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Professional
Education is available
to YOU!
There are many choices for the true Do-It-Yourselfer.
It is up to you to arm yourself with credible
up to date knowledge, and while books and advice
from friends and neighbors can be helpful,
a real education cannot be overlooked.
Elginites need to comprehend and realize that
the majority of our business comes not from
the restoration of 100 year old deteriorated
or missing parts, but from fixing the cheaply
done and poorly completed projects of other
carpenter contractors or inappropriate quick
fixes the homeowners themselves did a couple
of ago and are quickly showing failure and
deterioration.
If your new carpentry does not hold up and
look perfect from the immediate get-go for
5 years or more, something was poorly done.
If your new paint job does not hold up and
look perfect from the immediate get-go for
3 years or more it also was a poorly done job.
And you, of course, have paid perfectly good
hard earned dollars for it.
If you are incapable of recognizing when you
are getting a bad job, then it's as much your
fault as the owner/operator who is taking advantage
of your inexperience.
If you are going to be a serious steward of
your Historical home and you are planning on
being in that home for 5 years or more, or
you have some talent and the will to do all
or some of the work yourself, then please consider
some real life experience and education.
If you are going to spend the money anyway,
then investing in your own education and developing
your personal skills can be invaluable if you
plan on protecting your home for the future.
Elgin
is on its way upward
and onward, and you
can be left sitting
in the mud or get off
your toots and get
involved in your community.
See what's going on:
http://downtownelgin.blogspot.com/
But
is buying an old house right
for you? We spoke with experts
from around the country about
the pros and cons of buying
historic homes. Here's what
they said:
• Old
houses need love. "You buy one of these
places with a sense of stewardship. It's
not just a real estate deal," cautions
David Duncan, owner of Needham Duncan
Architecture in Madison, Conn.
• Old
houses have an integrity that shouldn't
be spoiled. "If you want to transform
an old home into a new home, then buy
a new home," adds Amy McFeeters-Krone,
president of Building History, a preservation
consultancy in Portland, Ore.
• Old
houses can cost lots of money to fix.
The wiring may be old and dangerous.
The paint could be lead-based and toxic.
The roof may leak. Before you buy, do
yourself a favor and rent The Money Pit,
the 1986 comedy starring Tom Hanks and
Shelley Long. It'll give you a idea of
what could go wrong.
• Of
course, it could also go right, especially
if owning an historic home has been a
lifelong dream. Skilled help is available.
If the mantelpiece of your old house
was ripped out by an insensitive previous
owner, lots of expert craftspeople can
build an authentic-looking replica --
for a price, of course. You can find
them on the Internet.
• You
could get a tax break, too. In Oregon,
for example, buyers of certain designated
historic homes can have their property
taxes frozen for 15 years if they submit
and get approval of a preservation plan.
• But
also be aware: With such government incentives,
there are also sometimes strict rules
on what you can do to the exterior of
your home if you live in certain historic
districts, down to things like the color
of paint you're allowed to use. Old,
rattly windows may be considered historic,
so you can't replace them.
• Resale
can be a problem. Keep in mind that not
everyone will share your love of antiquity
or your tolerance for the idiosyncrasies
of an old house.
• The
local economy matters. One reason some
towns have loads of inexpensive old homes,
especially in parts of the Northeast
and Midwest, is that they're losing jobs
and people, notes George Siekkinen, senior
architect for the National Trust for
Historic Preservation. Make sure your
charming old town isn't suffering from
high unemployment, crime, and underfunded
schools.
• State
government can help. State historic preservation
offices collect lots of information about
older homes. The house you're interested
in could be in their database even if
it isn't on the state or national register.
A list of state contacts is available
through the National Register of Historic
Places.
• Old
homes require fresh eyes. Look past the
dowdy wallpaper, advises Emily Ramsey,
a project director of the Historic Chicago
Bungalow Assn. And consider how to use
existing space more effectively instead
of indiscriminately slapping on a wing
or another floor, says her boss, Executive
Director Charles Shanabruch.
BUYING AND SELLING HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Finally, when a property changes hands, the
usual rule applies: let the buyer beware. In
the case of historic or otherwise non-standard
properties, this rule is even more important.
So those contemplating such a purchase should
be very careful to ensure that there are no
hidden surprises, or they may have very large
repair bills the cost of which could have perhaps
been deducted (at least in part) from the purchase
price.
For example, where works were in the past done
without consent, the local authority may correctly
issue an enforcement notice requiring a subsequent
owner to carry out the necessary restoration.
So when buying a property that has clearly
been the subject of alterations or from which
original features may have been removed, make
sure that consent was obtained - and if it
was not, find out what the planning authority
wants to be done about it and, again, deduct
the cost of those works from the price offered.
Failure by those responsible for the conveyancing
to spot such problems may lead to them being
sued for negligence. In short, the same problems
apply to historic buildings as to others, but
sometimes in a more acute manner.
Be aware that not all Insurance is the same:
Consider this recipe for sticker shock. Start
with a historic house, which poses special
challenges to rebuild in the event of a catastrophe.
Throw in post-Hurricane Katrina construction
costs that are up 25% and skittish insurers
capping coverage amounts in coastal states,
and the result is too many old-house owners
who are underinsured for the next disaster,
whether a fire, storm, or leaking upstairs
toilet.
With its high-quality materials, craftsmanship,
and period details, even a modest historic
home can cost about $880 per square foot to
rebuild exactly as it was, or $1.3 million
for a 1,500-square-foot house, says Jim Fiske,
vice president of marketing for Chubb Personal
Insurance. A standard homeowner's policy will
only rebuild an old house using modern materials."Most
insurers want to give you Pergo and drywall
instead of hardwood and plaster," says Brian
Phoebus, program director of National Trust
Insurance Services, an independent insurance
agency specializing in historic properties.
In his view, only three national companies-AIG,
Chubb, and Fireman's Fund-sell policies that
meet the special needs of old-house owners.
These high-end policies, which are sold only
through insurance brokers and also apply to
nonhistoric homes, have several advantages
over standard homeowner's insurance. They guarantee
to rebuild the house using original materials
(or the best possible reproductions if originals
can't be found) even if that cost exceeds the
policy's limit. Chubb, for instance, recently
paid $3.5 million to rebuild a historic home
in New York even though the amount was three
times more than what the house was insured
for. Because many jurisdictions require that
the entire house be brought up to code, even
when only a portion of it needs rebuilding,
there is also built-in protection to cover
the cost of those upgrades as well. For losses
exceeding $50,000, the policies waive the deductible.
Best of all, if your old house can't be reproduced
or you're simply unwilling to rebuild, the
insurer will give you the cash value of the
policy so that you can build or buy elsewhere.
As with any homeowner's policy, it doesn't
include flood insurance, which you can only
purchase through the federal government's National
Flood Insurance Program.
Of course, this superior coverage doesn't come
cheap; the premiums generally run 20% to 40%
higher than a standard policy, but there are
ways to keep costs down, for instance, by choosing
the highest deductible you can afford-$5,000
or even $7,500. And you do get brownie points
for any improvements that make the house safer,
such as adding an alarm system or rewiring
the home. Chubb, for instance, awards credits
of up to 15% that apply toward the premium.
As those systems age, the value of the credit
drops so that eventually, you'll pay the premium's
full cost. Sticker shock though that may be,
some people rest easier knowing no more financial
surprises lie in wait should disaster strike.
http://www.nationaltrust-insurance.org
Please
contact Christen Sundquist
the Historic Preservation
Planner at city hall
before making plans http://www.cityofelgin.org/index.aspx?NID=89
Stewardship
Looking
to apply for City or
State grants? Or interested
in a more through history
of your property?
If you live in Elgin we suggest you inquire
with the Elgin Area Historical Museum.
http://www.elginhistory.org/research_services_houses.html
Another company that has had success in Cook
County:
Benjamin Historic Certifications
http://www.benjaminhistoric.com/
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