Important Considerations for a Historic Architecture Project

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Important Considerations for a Historic Architecture Project

Whether you’re converting a Victorian home into a bed and breakfast or replacing a famous landmark’s failing roof, historical restorations are complex projects that require careful planning.

Do Your Research and Work With Experts

Before developing more concrete plans, you should consult architects who are historic restoration experts. A good restoration architect will not only analyze a building’s obvious structural problems, they’ll conduct in-depth research to uncover all current and potential structural issues—both big and small—before any initial restoration. By taking such a proactive approach, they may find issues you didn’t even know existed.

Based on your plans for the property, you’ll need information about local ordinances and government agencies that oversee historic buildings. Adaptive reuse projects may involve more administrative oversight than historic restorations that are limited to fortifying the structure’s integrity.

Communication Matters

Depending on the scope of the project, you may end up working with dozens of professionals, including the following:

  • Architects
  • Contractors
  • Community leaders
  • Historical preservation groups
  • Government administrators

To keep things moving forward smoothly, you should consider hiring a project manager to communicate with each of these groups to ensure that everyone is on the same page. If someone is in contact with every stakeholder, they can proactively address potential issues, make decisions based on the big picture, and help avoid delays.

How Can the Utilities Be Updated?

When restoring a historic building, you’ll need to consider a range of practical updates, especially if a structure will be repurposed for residential use. Be as specific as possible with the historic restoration firm you work with about the intended use of the building. To keep building inhabitants safe and comfortable while reducing long-term costs, you may need to upgrade the following:

  • Accessibility for people with disabilities
  • Electrical wiring
  • HVAC systems
  • Insulation
  • Plumbing
  • Wireless Connectivity
  • Indoor Air Quality

The Pascal Approach

Successful preservation projects require a mix of planning, knowledge, and thorough client communication. The team at Pascal Architects has decades of experience as a historic restoration firm, bringing proactive solutions to the restoration process while both educating and building relationships with our clients. As a nationally recognized historic architecture firm, we are passionate about not only preserving buildings, but also improving their safety and function. To better understand how we design and manage historic restoration projects, learn more about our approach.