Tag: renovating historic building

4 Best Practices for Renovating Your Historic Building

As you plan and execute the renovation of your historic building, there are several guiding principles that you need to keep in mind during every step of that renovation process. The experts at Headwaters Construction, Inc., the best commercial builder in California, explain those key preservation principles.

Retain the Original Architectural Style

One of the overriding goals that you should have in mind is that your historic house or building needs to retain its original architectural style.

Many times, historic buildings will exhibit a mixture of architectural styles, especially if those buildings were constructed at a time when the community was transitioning from one style to another. 

Commercial construction companies recommend that you do some research about your particular building before starting your commercial renovation project. Knowing the background of your historical building can help you determine which aspects you want to keep.

Remain Faithful to the Original Design of the Building

It is one thing to retain the architectural style of a building, and it is a totally different thing to retain the original design of that particular building as you renovate it. It is important to recognize that there are variations within architectural styles that dominated different periods in history. So, you may want to consider keeping some of its original charm. We asked home-remodeling experts in Appleton WI, Tureks Plumbing Services, for their professional design opinion. They said that most people who buy historic buildings to renovate go into the project wanting to preserve a lot of the character and charm. As a result, the building looks timeless. 

Headwaters Construction, Inc. recommends that you look for an original picture of that building and then use that picture as your guide while you make different decisions during the historic building renovation project.

Keep Preservation in Mind While Repairing or Maintaining the Building

Regular maintenance is usually the first and easiest way to preserve a historic building since the chance that it will deteriorate is minimized. Some of the basic maintenance that commercial builders recommend include the following:

• Caulking
• Removing rust
• Regular cleaning of the gutter system
• Repainting the building

At some point, it will become inevitable for you to have to repair or replace some features of the historic building. As much as possible, find ways to repair the original features and only replace them if necessary. 

Some repair options may include patching, reinforcing, consolidating, splicing, and upgrading the original material so that it remains on the building. 

If you are unsure about expanding the historic building to create more usable space, Headwaters Construction, Inc. is happy to help. Contact us today, and we’ll help you with your commercial renovation project.

Opt for Matching Materials When Replacement is Unavoidable

If you get to that point where replacement is your only option, commercial construction companies recommend that you select material that is similar to the original building. Try to choose material that is longlasting. That way, you won’t have to replace it a few years down the road. Remember, the building should remain true to its original design and architectural style. 

Many commercial construction companies shy away from renovating a historic building because of the amount of time and effort that takes to achieve the overall goal. Headwaters Construction, Inc. isn’t one of those commercial builders. In fact, we have taken on a number of historical building restoration or preservation projects. Contact us, and we will gladly share our portfolio of projects similar to yours. We share your passion for preserving historic buildings, so let us partner and make your dream of preserving your historic building a reality!