Tracing the history of an old house is like making your way through an overgrown garden maze. In most cases, unless you are a descendant of the original owners and have an attic full of memorabilia, finding out when your house was built, who lived within its walls, and what changes various homeowners wrought can be a challenging—but fascinating—journey.
Anyone who undertakes it will need to be equal parts architectural historian, oral historian, research librarian and genealogist. On a street filled with ersatz 's Colonials, the two-story white clapboard house with the black shutters exudes antique charm, especially when one notices the quaint sign hanging at the end of the driveway: Suttonfields, ca.
The sign dates to , after Gladys Schondorf, who owns the Somers, N. Working with the town historian, she learned that her 2. Schondorf presumed that her house included part of that original homestead—but now, after more digging, she's unsure if Mr. Sutton ever lived within its walls. The first step in compiling a house history is to identify the era in which the structure was built.
With the help of an architecture book or two, most home owners can discern a core style—even among a century or two of renovations and additions—by examining the silhouette of the house and its layout, as well as the style of the windows, doors, and other features. A mansard roof, for example, may be of the Second Empire style of the late 19th-century, while a hip roof might indicate a Queen Anne house built a decade later.
But keep in mind that while looking at visible features reveals a lot, there may be a hidden chapter to the story. Many a contractor has been surprised to uncover an old wall, a few stair steps, or some other vestige during a renovation.
If you are not inclined to dismantle your house, a tour of the neighborhood to scope out similar homes can suggest the original blueprint lying within altered walls. Schondorf took her research several steps further and invited some local experts to assess her home. As they studied the exterior and interior of the Schondorf house, John Massengale, an architect and historian from nearby Bedford, N.
There was, for instance, a column motif indoors and out, as well as a casing detail around the front door, interior doors, and mantels. But just because Greek Revival houses were prevalent in the early to midth century doesn't necessarily mean that the Schondorf house was built then. The original house may have gone up earlier and received a stylistic facelift, or it may have been built later, after the style waned.
Carpenters in the 19th century learned the rules of classical architecture through builders' guides, like Asher Benjamin's handbook, The American Builder's Companion. The portico columns on this Greek Revival house seem to be poorly designed 20th-century additions because they are set in too far from the entablature above. The date of a house's style can be supported—or contradicted—by construction details, since the frame of a house is unlikely to have been altered since the time the house was built except in parts damaged by fire or changed with an addition.
When Massengale and Gengo descended to the cellar of the Schondorf house, the consistent foundation under both the "old" and "new" parts told them the whole house was built at one time.
A closer look at the floor joists, foundation, and timbers supported their conclusion. Massengale and Gengo maintained that the milled boards used in the frame came into use too late for even the center part of the house, assumed by the Schondorfs to be the 18th-century core, to have been built then.
Though the timbers are clearly hewn, the joists supporting the center section have the straight and parallel teeth marks typical of a 19th-century water-milled board. Other details that help rough-date a house include nails, paint colors, and molding and muntin profiles.
Before the 20th century, all of these had styles particular to certain eras. The manufacture of building materials became fairly standardized by the late 19th century. The type of nails in the frame, for example—wrought, cut, or wire—direct the fastener-educated to a particular period. Professionals can help date elements of a house by examining a cross section of a paint chip, says Brian Powell, an architectural conservator with Building Conservation Associates. If Powell finds that a room had 10 layers of paint, for example, but a door casing only had the last eight, he would then know that the casing probably appeared around the same time as the third layer of paint on the walls.
Chemical qualities of that layer might link it to a period of manufacture. Hardware also tells a story—albeit a difficult one to decipher because sophisticated hinges and bolts were available from Europe at the same time that early local hardware remained relatively crude. But if a hinge design, for example, matches the estimated date of a door, and that hinge shows no sign of having been changed paint irregularities and superfluous screw holes are big clues , then it may confirm the estimate.
On the other hand, if the hardware is from the days of mass production—from the Victorian era on—old catalogs, available in many university libraries or historical societies, become a great resource.
And since new homes bring an influx of new students, the local school board may need to sign off on the project. Next, come streets, curbs, sidewalks, street lights, signs, and fire hydrants — all the important details that create a community, which builders and ultimately homeowners will share and rely upon.
The developer may also provide community amenities — such as a community clubhouse, pool, fitness center, walking trails, playground or even a dog park. When these steps have been completed, the developer generally sells so-called finished lots to home builders who are approved to build in the community.
These are based on the target buyer, the agreed-upon price range, the region of the country home styles vary dramatically from Phoenix to Boston, for example and the topography of the land. Which leads us to…. Once builders purchase finished lots, they work closely with an architect, who may work directly for the builder or for an architectural firm the builder selects. In either case, the architect will design new home plans or tailor existing plans to work well on these lots.
The architect will also design each home to harmonize with other homes in your neighborhood, so each home complements and adds value to other homes nearby. The company that you select to build your home is a key decision. This firm is responsible for every phase of the design and construction of your new home. Your home building firm and its key staff more on that below select and manage the teams of trade contractors who build each component or system within your home.
They will also closely monitor and manage the progress and quality of your home at each step of construction and overall. No one is more expert about all of the key details than your sales consultant. He or she has detailed knowledge of the new home community and the surrounding area including nearby shopping, schools, restaurants and more. Your sales consultant will guide you through the process of selecting your new home. In many cases, builders create one or more model homes that you can walk through to see first-hand how your home will look and feel — and how each room will relate to another part of the home.
Many builders decorate and furnish model homes to further help you visualize your new home. In addition to model homes, many builders invest in renderings, computer-generated animations, and even 3D or interactive floorplans that help you envision key details of your new home. I feel like this is an epidemic in my area as there are 4 of these in my subdivision of now 18 homes that are all different custom home builders.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in home garages. But it's a detail that new home builders should consider. Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars January 31, Mark was especially helpful during the planning phase when he listened patiently to our endless questions and provided useful information and suggestions that helped us reach decisions about project materials and stylistic choices.
After work began, Mark and Enna continued to be very responsive to us regarding scheduling aspects of the work and finalizing decisions about the details. Throughout the process, they stressed that the goal was to create a master bathroom that we would really enjoy, even if that meant occasionally changing our minds about details or adding new work at times.
This was our first major renovation project, and we feel that Mark, Enna and their team did a great job guiding us through it and creating a great new room to enhance our home.
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Few days later the project started. After few months, we now have a wonderful new house. Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars July 16, California Construction was understanding, responsive, and stayed on schedule for the revised remodel.
Excellent work! Lennar Utah. Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars September 19, They are also very tech savvy homes that are up to date with the latest technology. Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars June 10, The job was completed on time and on budget. We have also used Goldenline Construction on other projects in the past. Each job was completed on time and on budget. Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars November 7, We have worked with Brighton Homes for a few years now and this company consistently meets or exceeds the standard home performance requirements.
Having attended several meetings and interacting with staff members, it is clear that they, as a company, truly care about constructing a quality product for their home buyers.
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We would do it again in a heartbeat with the Fautt Team! It was a pleasure to work with them! I honestly can't say enough great things. Lennar Minnesota. Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars September 8, While these issues have not been show-stoppers, they have been annoying and Chad has done a great job in getting them addressed.
More importantly, Chad is an excellent communicator who provides regular updates and follow-ups as part of his customer service approach. Robert Thomas Homes. Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars January 14, I am quite happy with the quality of new home and I would re-commend it to my friends. List your business here for free - Learn More.
Although a construction job is never without surprises and challenges, home building services who are a good fit for your specific project will make these far easier to handle. What do new home building contractors do? For residential home builders who also act as developers, the job starts well before the first nail is driven.
They perform local market research to determine whether the prospective homesites make sense in the market, as well as survey the land on which the custom house will be built to make sure it is suitable for construction. Custom house building companies also obtain the necessary permits. Good new home builders have skills that go far beyond construction — he or she must supervise subcontractors and artisans; keep tabs on local zoning regulations, building codes and other legalities; inspect work for problems along the way; and perform dozens of other roles that are essential in construction a quality custom-built home.
They also, you guessed it, do the actual construction. From breaking ground to the finishing touches, house building contractors will be involved every step of the way. House builders are responsible for ensuring that the project sticks as closely as possible to the specified timetable, particularly in the event of change orders.
Custom local home builders also need interpersonal skills to deal with clients of all types, soothe frazzled nerves, negotiate conflicts and resolve problems. It can be daunting to choose from the many home building companies out there, so here are a few things to help you ensure you're finding the right one: Questions to ask a prospective custom home builder: How long have you been a licensed house construction company?
How many projects like mine have you completed? Who will be working on the project? Are the workers employees or subcontractors of your house building company? Can you provide me with references? May I see a current jobsite? Can you give me the addresses of some custom homes you have built?
Are you and your employees licensed and insured? What license s do you have? What other training and affiliations do you have? How do you charge, and what does that include? Can you give me a written estimate? What do your services include? How will I be charged for parts and materials?
When can your job get done? What is your policy for change orders? What happens when the cost exceeds the budget? What about changes to materials or labor pricing? What will I need to provide? Are there any important considerations or concerns you foresee with this project? Find custom home builders on Houzz. Narrow your search in the Professionals section of the website to home construction companies. You can also look through photos to find a house you like, then contact the residential construction company who worked on it.
Find custom home builders near me on Houzz Before you hire a custom home builder, shop through our network of over 59, local custom home builders.
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