There is a secret to historic renovation that I learned by serving on the Landmarks Commission in Kirkwood.  First, you are restoring the home, not remaking it.  And second, any additions to the home must be built in such a way that the original structure is still recognizable.

During an historic renovation, demolition of existing moldings, architectural details and other parts and pieces must be carefully monitored and documented.  Digital photography has helped tremendously in this endeavor. From a green perspective, it is best to reuse those pieces if possible.  If they are water or termite damaged – or just plain worn out – a little footwork to the local antique shops or recycled building material shops is the next best solution.  If you can’t find what you are looking for at these places or the internet, there are many millwork shops that specialize in wood moldings and the better ones will already have the special knives it takes to make them.  There are specialty shops that can make anything you may need and in certain instances, you will find that some of the more common items will be in stock or readily available.

Restoring a home to its original architectural glory is a labor intensive project and is not suited for many remodeling companies.  It is not just the materials that need to be duplicated but the care and respect that was originally put into the home by the old world craftsmen as well.  Pride in workmanship and genuine respect for the work of years past really do show up in the final product.

It is true that we build a much better home than 100 years ago because of the structural and mechanical engineering that has improved dramatically.  The products are better, more energy efficient and do more for the homeowner than ever before.  We have improved indoor air quality and are finally beginning to lower our carbon footprint.  But in same respect, the care and quality of the building trades has lessened due to the pressure of labor costs and speed of production.  Patience is a lost virtue in the construction industry and it’s driven by the consumer wanting it sooner rather than later.

In restoring an historic home, we as Remodelers have to produce a product and be competitive in doing so.  But we must also find it within ourselves to be the patient, confident, old world craftsman that did things the right way, knowing that it may take a little longer, but it will last a lot longer.

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With the launching of our new web site comes this new feature, our remodeling blog.

We hope this blog will be entertaining, informative and read by all of our clients, future clients and anyone who is interested in remodeling.  I’ll be writing many of the blogs but I’ll also bring in other members of our team who are the experts in their field; from architecture, interior design, kitchen and bath design, production gurus, product selections, financing and estimating.

We hope that our blog is interesting and interactive.  Our goal is to give and receive as much expertise as possible to better educate you and the RIGGS team.  I’ll post things that I am well versed on such as green building, the design/build process, the remodeling experience and the business of remodeling. We’ll talk about how to design your existing home to fit your needs, using the space you have, or adding on.  Product trends, handyman tips and tricks, remodeling budgets or construction methods are all on the agenda.

We hope to inspire and excite you by providing and receiving insightful and creative ideas.  Remodeling your home can be a fun and creative experience if approached with the team concept in mind.  We realize your home is an extension of who you are and how you want to live your life.  It’s more complex than just creating “space,” it’s about creating the right space for you and your family.  That means listening to you and your dreams.  We hope this space will give you the opportunity to do just that!

If you have any topics or questions you would like addressed you can leave them in the comments section or email it directly to us here.

Welcome and enjoy!

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