Just say no to Vinyl

    Many homeowners are unaware what vinyl siding and windows will do to the aesthetics of their homes. Older historic homes should completely avoid using any vinyl products. They will dramatically alter the look of your home, turning a classic beauty into a 1980's remuddle nightmare. Vinyl is not maintenance free! Do not believe the sales pitch. Vinyl warps, fades, easily grows mold, limits color choice, and not to mention-extremely unattractive . Modern paints are designed to lasts much longer these days. Historic wood windows are just as effective as vinyl replacements, with the proper insulation and addition of storm windows and they look appropriate to the home. 

     Look at this before and after. What a dramatic difference! once the vinyl is ripped down, the details are replaced to give the home character and class.       

     

When contractors install vinyl siding, they rip off any architectural details to make room for a perfect flat and soulless home that lacks any defining characteristics. Essentially, your home is transformed into a vinyl clad box.  

     I chose Lockport because of the homes potentials. One way to entice people into the area is by restoring these homes. Covering these homes in vinyl to 'update' them is actually ruing them. Why would anyone want to live in lockport if the streets looked like any other run down city? Make your home fun and inviting. We live in a cold climate, so paint with warm spectrum colors to create warmth and comfort year round. Turning around a city is in the hands of its citizens. Everyone Can make a difference. 

     For more information and tips on this subject, please visit oldhouseguy.com

The information is very essential to anyone thinking of restoration.

Home to the elite.

     When Lockport and the Erie canal were thriving, many local residents took advantage of the constant stream of business arriving at the locks. Boats would be waiting days to get through the lock system in the Erie Canal. This was an opportunity to make money as a merchant, service provider, hotel operator etc. Next came manufacturing on small and large scale. Hydro power from the canal could be used efficiently and also inexpensively to power factories. Many people earned a living off this canal. 

     Homes began to expand in this district and the architecture and style  of the homes reflected the wealth of the homeowners. If you really take a look around you will see Greek revival, colonial revival, Queen Anne, Italianate, second empire, gothic revival, craftsman, folk victorian, and the list goes on. All potentially beautiful homes if given the correct ownership. This is a cluster of historic homes that is sitting untapped! Why and how did this area became so neglected? We see this cycle on a constant in cities everywhere. Wealthy areas  that have declined to slums. Wealthy neighborhoods and homes begin to decay and decline, the wealthy have the means to move away and start fresh. The poor and defenseless are left to fend for themselves. They are not able to invest much money into repairs etc. and soon slumlords move in to take advantage. The homes continue to decline and finding decent tenants becomes difficult. Undesirables, who take advantage of social programs quickly move in and crime begins to rise. This is a common occurrence in older areas of the rust belt. Areas that are thriving now will also suffer the same fate. Humans are very parasitic by nature. resources are quickly drained and its on to the next city to exploit. 

     Modern homes built after ww2 are built fast, cheap and disposable. Meant to function merely as a short term living space, these modern homes will decay very aggressively. The difference in modern homes is that future generations will see them for what they are, soulless, cheaply manufactured and lacking any distinctive cohesive architectural style. Victorian homes are still standing for a reason. These homes are far superior. 

      So why would anyone want to move into a declining neighborhood? Many reasons including, urban pioneering, very inexpensive homes ( I paid cash for mine and was mortgage free at 29), finding opportunities where others see problems, historical restoration, are just a few examples. I invite you to take a look at the beautiful homes and the potential within in. 

     I will post listings and opportunities to buy homes in my area as they come to my attention. Be our neighbor and help us turn this once thriving area into the charming historic district it deserves to be.  In the meantime, Here is a link to a very intelligent blog titles ten reasons to move to buffalo. The same can be applied in the city of Lockport. Please take a look at  this page 

http://www.ichoosebuffalo.com/

2013/03/04/10-

reasons-to-move-to-a-rust-belt-city/

     

The formal parlor

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     So here it is. Our second empire in the heart of the city of Lockport. It doesn't look like much now but I have vision! Rain was literally pouring in through the failed roof for six years. Much of the original features had either been stripped or damaged, but this is how I prefer it,a blank  canvas.

     This is what would be considered the formal parlor room, where families would gather and socialize amongst friends. Television was not yet invented of course, so entertainment would have been in other forms such as, plays, piano, drinking, gossiping etc. This area would typically be very detailed and Impressive to gloat of ones financial status. 

     As you can see by the puke green shag carpet, drop ceiling and vintage wallpaper, this room took a serious remuddeled hit in the 70's. Unfortunately,  many homes in the area have suffered the dreaded 70's makeover. Any good news? Yes, this can all be ripped out and restored to its glory! The nineteen seventies was a bad decade that brought us urban renewal and many housing remuddles. Eyesores and outdated architecture have scathed our cities for too long. It is our duty and responsibility to restore out heritage. The task is not easy and will take dedicated, talented individuals. The rewards will be priceless.

     Everything must be brought down to the studs with the exception of the original coffard ceiling and hardwood floor. This allows us an opportunity to rewire, insulate and widen the entrance to the room. The room has two openings. One is small and one fairly large. The small doorway will be doubled in size, while the large will be upgraded to an arched opening.

Here is a large opening that leads to the dining area. This home was clearly made for separate units. We will return the home to a single family and live in it. 

     This is our first time doing a project this large and we will make mistakes. Minimizing mistakes and really taking time to tackle each challenge, as well as using historic photos as reference is necessary to put this jigsaw back together. 

     This is the view from the dining room looking into the parlor(left) and hallway(right). Studs have been replaced where needed, insulation on exterior walls, and all new electric is being added. A hard wired fire alarm/ carbon monoxide system is required in nys and is also being installed.   Essentially it will be a new room, designed to look old, however everything will be up to modern code. 

At this point were getting close to install drywall and get this room finished. I did not take as many photos as I'd like to have, but keep in mind we moved along the whole house at the same pace. 

Here is the view once again from the dining room with the drywall almost finished. I purchased a corbel from online and took a rubber mold from the piece. I will then be able to cast my own plaster pieces in the mold and mount them under arches. This gives a very authentic victorian look.

I have never hung wallpaper before but one late night I decided to give it a go. It was surprisingly easy and went very quic around the entire room. I am only going from about three feet up because we plan on running a wainscot design in wood around the room. 

So here is a slightly finished photo. Red and gold will be the main focal points of color in this room. We still have some minor details left like trim work etc. but we are mostly happy with the outcome. Three arched windows in the front bill were replaced with square vinyls. These will have to go and be replaced with wooden true arched windows. Next spring most likely will be the time to tackle that.

A city secret

There is a small city outside of Buffalo NY, nestled on the Erie Canal called Lockport. In fact, the whole city owes its existence to the birth of the Erie Canal. There is so much to tell on this area. It's history is very rich and extensive, but we aren't focusing on history in this blog. We are focusing on its future and the existence of a wealth of historic homes.               

      I have recently purchased a home in this historic city and have been restoring the interior and exterior to its original glory. A single story second empire home built in 1860.  

This home is a gem. I know It looks frightening in the photo, but underneath that tacky vinyl and remuddeled facade is a former victorian beauty. The original ornate details and mansard roof will have to be either salvaged or manufactured. The vinyl will be stripped to the original clapboard and the modern windows will be replaced to historically accurate arch windows. A lot of time and a lot of love will go in to restoring this home. But it's worth it, these homes matter!