Renovation Recommendations

Building Sites

Do: 

Identifying plants, trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings, and other elements that might be an important part of the property's history and development. Retain elements that reflect the property's history and development.

Basing decisions for new site work on actual knowledge of the past appearance of the property found in photographs, drawings, newspapers, and tax records. If changes are made, they should be carefully evaluated in light of the past appearance of the site.

Providing proper site and roof drainage to assure that water does not splash against building or foundation walls, nor drain toward the building.

Don't:

Make changes to the appearance of the site by removing old plants, trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings, and other elements before evaluating their importance in the property's history and development.

Building: Structural Systems

Recognizing the special problems inherent in the structural systems of historic buildings, especially where there are visible signs of cracking, deflection, or failure.

Undertaking stabilization and repair of weakened structural members and systems.

​Supplementing existing structural systems when damaged or inadequate. Replace historically important structural members only when necessary.

Disturbing existing foundations with new excavations that undermine the structural stability of the building.

​Leaving known structural problems untreated that will cause continuing deterioration and will shorten the life of the structure

Building: Exterior Features

Do:

Masonry: Adobe, brick, stone, terra cotta, concrete, stucco, and mortar

Retaining original masonry and mortar, whenever possible, without the application of any surface treatment.

​Repointing only those mortar joints where there is evidence of moisture problems or when sufficient mortar is missing to allow water to stand in the mortar joints.

Duplicating old mortar in composition, color, and texture.

Duplicating old mortar in joint size, method of application, and joint profile.

Repairing stucco with a stucco mixture that duplicates the original as closely as possible in appearance, color, and texture.

Cleaning masonry only when necessary to halt deterioration and always with the gentlest method possible, such as low pressure water and soft bristle brushes.

​Repairing or replacing, where necessary, deteriorated material with new material that duplicates the old as closely as possible in bond, pattern, shape, and coursing.

Replacing missing architectural features, such as cornices, brackets, and railings.

​Retaining the original or early color and texture of masonry surfaces, wherever possible. Brick or stone surfaces may have been painted or whitewashed for practical and aesthetic reasons.

Don't:

Masonry: Adobe, brick, stone, terra cotta, concrete, stucco, and mortar

Applying waterproof or water repellent coatings or other treatments unless required to solve a specific technical problem that has been studied and identified. Coatings are unnecessary, expensive, and can accelerate deterioration of the masonry.

Repointing mortar joints that do not need repointing. Using electric saws and hammers to remove mortar can seriously damage the adjacent brick.

Repointing with mortar of high Portland Cement content, thus creating a bond that can often be stronger than the building material. This can cause deterioration as a result of the differing coefficient of expansion and the differing porosity of the material and the mortar.

Repointing with mortar joints of a differing size of joint profile, texture, or color.

Sandblasting, including dry and wet grit and other abrasives, brick, or stone surfaces: this method of cleaning erodes the surface of the material and accelerates deterioration. Do not use chemical cleaning products that would have an adverse chemical reaction with the masonry materials, i.e., acid on limestone or marble.

Applying new material which is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was constructed, such as artificial brick siding, artificial stone, or brick veneer to simulate a historic appearance.

Removing architectural features such as cornices, brackets, railings, window architraves, and doorway pediments.

Removing paint from masonry surfaces indiscriminately. This may subject the building to damage and may change is appearance.

Do:

Wood: Clapboard, weatherboard, shingles, and other wooden siding

​Retaining original material, whenever possible.

​Repairing or replacing, where necessary, deteriorated material with new material that duplicates in size, shape, and texture the old as closely as possible.

Don't:

Wood: Clapboard, weatherboard, shingles, and other wooden siding

Removing architectural features such as siding, cornices, brackets, window architraves, and doorway pediments. These are, in most cases, an essential part of a building's character and appearance that illustrates the continuity of growth and change.

Resurfacing frame buildings with new material, which is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was constructed, such as artificial stone, brick veneer, asbestos or asphalt shingles, and plastic or aluminum siding. Such material can also contribute to the deterioration of the structure from moisture and insects.

Do:

​Architectural Metals: Cast iron, steel, pressed tin, aluminum zinc

Retaining original material, whenever possible.

​Cleaning, when necessary, with the appropriate method. Cast iron and steel are normally not affected by mechanical cleaning methods while pressed tin, zinc, and aluminum should be cleaned by the gentlest method possible.

Don't:

Architectural Metals: Cast iron, steel, pressed tin, aluminum zinc

Removing architectural features that are an essential part of a building's character and appearance and thus illustrate the continuity of growth and change.

Exposing metals which were intended to be protected from the environment. Do not use cleaning methods which alter the color or texture of the metal.

Do:

Roofs and Roofing

Preserving the original roof shape.

Retaining the original roofing material, whenever possible.

Replacing deteriorated roof coverings with new material that matches the old in composition, size, shape, color, and texture.

​Preserving or replacing, where necessary, all architectural features which give the roof its essential character, such as dormer windows, cupolas, cornices, brackets, chimneys, cresting, weather vanes, gutters, downspouts, and lightning rods.

Don't:

​Roofs and Roofing

Replacing deteriorated roof coverings with new materials which differ to such an extent from the old in composition, size, shape, color, and texture that the appearance of the building is altered.

Stripping the roof of architectural features important to its character.

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Do:

Windows and Doors

Retaining existing window and door openings, including window sash, glass, lintels, sills, architraves, shutters, doors, pediments, hoods, steps, and all hardware.

Installing storm or insulating windows when old glass, art glass, or fragile sash require protection from the weather. Protective windows should be removable without damaging original fabric.

Duplicating the material, design, and the hardware of the older window sash and doors, if new sash and doors are used.

Using original doors and door hardware when they can be repaired and reused in place.

Don't:

​Windows and Doors

​Installing appropriate new window or door features such as aluminum storm and screen window combinations that require the removal of original windows and doors.

Discarding original doors and door hardware when they can be repaired and reused in place.

Do:

Entrances, Porches, Porte-cocheres, and Steps

Retaining steps and porches that are appropriate to the building and its development. Porches or additions reflecting later architectural styles are often important to the building's historical integrity and, wherever possible, should be retained.

Repairing or replacing, where necessary, deteriorated architectural features of wood, iron, cast iron, terra cotta, tile, and brick.

Don't:

Entrances, Porches, Porte-cocheres, and Steps

Removing or altering porches and steps that are inappropriate to the building's development and style.

​Stripping porches and steps of original material and architectural features such as handrails, balusters, columns, brackets, and roof decorations of wood, iron, cast iron, terra cotta, tile, and brick.

Discovering original paint colors and finishes; repainting with colors based on the original, when appropriate, to illustrate the distinctive character of the property.

Stripping down to the bare surface without some evidence of original exterior surface.

​Repainting with colors that cannot be documented through research and investigation to be appropriate to the building and the neighborhood.