1925 Historic Rehab/BRRRR

[Olutomi Odukoya]

Any general tips, advice, etc. for rehabbing a historic property? I just bought my grandmother's house. Built in 1925. Plan is to BRRRR and use half the money to rehab her house and the other half to fund my next deal.

No, I'm not kicking her out.

[Evan Polaski]

@Olutomi Odukoya, depends on the scope of the rehab.  Electrical is almost certainly an issue that needs addressed and many insurance companies won't insure knob and tube, or aluminum anymore.  And as noted, you are likely dealing with plaster and lathe.

From a cosmetic approach, as noted, keep things in style with the house.  Don't put European flat paneled, high glass cabinets in a 1920's bungalow.  Having always lived in and rehabbed older houses, do your best to keep hardwood floors, shaker cabinets, hopefully you can get by without removing baseboard, or other expensive to replicate items.

And my biggest annoyance when looking at rehabbed places: if you do have to remove trim, please match existing.  Don't put the cheap HD window trim around the windows in one room, when the rest of the house is the original 1x5 with dust cap at top.