Newbie Rehabbing a 100 year old house

[Danielle Jones]

Hi every does anyone have any experience with rehabbing a 100 year old house.. The house that I am considering was built 1905 electric and plumbing is updated but floor plan is a lot of walls and fireplaces. A lot of original crown molding, solid wood doors, bone of the house in excellent condition. Is it necessary to make all rehabs a open concept.

Should I hire a designer for an opinion, or get a partner with experience.

Need help!!!!

[Bill Gulley]

Absolutely not! Strongly suggest you keep it original. You can update fixtures, kitchen counter top and such, but don't blow out walls, especially being new, that can get you over your head real quick, you have no idea what might be inside those walls, you get into EPA stuff and you'll cry and go broke on it.

Take good care of the original woodwork, nicks and scratches add "charm". Don't get modern, stay with the style of the home.

Designer, no, look for a preservation specialist for advice!

There are a few exceptions;

If you have small bedrooms (usually lack closet space) you can open up a bedroom for a master suite, walk in closet, turn a small bedroom into a bath, such are usually upstairs. You also don't need to blow out the entire wall, a large archway can open up an area, sleeping area, sitting area, door into a bath and closet.

You can get away with opening a kitchen with a small dinning room, an archway usually works there as well, if they kitchen is really small, get advice.

Keeping with the style of a home is important to marketability, you don't want a Victorian with a Cali contemporary with white marble floors, you don't rehab to what your taste is as much as to the market and expectations for the type of property. :)