There are many beautiful historic homes in Toronto, and people who buy them often choose to renovate. Renovating a historic home can bring in many modern conveniences, but careful planning is necessary in order to maintain the architectural detail and charm of the house.
When renovating a historic home in Toronto, one of the most important steps to take is to hire an experienced general contractor who understands older homes. This is not the time to go it alone or hire the newest guy on the block. Doing so can result in a poorly executed renovation and a drastic decrease in your property value. Someone with experience will keep important historical features intact and renovate with historical preservation codes in mind. In particular, there are six areas that your Toronto area contractor will need to pay close attention to when planning the renovation.
Window Renovations
Adding green features to your Toronto home in the form of new windows is an excellent idea, but choosing the wrong windows can compromise the historic beauty of your home’s exterior. Sometimes, the right choice is even to rebuild damaged window sashes and replace glass rather than replacing your windows. Your general contractor should discuss all window replacement and repair options with you and assist you in making the best decision.
Renovating Your Roofing
Before making any roofing selections for a historic home, ask your Toronto general contractor to confirm historic preservation by-laws and zoning requirements. Some areas have very specific codes with regard to roofing colors and shingle styles. Understanding these codes can save you time and money and keep you from having to modify your roof after the renovation is complete.
Paint
If your Toronto home renovation plans include painting the exterior of your historic house, this is another time to check the historic preservation criteria in your neighborhood. These requirements can extend to trim paints, lighting fixtures and even door knobs and other fixtures. In most cases, you will find that any limits placed on your selections are lenient, but this may not be the case if you are renovating your Toronto home with the help of a grant program or other special funding.
Outdoor Living Spaces
Decks, pools and water features add beauty to a home and make outdoor spaces more enjoyable to spend time in, but anyone who is completing a historic renovation needs to carefully consider the style of their home when adding any of them. Remember that your goal should always be to maintain the architectural integrity of the house, and some of these features may bring too much of the modern into an otherwise classic exterior or even compromise the structure of your home. Work closely with a Toronto design and construction team to ensure your expectations are met and the integrity of your home is preserved.
Alair Homes Toronto is a renovation specialist with a clear understanding of the patience level, negotiating skills and flexibility that it takes to renovate a historic home in Toronto. Our main objective is your satisfaction, and to help ensure it, we provide a completed transparent building experience that puts you in charge. To experience the difference that working with Alair Homes Toronto provides, contact our office and schedule your free, no obligation consultation.