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Perhaps we've seen too many romantic movies, but at some point in our lives, we've all dreamt of buying and restoring a big, old house. The idea sounds wonderfully idyllic, but what does such a dream take to pull off? To answer that question, we turned to the queen of old houses herself, Nicole Curtis, who shared with us her top five pieces of advice for anyone looking to jump in feet first.
1. Know your strengths—and your limitations.
It's tempting to want to snatch up that 5,000-square-foot Victorian fixer-upper, but Nicole cautions against reaching beyond your means. In fact, her first house needed little more than a fresh coat of paint, and that was just fine with her. "If this is your first home-buying experience, I'm not going to suggest to anyone that they buy an old home that has a million problems and needs a ton of money put into it. It just doesn't make sense." Rather, think hard about what you're capable of taking on. "Always ask yourself, 'Do I have the time or the money?' Because if you have the time then you don't necessarily need a huge budget and you can pretty much learn as you go."
That said, if you're handy and have the patience, then jump right in! "If this is your second or third or fourth home, and you're well-seasoned, then by all means take advantage of getting a super deal on an old house just because it needs new mechanics or it needs a new basement."
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2. Avoid one of the most common home restoration pitfalls.
When it comes to restoring a home, there's never a one-size-fits-all solution. According to Nicole, "the biggest mistake people make is that they don't do their research. They hire contractors who don't work with the type of home that they have. If you have a house from 1910, make sure that you are working with a plumber who is very proficient in old plumbing."
3. Hunt for clues.
In an ideal world, all fixer-uppers would come stocked with plenty of original architectural detail. Sadly, many older homes have been subdivided or stripped of much of their character. But that doesn't mean it can't be put back! If you dig deep enough, you'll find clues as to how the home might once have looked. "Almost every single project I've dealt with has been robbed of its integrity and that's why I take it on... because no one else would spend the time or money to put things back into place." Nicole advises to "look for one detail that's still there. A lot of times it's just one piece of original trim. I could match that!"
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"Even though I've gone into houses in which people have done open floor plans and taken out walls, I dig for original blueprints. I go scouring through neighbors' houses. I figure out where the walls used to lay and then I rebuild them." She adds, "it's not as hard you think."
4. Don't assume that stock is better.
In most cases, what you'll find in an old house was custom made to fit that particular house, so custom replacements will usually offer the most authentic look. "People are always surprised when I say my custom cabinets were not as expensive as something stock," says Nicole. If you find the right resource, "you can always have new things created and it doesn't have to be that expensive."
5. Think "restore," not "redo!"
"If you go and rip out an old door, I guarantee that you'll spend two days screaming and hollering trying to fit a new door in an old space." Nothing fits an old house like its original parts, so think before removing them. Old houses settle and shift over time, and their custom-made parts have grown right along with them. The way Nicole sees it, the house has "grown really snug with all those old house parts... to me, ripping out old house parts to put in something new is pretty much like ripping my heart out. Original is always best."
Bonus tip! Nicole has teamed up with Mitsubishi Electric to help old house owners discover heating and cooling systems that'll work effortlessly within their historical homes. At MitsubishiComfort.com, "you'll find all of the tips and just the secrets I'm using right now to make my old houses energy efficient and have all the modern amenities that everyone wants."
Writer Elizabeth Finkelstein is a self-proclaimed old house addict on a lifelong hunt for her perfect historic home. From big Victorian fixer-uppers to tiny colonials to mid-century modern masterpieces, Elizabeth believes that the best homes show the charm of having been loved over time. She chronicles it all on her website CIRCA Old Houses, which showcases beautiful old houses for sale across the country. See more at CircaOldHouses.com.
