KINDLING

“Where you goin’ with that pile of kindlin’?” he asked.

Vernon just laughed. He hears that kind of thing a lot. So do I. It seems that every time I start to work on a new project, people love to come by, look around and shake their heads.

A restoration contractor is the Don Quixote of the construction industry...tilting at windmills while everybody laughs behind their hands. Oh well, if I wanted respect, I would have become a lawyer.

As silly as the endeavor seems to some people, many others are drawn to it. Across the nation, particularly in and around large urban areas, the remodeling and restoration of older homes is a major industry...and one that is filled with misinformation and ill-advised projects.

Restoring an old house can be rewarding, sometimes fun and done well, can make your dreams come true. It can also mire you in the La Brea Money Pit and become one of the most unpleasant experiences of your life. Like any other activity that requires a major investment in time and money, it is smart to research the project in advance.

I’ve been doing this for over twenty years now and I have accumulated a list of the most common misconceptions about old house restoration. Let’s start with those...

The house is already built. It just needs a little sprucing up. How much can it cost?
A lot! Older homes, particularly ones built before 1930, always require substantial renovation to make them livable by modern standards. In most cases, the electrical systems (if they exist) are antiquated and must be entirely replaced. While some portions of the plumbing system may be restorable, much will have to be upgraded or added.

The most common project of this sort involves a house that has been abandoned or is in a distressed condition. Since these structures have not been maintained, they are often a Pandora’s Box of small repairs, particularly in the wood exterior, roofs, porches and bath and kitchen areas. On the average, by the time you buy, move and/or restore an older home to modern standards, you will have spent an amount equal to building an inexpensive tract house. Therefore, if you are looking for a bargain rather than the charm and beauty of a period home...think twice! If a roof and sheetrock walls will satisfy you...if low maintenance is your goal...my advice is to call a reputable local builder and put up a simple brick house wih 8 ft. ceilings on a concrete slab.

If, however, you are the type of individual who is returning to his carefree rural childhood through the door of real estate, then God bless you! Go for it!

Replica construction, building new houses that look like old houses, is popular in urban areas. However, the truth is that quality replica construction is very expensive. The elements that make up the architectural character of an older home, high ceilings, wood sheathed interior walls, wooden floors, period moldings and exterior cornice conditions, are all labor and material intensive.

The reason your builder can create a “custom” home for $50 to $75 per foot is that he and others like him are benefiting from a huge economy of scale. The construction is modular, the components are manufactured in quantity and most of the installation is repetitive and therefore can be done with less supervision and at a lower cost. In other words, “custom” homes are usually not custom. They are mass manufactured. The higher quality and greater diversity that we see in modern new home construction is merely a sign that, like the automobile industry, the standard chassis has evolved a broad series of options.

Remodeling and restoration cannot, unfortunately, claim these advantages. Each project is truly “custom.” That is...each project is unique.

Thus the sad fact that this type of construction is considerably more expensive. When I left Houston four years ago, builders were putting up huge, medium quality new custom homes for $60 per foot and less. The average cost of remodeling and restoration ranged from $70 per sq. ft. to $120 per sq. ft. in cost intensive areas like bathrooms and kitchens.

But I can do a lot of the work myself.
True...and if such work is your hobby or if other circumstances such as past construction experience have made you qualified to perform such tasks on an old home...then by all means do so.

I encourage owners to take on any portion of a project that they feel qualified to handle ...if, and only if...they understand the consequences of this choice.

Restoration is a specialized form of construction. Experience in new construction is of limited use to a person seeking to do a good job of restoring an older home. Materials, conditions, architecture, sub-contractor arrangments and most other aspects of old home restoration differ from conditions in new construction. This does not mean you should not do portions of the work yourself. In fact, this is a great way to save money and get a feeling of participation and accomplishment out of your project. The important thing is to be honest with yourself about your skills and your available time so that you do not risk turning your dream project into a nightmare.

There are some parts of the project that I (almost) always suggest an owner take on themselves. They are as follows: Purchasing all appliances, major plumbing fixtures and fittings, any expensive light fixtures, all finish hardware and any other high cost specialized components. This effort on your part not only assures that you get exactly what you want but also saves a substantial markup by the contractor. The only concern here is that you should be aware that any component you supply will not be warranted by your contractor and if, for any reason, the item proves to be defective, you will bear the cost of reinstallation.

The next best area to consider doing “by owner” are portions of the project that occur after the bulk of the construction is done.

This would included floor coverings, wood floor refinishing, painting and landscaping. Although some expertise is needed to complete these aspects of the project properly, the advantage is that they can be completed on a time table that meets your needs. Your contractor will be gone and therefore not concerned about the timliness of your work as his money and time will no longer be tied up.

As in all aspects of old home restoration, be sure you are capable of doing this work well or of supervising others in doing it well before you take it on. There is nothing more disheartening than a project that is completed with visible flaws in its quality.

The house is already built. I know what I want to do. I don’t need any drawings?
Wrong! In all the years I have done this kind of work, the most common mistake I have seen people make is to proceed on their projects without going through a planning and design phase. It is true that some projects do not require detailed architectural drawings, however, most restoration and remodeling projects do and here is why.
1. The drawings are the contract! Would you make a bank loan without a promissary note? Would you buy a car without a bill of sale and a written warranty? I don’t think so. A remodeling/restoration project is a complicated set of tasks that involve hundreds and often thousands of components. These details must be in writing so that the contractor can price your project accurately. It’s a pay me now or pay me later issue.
2. It’s the only way you can discover what you want.
Most people think they know what they want when they start a project. My experience is that they don’t. Without going through a detailed examination of each aspect of the project with a qualified design professional and/or contractor, it is very difficult to make good decisions about the details of the project. If you do not...and the plans are incomplete...the changes that occur during the project will be at your expense. It is not uncommon for projects with poor documentation to overrun by 50% or more. Think ahead! The money and time spent on a good set of plans will more than pay for itself and best of all, you’ll have an accurate idea of the cost of the project BEFORE you start, not after you’re done.

I can save money by being my own general contractor.
Here again, the wisdom of this tact depends on the skills of the owner. I have, over the last twenty some odd years met three or four individuals or couples who had all the skills it takes to be a good general contractor. I have met a vastly greater number who thought they could and paid for their error.
So, it can be done...and if you are one of the rare ones, you can save quite a lot of money, because performing the function of general contractor on a sizable restoration project is a full time job. Here’s what you need to be able to do...
1. It’s a business. In some ways it’s a tough business. You must be an experienced business person who understands risk managment, construction law and record keeping. The legal and financial risks are considerable and complicated. Make sure you’re up to it.
2. Know materials, methods and costs. There are literally thousands of possible materials, finishes and existing conditions. There are equal numbers of means of installation. The truth is that, although there are certain minimum standards, above those, decisions are made based upon cost and the quality needs of the individual. It’s not just right and wrong or good and bad quality. There a sliding scale of quality that is at the choice of the buyer. You need to be able to make distinctions between these various materials and methods in order to make a good decision about value.
3. You have to be able to get along with people but also know when to be firm. A good contractor has to be a builder, a marraige counselor, an arbitrator, an aggressive general and a patient confessor. You’ve got to know when to push and when to reason, when to cajole and when to wait. You manage a large group of human beings, each with different interests, each with a variety of opinions about how and when a project should be done and all financially invested in the project. Tempers can run high if problems occur. Make sure you can stay cool, be fair and manage these kinds of issues objectively.
4. Make sure you have the ability to visualize the finished space. Not everyone can do this. Some people just have a gift for what makes a house or a living space work and what doesn’t. I have done design for many years and I have also worked for some fine architects. What I have learned is that, just like any other set of skills, architectural design requires both talent and training. It is a merging of art and technology. A good designer can make a space come alive and the best can do it within a budget. A poor design will create a poor project no matter how much money is spent and how good the workmen are. If you cannot do this...hire someone who can. It will be money well spent.

Now, if you don’t have all these skills and talents, don’t despair. Even though I have seen very few owners will all of the abilities it takes to create a quality project on their own, almost all people who are interested in this type of work have some abilities that will enhance the project and save them money.

It’s merely a matter of finding out how you can most effectively leverage your time and skills to benefit your home and pocketbook. Once again, the best place to find out is in the planning stages.

Even if you use an architect, consider choosing your contractor during the early planning stages. Contractors are much more capable of advising you on issues of cost and sequence than an architect. The best projects are done by a team, working together with the same vision.

I’ll just do a little bit at a time. That way, I won’t have to borrow any money.
Each family’s financial condition is different but before you decide to try a project like this out of your pocket, think about these things first.
1. Economy of Scale - The bigger the project, the cheaper it is. There are certain times this is not true, but on the average, you can assume that a project that is done in phases will cost substantially more than one done all at the same time.
2. A holistic approach - Projects designed and built from a holistic approach...that is “from the whole”...are more organized and generally of greater quality than those done a piece at a time. There is less error and a greater percentage of the work is right the first time. That’s the secret to quality construction. Try to get as much of it right the first time as you can. Mistakes can be corrected and often without any great loss in quality but the loss in time and money can’t be recovered.
3. Use of the finished product - It’s important to realize that a house is only valuable if you can use it. The value of a restored house and one that is under construction are radically different, not only to you but to the bank and to your estate. What you should consider is that your options are vastly reduced during that time. The property will not be very marketable. You will not be able to use it for your own purposes and you are at the effect of inflating construction costs.

Restoring an old house can be a wonderful adventure. Just make sure you pack plenty of provisions...and read the travel guides before you ship out.

Chris Travis is a building designer, historic restoration builder and new home builder. He has been in the construction and design industry for over twenty years. In 1981, his company was named "Remodeler of the Year" by the Greater Houston Builder’s Association. He is a recognized expert on remodeling, historic restoration and residential design and has spoken on radio and television about the subject... His work has appeared in Country Living, Builder magazine, Houston Home and Garden, Sun Coast Magazine, and Texas Highways. His construction company, Round Top Companies, Inc. (DBA Round Top Restoration), was the prime contractor on the Round Top Inn, the Settlement House and many other Central and South Texas historic homes and businesses. He is the managing partner of Sentient Architecture LLC, an architecture firm serving South Central Texas.

He is also the Editor of the Round Top Register, the online newspaper from the biggest, little town in Texas. Take a look at the Register by clicking the banner button below.

Return to the Round Top Register