Print This Article			Print All Articles			Email the Editor

Creative Solutions Needed for Historic Renovations
By Stephen L. Robinson, CGB, CGR, GMB

Recently, we had the opportunity to work on a house built originally as a duplex around the turn of the century in Indianapolis. The customer wanted to maintain the historical integrity of the home while also creating more interior open areas and incorporating energy efficient products and techniques.

One of the challenges was to maintain the wood exterior on the house. Because of its condition, we had to replace 60% of the existing poplar siding, so we brought in cabinet manufacturer Spiceland Wood Products to cut molding heads to specially run the poplar siding.

We used a variety of products to increase energy efficiency, per the owner’s request. We installed tilt sash, double hung windows with muttons by Pozzi Windows because they duplicated the look in the house. We used Nu-Wool Wallseal insulation, a spray-in-place

We also salvaged some existing doors and had them remade as pre-hungs so we could replicate the home’s texture and feel.

To open the downstairs area, we engineered a way to remove interior walls and create the open effect the home owner desired. We eliminated a flat ceiling in the kitchen and installed an LVL (laminated veneer lumber) across the top, framing it with dimensional lumber to create an R-30 vaulted ceiling that really set off the back of the house.

The owner wanted to add a little creative touch and found a piece of stained glass for us to install in an opening in the rear of the home that was originally an attic access. We took the glass, created a window for it and made a wonderful accent.

We created the interior staircase in a layover with hand-made poplar. In fact, all the trim in the house was poplar. To be environmentally friendly, the home owner chose bamboo flooring throughout the home, with the exception of tiled areas for the kitchen and baths.

These were just some of the techniques and products we were able to use to create an extraordinary home with modern conveniences and innovative technologies on the inside while maintaining its historical representation on the outside. The project enabled us to be creative while fulfilling the customer’s needs.

Stephen L. Robinson, CGB, CGR, GMB, CAPS, is the owner of R.E. Construction and Maintenance Services, Inc., a residential and commercial remodeling firm based in central Indiana. For more information, contact Robinson through his Web site at www.reconst.com.

go to top