There are a Few Key Differences to Keep in Mind
Sometimes the appeal of an older home is hard to pass up, and there are a ton of really cool older homes in Wilmington, but… they can frequently be much harder to remodel than a newer home. Not only are newer homes built with more standard practices, but materials are more regulated for safety, and remodeling can often be done easier.
However, that old charm can come from some more unorthodox building choices. So don't get discouraged. In the following article, we'll discuss how to match your renovation with your newer home, but for now, let's look at some of the pitfalls of renovating an older home.
Things to Watch Out for With an Older Home
While you shouldn't get discouraged, you must be ready for a little more cost and sometimes a few surprises. Here are some key things to think about:
Walls - If you have a much older home (like some of the houses downtown), the drywall is an entirely different material and will significantly increase the cost of demolition. Just keep this in mind, if a contractor is charging more than you think it should be, this is often due to your walls having a wire in them; the demolition can easily take double the time. Something to keep in mind when setting your budget for your renovation.
Matching Wood - an old home is often built with thicker wood than a new home can sometimes make matching up more difficult).
Old Wires - depending on the age of your home, there are bound to be a few wires in the walls that have not aged well. If you come across these while remodeling, replacing them is better than trying to ignore them. Who knows how many years they have left? If you don't do it now, you'll have to pay for all the demo and to rebuild again when things get really bad. So it's better to do it now instead of adding extra cost later.
Be careful of old paint- Most times, when you buy an older home, you are supposed to be told of all issues with lead paint. However, you can never be 100% sure. So it's not a bad idea to get a contractor who can actually catch these issues.
Watch out for mold- when remodeling an old home, it is not uncommon to find mold in the walls. This isn't to scare you, as it's not a big deal, but if you are already remodeling, it's best to remove the moldy pieces and replace them with new wood.
Now that you have things to watch out for in mind, next time, we'll discuss how to make both an old and new match!
If you're thinking about a renovation in Wilmington NC, and want a team that can not only help you design your dreams but also take the job all the way, call the team at Avocet Design Build today to turn your dreams into reality!
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