Buying and/or restoring an historic property in Blanco may just be the biggest thing that you ever want to do and enjoy it for many years to come.
Hard work and dedication is a must for restoring any historic home or building to its original beauty. It will pay off and make others wishes come true too.
Start with a professional inspection as you would with any property. If your intent is to preserve the original quality of the property, consider hiring a preservation consultant or contractor to handle the inspection. It will yield valuable information in terms of the amount of work to be done and the cost.
Many professionals are available to assist you during every phase of your project: architects, architectural historians, landscape architects, contractors, and suppliers as well as researchers, librarians, and preservationists.
The more you know about your property, the more accurate your restoration will be. You will also save money by eliminating as much guesswork as possible before beginning any actual work.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
· Search for deeds, tax records, property abstracts, and maps to determine your property's previous owners and the history of the building. The Blanco County records office can help you, and so can many of the residents who have lived here since childhood.
· Conduct a search of the property and its lot or yard. An architect or archaeologist can offer advice as to what to look for, and don't forget to search the rafters for records the former owners may have left behind. Just like what took place in the Old Blanco Court House, as far as the lumber yard from Calcasieu Lumber Company Records. Log onto http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/aushc/00184/ahc-00184.html for more information. These records are still found in Austin, since 1885.
If your property is in the Blanco’s historic district, you may need local approval to make any changes to the exterior. Ask the clerks at the city hall for more information.
Keep, keep, keep, the original beauty
The Blanco Historical and Preservation Commissions [BHPC] will make you replace what came out. If you have divided little windows, you can't just go to Home Depot, buy windows and stick those in. You'll have to get a mill shop to replace the window. You won't be replacing a roof with asphalt shingles; they'll make you use slate or metal that matches what was already there.
Insurance
It's also important for you to keep your restoration efforts documented. You will want to keep your property insurance agent updated with proof of the materials that were used,
While you'll spend additional dollars to make sure the property is insured for its proper value, you shouldn't be charged extra because of the age, unless (maybe) your property has faulty wiring and plumbing. Be sure to show proof that they are all up to date and up to code.
The Heritage Preservation Services of the National Park Service offers many helpful features, including these two unique classes:
· OldHouses.Net and OldHouseWeb.Net, two great resources of restoration tips, real estate listings, and all things related to owning an old house. Lots of links to forums, discussion groups, preservation organizations and restoration products and services.
· National Register of Historic Places
· The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent federal agency that provides a forum for influencing federal activities, programs, and policies as they affect historic resources. Check here for information on Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires federal agencies to identify and assess the effects of its actions on historic resources.
Here are some Web sites to keep you in touch: www.blancoguide.com, www.cityofblanco.com.
The Historic Preservation Commission meets on the last Monday of the month at the Byars House. The Design Guidelines draft is online: blancoguide.com/design/.
Rudy Nino is a builder, a member of the Blanco’s Historic Preservation Commission, and a central Texas remodeler. If you have any old photos or life-long stories, we want to hear from you. Call us at 830-833-3116
More from Community News.