Is it best to replace damaged parts of a historic home?
My historic home is over 120 years old, and it's in great shape overall, but some of the smaller details are showing their age. There is a piece of wooden gable fretwork that's in bad shape. I couldn't paint or repair it, it's so damaged by the elements. The house would look much tidier with new fretwork, but I don't want to reduce my home's value by removing original pieces.
Note: my home is not on the national register, so I don't need permission to make changes or updates.
Answers ( 2 )
Historic homes have unique architecture and features that set them apart. When it comes to renovating these homes, the best practice kind of falls on two different ends of a spectrum. Some people prefer an untouched home to re-enhance the original features, while others like to keep the structure but bring in new features. If you choose to renovate, you will get the best premium if you keep renovations era appropriate.
A lot of exterior trim elements can be purchased online now. Not sure what you mean by fret work but if you can find a new equivalent there is no reason why you cannot replace it. The generic term is “ Millwork” if you are searching online