Irvine Construction Blog
Thinking About Buying a Historic Home in Maryland?
5 Questions to Consider Before you sign on the Dotted line Purchasing a historic home can feel overwhelming. The architecture, the charm, and the history in the walls can possess a certain allure, but it can also leave a potential owner full of questions and concerns regarding the purchase. Unlike today’s building codes, historic homes were constructed out of a myriad of materials and with many methods. Read on to discover five questions that any potential homeowner should ask themselves before making a final offer: 1) How do I know that my home is historic, and how important is that to…
Frederick Maryland’s Stone Home Renovation Specialists
Irvine Construction is extremely proud of the reputation we have built throughout Maryland over the last 35 years in the business. We are fortunate to have a team of true professionals that are all at the “top of their game”. One such company, that we have had the opportunity to work with on many stone home renovation projects is Artistic Masonry Contractors, Inc. based in Downtown Frederick, Maryland. Byron Hawkins, the owner of Artistic Masonry Contractors, recently left the following Google Review of James R. Irvine Construction: “The team of Artistic Masonry Contractors, Inc. will continue to jump at the…
Tax Credits for Restoring Historic Homes in Maryland
There are lots of construction companies in Maryland, and lots of good ones. James R. Irvine Construction, however, has developed and cultivated a unique specialty that sets us apart from the rest. We specialize in historic renovation and restorations and have for over 35 years! As such we have developed expertise in all things related to restoring historic homes in Maryland, including how to get the most tax benefits and refunds to help pay for your restoration. Whether it is replacing your windows, repairing your roof, refinishing your floors or all of the above, you may be eligible for a…
Windows: To replace or to restore – That is the question.
The condition of the existing windows will typically become a concern when planning an extensive or whole house renovation. For our discussion here we will consider a home over 100 years old with the original windows in place and having exterior metal storm windows that were installed about 30 years ago. This would be a very typical situation we would be faced with when preparing the scope of work for the renovation. The issues here are that the existing windows are uninsulated glass in sashes that may be inoperative or at the least difficult to open and when closed, leak…
3 Home Improvement & Remodeling Ideas That Increase Your Historic Home’s Value
When it comes to remodeling any home there are a plethora of considerations that need to be evaluated carefully, but for the most part they all boil down to your return on investment. Whether you are considering purchasing an older or historic home that needs some renovations, selling your home, or simply improving your quality of life, each consideration has built in costs and rewards. Often times, things we may perceive as non-tangibles, such as more natural light inside the home, translate very tangibly when it comes to resale value. Having been in the design build industry in Maryland for…
Home Renovation using the Design-Build Process
Have you struggled with the dilemma of improving your existing home vs. moving because the property does no longer satisfy your “wish list”? Then the Design-Build renovation process may be a solution. The Design/Build delivery system offers design flexibility, communication continuity, construction expertise, owner involvement, and cost-effective savings. The Initial Design and Build Contractor Meeting To begin the Design and Build process an initial meeting is necessary to discuss your project details and the budget. Contractors who specialize in design/build have the expertise in architecture, construction and structural engineering. Their professional experience provides an understanding with regard to pricing, project…
Historic Home Purchase Evaluation
Should you be considering the purchase of a historic home and need a professional assessment of the overall condition of the property and the approximate cost of both the necessary and “wish list” items for renovations, we offer a valuable service to assist buyers. The service consists of: Schedule a site visit to one or more potential properties that are being considered for purchase. Perform an overview inspection of the general health of the structure and indicate any major problems or areas that would require repair. Discuss what areas you would like to change or renovate. Discuss possible additions to…
Partial Second Floor Addition
Cramped for space, need to expand, or improving your existing floor plan? One solution would be to add a partial second floor addition. This type of renovation can be done by building over a garage, family room, sun room, or raising the roof, converting an attic and / or adding dormers of several types. Often this method also includes reconfiguring some portion of the existing floor plan to improve the overall use of space and traffic pattern. As we proceed through the design phase of the process, the task is to design the second floor extension to be in harmony…
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