Renovating any property comes with a lot of challenges, but renovating a period property can be even more difficult. With these tips, you should be able to avoid most of the problems, and keep your property looking ‘period correct’ inside and out.
Do Your Research
When renovating a property, you need to do a lot of research about the building and the plot of land it sits on. If you are renovating a period property, this is even more important.
You should have a complete survey conducted so you know as much about the structure and the land as possible, this will give you an idea of what structural work needs to be done. Plus, potential pitfalls like drains or subsidence should be on this survey. You also need to research the building methods used both inside and outside the property if you are going to renovate it while being sympathetic to its style.
Find the Right Suppliers
Period properties often have very specific needs when it comes to building supplies. Many construction skills, equipment, and building supplies are not commonly used in modern properties and have become harder to find.
Details like cornices are not often found in contemporary properties, so you may have to search a little harder to find suppliers that can meet your property’s needs. If you need Cornice Suppliers in Edinburgh for instance, then you’ll find companies like Ornadec who has everything you need to give your property period the right architectural style. They have decades of experience in plastering and decorative mouldings that help keep period properties looking their best.
Always Consider How You Will Light Your Spaces
Lighting is important in any home, but in a period property it becomes much more important. Not only are the light levels important, but the lighting fixtures and fittings should be sympathetic to the property’s period style as well.
Modern light fixings and bulb styles often look out of place in a period property, so you may have to go the extra mile to find original or reproduction period correct fixings. Consider ‘antique style’ bulbs too, which often shed a warmer tone of light than the harsh and bright light of modern led lighting.
Choose Your Battles Carefully
Renovating properties is full of challenges, and you are going to have to become adept at choosing when go the extra mile to keep things period correct, and when to make a compromise.
The biggest reason for this is the expense. Staying inside your budget when renovating a period property can be difficult, and there will be times when the cost of renovating some areas of your home will be too prohibitive to make economic sense. Fireplaces are a good example of this. They often make use of complicated ironwork and decorative tiling that can be hard to replicate without spending huge sums of money. You will have to compromise the period aesthetic in some places so you have the money you need in your budget to spend in other areas of the home.
Don’t let your period property turn into a money pit that swallows your budget whole. Use just one or two of these top tips to save you headaches and heartache when you are renovating your dream home.
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