Making this old 1875 Victorian alive and beautiful again
by
Quetipp
+17
This house need some work. Its been for 5yrs now and its time to do repairs. The porch beams don't match and one of the beams is starting to split from the bottom, the roof needs to be replaced, and the windows outside( not all), about 6 out of 29 windows are dry rotting. Not sure who I can trust to do the work, we already had three roofers that lied to us, and didn't do the work correctly. Now we are just going to do the whole roof which is going to be costly but needed. Do you know a honest roofer in the Philadelphia area? HELP US MAKE THIS HOUSE BEAUTIFUL any info will help. Thank you Alees
1875 Old Victorian Home in need of a face life
19 answers
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Contact the Better Business Bureau before you hire anyone else. You could check with neighbors, and see if they can give you some names-then go check them out. Good luck!
9530106
on Feb 19, 2016
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What a gorgeous house it will be! Good luck with restoration & any other contractors you may hire. One way to know if you are dealing with a professional is to make sure they are licensed & bonded/insured.
Katrina Warren
on Feb 19, 2016
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Since you have had unfortunate luck with previous work to your home my suggestion is to reach out to your local community to see who they can recommend. There are always adds running in local papers then research them with consumer affairs for there ratings.
Janet Pizaro
on Feb 19, 2016
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Check with your local commericial roofing supply company ask for the manager ask for contractor suggestions. The get quotes and ask for references..check them out and check bbb for compliants and then only do business with company you dont pay until they are done (no down payments) and provide min. 1 year warranty..verify they are bonded and insured And have workers comp insurance for their employees...these guidelines should keep you with good companies.
Moxie
on Feb 19, 2016
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Check Angie's List, then BBB and follow by checking all of the on-line reviews. When you get an estimate ask them for references then take the time and call the references. As a general rule get 3 estimates. They should be pretty close together. If they are vastly different get 3 more. It is usually safe to go with the middle one when the prices are only a few hundred dollars apart.
Janis Hill
on Feb 19, 2016
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The main pillar or foundation is still strong if we use and if we see the old house of wood that can not be used again in the changing rooms and the house we used termite ... and minimize the expenditure of funds that no1
Meg4548032
on Feb 20, 2016
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Seems that roofing and weather proof windows are a top concern, particularly in your area where the weather can be an issue. I'd check for referrals from your local hardware store Lowes or Home Depot, they usually have contractors in and out and may know who is reliable. Check with neighbors, your church group if you have one. The roof will be costly, but it is an investment to protect the home from water/snow damage.It's a beautiful old Victorian that deserves to be rescued and loved into her former glory.
Barbara
on Feb 20, 2016
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I have used Homeadvisor.com and been impressed with their professionalism and how quickly they get back to you. They will give you names of licensed contractors in your community.
Jud4690528
on Feb 20, 2016
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Check with Angie's list. They have to maintain a certain customer satisfaction rating or they are dropped from the list.
Jean Proctor
on Feb 20, 2016
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As a retired tradesman, some advice: Save yourself problems later by drawing a sketch / plan of what you intend to do structurally, then check with your local building inspector FIRST! Failing to do so could result fines. Plus having to do things twice to comply with local code requirements. Local building inspectors can also be a wealth of information. Repair or replace the structural / mechanical concerns first, like plumbing, heating, electric, windows, insulation etc Ask contractors for names and address's of previous customers. Licensed and insured? Ask for proof of both. A reliable contractor will readily comply. Aways get a signed contract listing details of work to be performed, including clean up and disposal of debris. You might want to check with your insurance agent also. Good luck.
Buddy
on Feb 20, 2016
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I had a Victorian In Chester Co. I had Amish from Lancaster come in. No issue with good honest work. Roof is your no. 1 priority. I would use a metal seamed roof and be done, good investment and you will get your investment money out of it all the way down the line. Even if not Amish, a metal roof installer will do good work as it can only be done one way. seamed. Not necissarily cheap, but handsome, lasts forever and you get every penny back out when you eventually sell. (and if you want to get real nice, you can even paint/stain it to weather like it is copper)
Johnchip
on Feb 21, 2016
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In some areas the electri or gas company has a low cost program to replace inefficient windows. It would be worth it to ask about it in your area.
Ann
on Feb 22, 2016
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Here's a website that may be of some help. This guy knows a lot about historic homes and he may be able to direct you in the right way towards someone in your local area so as not to damage the historic properties of the home as well as comply with local codes. One thing...there ARE ways to fix original windows and not mess up the historic value by installing vinyl--which is what a lot of people do. He's got great help on this thing particularly :-)
CK
on Feb 24, 2016
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Beautiful home. Had a carpenter that just removed the dry rot on a couple of windows, did some wood insert and wood filler. When painted look like new. Good luck. My advice - never pay up front before any work is started. Get a contract with start date and completion date. Pay as the work progresses and is satisfactory. Doesn't hurt to pay someone to do a check on the work as it progresses either. Keep a diary with pics as work progresses. This documentation may come in handy, and it doesn't hurt to let the contractors know you are on it.
Marion Nesbitt
on Feb 25, 2016
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Alees, wow! She's a beauty! Maybe ask some of the folks on the "Old house dreams" website. That's where I frequent for through the grapevine info. Good luck to you and remember, when all the structural stuff is over, putting the "icing" on that cake will be so much fun. I recently started with the exterior painting of my 1896 lady last summer. So far she is pink with brown trim to match her metal roof and the pop color on the doors and windows are a dark teal. I ask people who walk by every day and my neighbors (I live in a small town) to help me with colors since they are the ones who have to look at it every day. LOL!
Tracy
on Feb 25, 2016
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Another thought I had is depending on what area you are in your local Historical "Hysterical" Society, as they monitor restorations, might have some leads for you or look around the neighborhood for homes that have been redone and knock on the door, introduce yourself and ask, most owners like to talk about their houses and the work they have done.
Johnchip
on Feb 25, 2016
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We ask local plumbing/electrical/HVAC people who we trust and are already doing business with, to recommend someone for the job we need. We also ask friends/neighbors for referrals of workmen they have used. The first thing we always do before we interview prospective home repair contractors is to contact the local Better Business Bureau to see if they have any complaints on file against any of them. Then, we contact the local sheriff's office, or police station and see if any complaints have been filed against these people. Also, every state has a Consumer Protection office in the state's attorney general office at the state capital. Have the contractor show you his local building license and a copy of his insurance. (You don't want them injured on your property and suing you! Then, we write up a contract for the exact specifications that we want done, including types of materials and total cost. State that the work must begin within 30 to 60 days. Put a completion date. We sign it and have the contractor sign it. My husband personally buys the materials and has them delivered to our house as needed. He daily inspects the work. Any reputable contractor/builder will not resent this, because he has nothing to hide. We pay when the work is completed to our satisfaction.
Liz
on Feb 28, 2016
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Nice. The incredibledesign of your home, I really shocked because before two years I build a homewith the help of one of the popular home construction service ActionConstruction Co. Inc. The design was more similar to your home design. I hopeit will help others.
Jason Davis
on Mar 03, 2016
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Definitely check with you Chamber of Commerce for local companies. Also send a photo to "The Old house guy" they will help with the correct historic colors for your house. website: oldhouseguy.com
Marlene Haigh
on Oct 11, 2016
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