Ask the expert

I love the look and the quality construction of historic houses and for quite a while now I’ve been considering buying one. What are some of the unique challenges, problems and issues that come with being the owner of a historic house?

“There are several considerations, both physical and cultural, to keep in mind,” says Jim King, project manager with CM Construction Inc. in Little Rock which specializes in historic structures.

Also, he says, older neighborhoods usually have fewer privacy fences and neighbors often interact with one another more than those in a subdivision.

If the house is in a designated historic district, there may be local guidelines as to what you can do to alter it, King advises.

“People who put a lot of time and money into their home’s authenticity don’t necessarily want a neighbor with modern fabric or design changes that might degrade the neighborhood,” he says. “That doesn’t mean you can’t put up gutters or replace your windows; it just means that alterations should look like what was there before.”

If you buy an older house, be sure to have it inspected by someone who knows old houses, King suggests. Original electrical and plumbing systems that remain in a house are often outdated and dangerous. While most older houses have already had their knob-and-tube electrical wires and galvanized iron pipes replaced, updating those that remain is easier thanks to the access in the attic and crawlspace, he says.

Be aware that an older house will require more maintenance, King says. Those with wood siding will need to be painted about every 10 years and interior box gutters need to be maintained or they will leak and cause the eaves to rot. Wood porches also need a lot of attention to prolong their life and older houses are more expensive to roof, as they are often taller and have a more intricate roof design or a steeper pitch. While interior plaster in an older house is easily repaired, a cracked plaster ceiling should be completely removed and replaced with drywall.

The good news? Older houses were often built with superior lumber that withstands stresses and termite attack better than newer wood, King says. And since most were built with pier and-beam foundations, they have crawlspaces instead of concrete slabs, which allows for systems to be inspected and updated more easily.

What lead paint?

“Lead paint is almost always present in older homes,” King says. “But if it is encapsulated with new paint and not made airborne through sanding, it is not a hazard,” he explains, adding that the soil near the foundation should be tested for lead that came off the house in past years. Test kits for lead can be found at most home improvement and hardware stores.

Thanks to modern technology, older houses can be made more energy efficient. Most older houses were built without insulation and can seem quite drafty until insulation is added, above, below, and blown into the walls, King says. Making sure the original window casements are properly caulked and adding storm windows will make them nearly as efficient as replacement windows, he adds. In historic houses which were built with outside-to-inside air circulation in mind, instead of attaching ceiling fans directly to the ceiling, a down rod which lowers the fan can help keep houses with tall ceilings more comfortable.

When it comes to decorating an older house, King says that older houses with larger living spaces often require more furniture than a modern house and that wood floors will need area rugs.

“Older homes may take more attention, but they give back such charm that those who live in one often find it hard to go back to modern homes,” King says. “It is also a fact that those in older homes tend to live there much longer than those in newer homes.”Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We’ll get you an answer from an authority.

Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail:

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