It's not going to be an easy task undoing what careless previous owners spent years destroying. But with some time, patience and practice, she will transform into a victorian gem once again .
This is our sketch for our envisioned end product. As you can see its quite ambitious. But under the layers of cheap plastic and insulbrick siding is the original clapboard in beautiful condition.
This is our sketch for our envisioned end product. As you can see its quite ambitious. But under the layers of cheap plastic and insulbrick siding is the original clapboard in beautiful condition. Once the top layer was removed we were then able to restore the clapboard. Patching and filling what felt like millions of nail holes it's slowly getting there. 
The enclosed porch had to go and footers were poured. New framing for the deck was built and columns generously supplied by Mr. Timkey were then put in place. 
The enclosed porch had to go and footers were poured. New framing for the deck was built and columns generously supplied by Mr. Timkey were then put in place. Literally nothing of the original home was left. When they applied the vinyl siding every architectural detail and design was ripped off to create a flat box surface. Terrible tragedy that happened to many of our historic homes. The good news is that wood and talent is still available, so everything can be re created! 
So lets just jump ahead two summers, shall we? A lot of restoration work has been done, fence added, true arched wooden windows custom built to replace vinyls and the list goes on and on. We are still not 100 percent happy with the color schemes and certain details but those changes will have to wait until this summer.
So lets just jump ahead two summers, shall we? A lot of restoration work has been done, fence added, true arched wooden windows custom built to replace vinyls and the list goes on and on. We are still not 100 percent happy with the color schemes and certain details but those changes will have to wait until this summer. We may move the fence across the street to our new house and replace it with a black wrought iron fence. The flat mansard roof will be restored, steeple and copper dome added next summer as well. The project is slowly getting there and then it's onto the next.
This is not an investment property. This is my personal canvas that's soothes my artists sole and a testament to my belief that the homes built from the wealth of the Erie Canal deserve to be preserved for future generations.
This is the most awesome thing ever! I live in Lockport. I drive around all the time looking at the beautiful architecture in this city, the most beautiful of which seems to be slam dunk in the middle of the hood and rotting away. How sad! I hope what you are doing takes hold and spreads. And please consider creating a Facebook page so people can easily follow you there!
ReplyDeleteHi and thank you for the kind words! You are correct, without a doubt the finest and classiest architecture is in the most depressed areas of the city. It's not unique to lockport. This is typical all over our country. The aging stock of homes have been neglected and needs restoration. The good news is that these areas are always first to gentrify!
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