Owning a Historic Home

16 Tips for Care and Renovation

Maybe you’ve recently taken out a mortgage to purchase an older property that you want to live in for the foreseeable future. Or maybe you’re more interested in owning a historic home or renovating a fixer-upper that you can sell for a tidy profit(flipping). No matter what you have in mind for your property, these tips from Key Numismatics will help you successfully navigate the maintenance and renovation of older homes.

Problems With Older Homes

Before buying, renovating, or selling an older home, you’ll need to take these factors into consideration:

Some hazardous materials are common in older homes — find out if your home needs any of these materials removed.
Chances are you’ll need to upgrade some of your appliances.
Spend time understanding home electrical insurance to find a policy that will meet your needs.
Extensive renovations might require you to live elsewhere temporarily, so search for a short-term rental to make life easier.

Discover Hidden History by Searching for Old Coins on Your Property

Finding coins on your property can offer a direct link to past eras and former residents.

Explore likely spots: Search areas like old walkways, garden edges, and the base of large trees where coins may have been dropped.
Use a metal detector: A metal detector can help uncover coins buried deeper in the soil.
Examine foundations: Check around the home’s foundation and porch steps, as people often dropped change when entering or leaving.
Research coin history: Consult reference books for help identifying the age of found coins you find to provide clues to the timeline of your home’s history.

Top of the line metal detecting from MineLab. You’ll need to find a lot of old coins to pay for a good one.

Projects You Can Tackle Solo

If you have the right skills and tools, you do not need to hire a contractor for these home improvement projects!

Many historic homes have drafty doors and windows, but you can seal them up with these tips.
Illuminate your home and make every room a little brighter by updating your lighting.
Your older home may have an unfinished basement, so you can block off time to begin finishing this additional space.

Cedar shakes make a wonderful, long lasting roof but even they have a limit and require replacement.

When to Hire Professional Help

Some projects while owning a historic home are simply too complex to take on DIY-style. Instead, you’ll need to find contractors who have experience with older properties.

When negotiating with contractors, be sure that you know what you want and come prepared.
Do not attempt to rewire an old electrical system by yourself — instead, find a great electrician who can do this for you.(see photo below)
Finishing the basement is another renovation that falls well outside the DIY range, so if you’re working on a budget, get at least three quotes from the best contractors near you.
Your home’s foundation may not be structurally sound. Work with a foundation repair contractor to remedy this issue.
Does your roof need to be repaired or replaced? Hire a roofer rather than trying to fix it yourself!

Do you know what to do if your house catches on fire? Have a family plan and practice it. Owning a historic home can be hazardous without proper care.

Get the kids out first and then the pets and get out. Call 911 outside!

Yes, buying and fixing up an older or historic home is a lot of work. However, the effort is worth it, and seeing your home at its best will make you feel proud of your investment! With these tips, you’ll be able to handle everything from minor maintenance issues to major renovations.

This article submitted by Mary Green of

Holistic Living Today

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