5 Ways to Bring an Old Property Back to Life

Renovating an old property can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Old houses can often be picked up at a reasonable price, and they usually have more character and atmosphere than brand new homes that have never been lived in. However, some old homes need plenty of TLC to bring them up to a standard fit for living. If you have purchased an old abode or are thinking of doing so, here are five ways to bring an old property back to life.

Check its Structurally Sound

First of all, you must have a structural engineer check the house over to make sure that it is structurally sound and is not about to collapse around your ears. It would be devastating if you invested a large amount of money renovating the property, and it started to crack and crumble as soon as you put the key in the front door.

The brickwork and foundations of the building should be checked thoroughly, and you should also have a professional check the condition of the roof structure. The roof coverings, the windows and doors, the electrics, plumbing, and check to see whether or not the house is affected by damp or bugs such as woodworm.

Retain the Original Features

Suppose you have an old property with lots of character and original features such as ornate fireplaces, wooden floors, stained glass windows, intricate cornicing, a vintage bathroom suite, and antique doors. In that case, you should do everything you can to keep these features as they are highly sought after by property buyers and give a house character and a glimpse back in time. You can imagine past residents sitting around the log fire in a room filled with rustic living room furniture and decorated with vintage patterned wallpaper.

If the bathroom has a beautiful claw-foot roll-top bath that has seen better days, you can bring it back to life by being resurfaced and fitted with new taps. Unsightly column radiators can be sanded and revamped with radiator paint. Most original features can be brought back to life with a little bit of elbow grease and a lick of paint.

Replace the Unfixable

Do not beat yourself up if you cannot retain all of the period features in the house or, indeed, if you don't want to keep them. If a window is so severely cracked or smashed and it's not financially viable to fix, then replace it with a new one. If the Victorian high-level cistern toilet leaves a lot to be desired, replace it with a shiny new hygienic loo. Some old things cannot be brought back to life, and it is often better not to even try. Old things can sometimes make a house look dirty and neglected rather than giving it character. There is a fine line between the two, so tread carefully.

Rethink the Layout 

Old homes were designed to meet the needs of the families moving into them when they were first built. Times have changed, and people use their houses and live in them differently to people in the past. These days we prefer open-plan layouts and large kitchen diners with large doors out to the garden. Whereas years ago, men and children would sit in the lounge room while the women in the family worked in the kitchen, and then they would all eat in a formal dining room. 

To do the housework for your family's needs, you may want to think about jiggling the layout around by knocking down some walls or building on an extension.

Think About Colors

Nothing brings a house back to life like a good clean, new windows and doors, and cosmetic surgery. Once you have dealt with any structural issues with the building, you are free to do the fun part and decorate the place. If you want to retain period features, then perhaps think about decorating using paint colors and wallpapers authentic to that period in time. Look in books or visit historical buildings of a similar age to your property to understand the decorating styles used. Some paint manufacturers such as Farrow and Ball make paint in various colors to specifically suit period properties. Old houses such as those from the Victorian era look great, with walls painted in forest greens and rich deep reds. Because the ceilings are so high in such homes, the rooms can accommodate dark shades of paint without making the space seem small and claustrophobic.