When it comes to restoring an old building, you need to make sure that you are being very careful. These buildings have been standing for a long time and so any attempt at repair can lead to more problems if things are not approached in the right way. To help you with this, we have put together some tips on how to restore an old building. Keep reading to find out more.
Look For Water Damage
Before you get started on your project, you need to make sure that you are looking out for any sort of water damage. Water damage can be a warning of serious structural issues and it can easily appear around the floors, windows and ceilings. Make sure to double check the sill plate as this is an important structural part of the building.
Choose Good Materials
When you are investing in some materials and products to help with your building restoration project, you need to make sure that you are choosing the right ones. You want products that are built to last and aren’t just going to lead to more problems down the line. If you choose a trusted provider, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that their products can be trusted also. For example, there’s the company W.R. Meadows who ensure every product they create meets EPA standards. Having operated in the industry since 1926, they have extensive experience in creating construction materials that are of the highest quality for their customers.
Get A Good Team
A building restoration project can be very complicated and so you need to make sure that you have a team of people that you can trust to work on the project. Every member of the team should be trained to deal with this sort of old building to ensure the structure remains and that everything is approached in the right way. Train your team carefully and make sure that everyone knows how important this project is.
Start With The Practical Elements
Our next tip for those about to embark on a building restoration project is to start on the practical elements rather than the aesthetic. Think about starting off with the roof, the windows and the masonry in the building. Once you have completed these then you can move on with things like the aesthetic. You should also think about taking a look at the mortar in any fireplaces or chimneys in the building.
Non-Threatening Quirks
Our final tip is to make sure that you take advantage of any sort of non-threatening quirks. If the old building has some design quirks that have changed over the years, it is often a good idea to embrace these rather than change them. As long as the building will be structurally sound with these quirks in place, you should be able to embrace them.
Final Verdict
If you are planning a building restoration project this year, make sure that you take on board all of the advice that we have given you in this article. Think about choosing the right materials for the project and embracing any sort of quirks that the building has. This should help you to have a successful project and a structurally sound building.