do some research on what styles and colours suit your property, remembering that you might be restricted to pre-approved heritage colours and styles.
Also consider what you want most out of the property – is it touching up the woodwork and paint back to how it was? Are you wanting an extension, but you want to make sure it fits in to the rest of your home? Whatever it is you’re after, make some plans around what you want to achieve and be ready to show them to any authoritative boards for approval. It’s also a good idea to discuss your plans with anyone you’re hiring to do the work, as they might have some ideas on how to best make your site shine.
Apply for any approvals required
Once you have a better idea of what you want done to your property, it’s important to make sure you have all the correct approvals prior to starting any work. Many homes in the Goulburn Mulwaree area have local historic significance – you could own a heritage home and not even know it! While many heritage homes won’t have huge restrictions in place, major renovations usually require approval from local council and/or the Heritage Council.
If you think your home or property might be considered historic, it’s a good idea to check both local and state records to see if the premises appears on heritage listings. If so, we recommend approaching your local council for next steps – you can find a comprehensive guide here, but if heritage and building jargon isn’t your thing, have a chat to council and/or your local restoration specialist (us!) to better understand what approvals you may require.
Be prepared for the unexpected
Talk to any builder or tradie for 10 minutes and you’re sure to hear a story or two of jobs gone wrong. This is even more the case when it comes to historic buildings. Because of the age of the buildings, there can be lots of hidden issues around the site that were missed at first glance. Everything from rising damp and timber rot to shifting foundations and structural issues can be found in a heritage building. If you’ve employed quality historic specialists, they’ve likely seen it all before – but it’s important to be aware that when such issues arise they can be costly both in expense and in time.
The other issue we often come across is poorly executed repairs and maintenance that have been undertaken on the house previously. If a prior owner undertook work themselves, or hired someone without the proper experience and know-how, they could have done more hurt than good to areas of your property. Again, a trusted historic specialist can spot these issues while working, but be prepared for any changes that may need to be made to plans in order to factor in issues that arise.
Restoring a historic site is exciting, intriguing, and very rewarding – if it’s done properly. If you’re looking to renovate or restore a historic building, get in touch for a FREE consultation and site assessment today.
Peter Trama | Founder & Operational Manager
Trama Restorations is Goulburn's leading historic restoration specialist. From historic work to modern renovation, our aim is to renovate, restore and renew spaces.
Ready for your next home-improvement or commercial property project? Get started with a free consultation today!