Older homes usually have character but pose many challenges when it comes to renovation. Although some remodeling problems apply to newer homes as well, older homes have their own set of unique problems. Knowing the challenges that you might encounter will make it easier to set a realistic timeline and budget for your project.

Here are the challenges that you might face when renovating an older home:

Outdated Electrical and Plumbing

Plumbing and electrical issues are common in older homes. Before 1960, the use of galvanized pipes inside the house and for sewer lines was quite common. However, these pipes tend to clog up and corrode very fast over time. If you are doing plumbing renovation in your home, you need to replace the old pipes with copper or PVC pipes. According to the owner of Restoration Elite, dealing with leakage problems faster prevents water damage.

Electrical wiring in old homes needs to be updated and brought up to code. Depending on the type of appliances that you own, you might have to put in modern wiring that supports computers and entertainment systems.

Unsafe Materials

If you live in a house that is decades old, there might be some asbestos in the ducts, floors, and roof as well as lead in the paint. If you do not disturb them, these materials are harmless.

However, if you are renovating your house and there is a chance that you might scrape the materials, you should move out of the house for the duration of the project.

Although the cost of asbestos and lead removal can be high, it will be worth every penny to ensure the safety of your family. You can buy some tools to test whether the paint in your home has lead in it.

Unavailable Materials

Older homes were constructed under different building codes and standards, which means that the materials are not the same as those used today. Rooms, doors, and bathtubs are smaller in older residences. If you want to retain the character of your home, finding materials that will match the others will be tricky.

You should consider shopping at reuse centers and architectural salvage stores for the outdated materials. However, you might have to pay more to get your hands on original materials. If your home has traditional lighting, you should find old-looking light fixtures such as a wall mount gas lantern to retain the look.

Outdated Layouts

The floor plans and features that homeowners are looking for nowadays differ greatly from those in old homes. If you want an open kitchen floor plan between the dining area, kitchen, and living room, you will have to demolish some walls. Older homes also had tenement housing where large houses were divided into small apartments, which is why they have tiny rooms.

Some bedrooms in older homes do not have closets and even if you want to add one, there might not be enough room to do so. If you want to modernize your house, you would have to call an architect to calculate the actual cost.

Years of Bad Renovation Work

If a home is decades old, chances are that it has had many owners. This means that it has undergone numerous changes, which would make it difficult to know the original design.

Renovations might have been made with no regard to the building’s structure. You might have to find a good contractor to undo the years of damage, which is expensive.

If you want to renovate an older home yourself, you should consult with an engineer first. That way, you will have help from an expert.