Old House Restoration Services to Improve Curb Appeal

During the 1950s and 60s many of these row houses in places like Philadelphia and Baltimore were remuddled in an attempt to make an old building look new. New fake siding acted like a slip-cover providing a clean appearance which later came to haunt the homeowner.

The above house was covered with panels of what I think is marble. The solution is a brickface covering. This is much less costly than real brick and one could not tell the difference.

The cornice is hidden behind the piece of aluminum and will surely need restoration.

House colors are good but paint color placement was off. One thing you can tell is that the original siding was replaced. Notice that in the turret next to the right window there is clapboard and that is painted blue. Really there should be shingles in that location that are matching the shingle color. The base of the turret on the first floor should also be shingled so the gold color is used keeping the turret one color. This is not always done historically but would have a better appearance. Clapboard should be one color and shingles can be a different color providing there is trim separating the two.

Unfortunately a previous homeowner replaced the original windows. I installed new repro Victorian windows with shades in the after photo.

Scope of Work:

• Correct color placement.
• Add historically correct windows.

This 1885 had undergone many changes over the years that totally destroyed any trace of architectural character. Unfortunately it is too late to put all these residents in jail where they belong. Fortunately a new homeowner  will now restore this house to bring back its beauty. Unfortunately there were no photos or information to do an accurate restoration so a historically inspired design was implemented.

Check out the process in this video I created on You Tube.  Click for makeover video.

Scope of Work:

• Remove full porch and create space for parking.
• Install wood siding.
• Remove and replace large 1940’s window on first floor.
• Replace windows with 2/2 wood windows.
• Extend roof eaves outward 1 foot.
• Add brackets and frieze board under eaves.
• Add new trim, window casings, window crown, window sill, window apron.
• Open up existing transom window, new entrance and Italianate double doors.
• Add real shutters, glass and lace curtains.
• New concrete steps and top quality iron railing appropriate for city houses.

Scope of Work:

• Replace vinyl siding with shingled siding on 2nd floor.
• Add frieze board and bed mold trim in corner of frieze board and other areas.
• Remove current balustrade etc.
• Install new balustrade with square balusters.
• Install new Tuscan columns.
• Remove shrubs, rebuild house behind shrubs and install new porch skirt with square lattice.
• Install new window casings, sash, curtains.
• Remove storm door.
• Install iron roof cresting.
• Paint colors similar to historic photo.

As you see in the before image, the wood in the house is in bad condition. Because of this the paint color I apply will still appear distressed like the wood. I therefore applied new wood siding, trim and windows in the rendering.

Scope of Work

• New wood siding and trim.
• New wood windows and curtains.
• New paint colors.