Staying true to your property’s vintage roots can add financial as well as aesthetic value
All properties come with a timeline, distinctive characteristics specific to their era. Over the years, successive homeowners like to put their stamp on a place by adding ‘fresh’ features, but too many of us fall into the trap of papering over the old to make way for the new and in doing so, we chip away at a property’s intrinsic value.
We might not categorise houses from the 50s, ‘swinging’ 60s or even 70s as period properties, but they’re increasingly appreciated for their retro charms, as seen in rising demand and re-sale values. It’s for those reasons that property-experts recommend staying true to a home’s original design. It’s not about waiting for that period to come back into fashion, but rather to maximise a property’s potential by giving it the historical context it deserves.
Restoration Rules
Pace yourself - get to know your home before making any major restoration decisions. You will be amazed how many times you change your mind as you familiarise yourself with your home and its design quirks through the seasons.
Be realistic - don’t tackle the whole house at once. Working in stages makes the project more manageable and gives you the opportunity to mug up on new skills as you go along. Hiring tradesman on individual projects also gives you a chance to try them out before you commit to a larger outlay.
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