Shabby Chic Boho Moving into an older home can be a great way to start a whole new chapter, particularly as older homes preserve a great sense of charm. As you settle in, rather than focusing on making smart and modern upgrades, you’re better off prioritizing safety, comfort, and the right repairs so your new old home feels welcoming from day one. However, older houses often hide issues within their structure and systems, but with a clear plan, you can turn that age into character rather than constant headaches. Here are a few things to bear in mind:
Consider a Thorough Inspection
You could hire a trusted home inspector who knows older properties and can flag various concerns and potential hazards, such as lead paint or asbestos. As wonderful as old houses are, there are problems like asbestos and radon that can be incredibly detrimental to our health if we don’t know how to handle them properly. Use the inspection as part of your roadmap to repairs, and prioritize the things that are linked with safety and structural integrity before you move on to cosmetic changes.
Prioritize Structure and Safety
We should always look beyond the aesthetics and address anything that protects the overall shell of the house first. This means roofing, gutters, drainage, and foundation cracks to ensure that you keep water out and prevent long-term damage. This is where an electrician or a plumber is absolutely worth their weight, because they will be able to look at the critical systems and update any dangerous or outdated wiring, particularly if you’ve inherited the property from someone who stayed there all their life and made very few updates. Also, don’t forget to look at corroded pipes, as well as any malfunctioning heating equipment, before you truly settle in.
Improve the Comfort
As wonderful as old homes are, they can be incredibly drafty, and in our busy, modern lives, comfort needs to come first. Add insulation where it’s possible, seal gaps around the windows and the doors, but also service and upgrade the heating and cooling systems. You should also consider programmable thermostats, some efficient fixtures, as well as simple air sealing projects, for example, this will lower your utility bills without stripping away the character of your home.
Health and Environmental Checks
Things like radon in the basement should be a priority check, but also look for signs of mold, particularly in damp areas like crawl spaces, attics, and around older plumbing. If your home dates from before the late 1970s, you need to ask about lead paint and asbestos. If necessary, this is where professionals will come in for any remediation work. You should absolutely never attempt to remove something like asbestos yourself, and always go for certified tradespeople who know what they’re doing.
Create a Realistic Project Roadmap
It’s all about doing safety first, which comes with the structure, then systems and efficiency, and then finally the cosmetics. We should always expect surprises in older homes, which is why contingency funds are necessary so any unexpected repairs don’t derail our plans, but also our enjoyment. If you approach your move in this way, you’re going to enjoy your home more while also giving it the upgrades it needs.
