By William B. Leonard / Photos By Rimas Zailskas
Many of us harbor fantasies about finding a terrific old house that has lost its luster, then nurturing it back to its former glory. Well for those intrepid souls, there’s good news. When it comes to restoring or renovating historic homes, Western North Carolina is a great place to be. Not only does the area have a wide variety of architectural styles prized by many interested in historic preservation, but North Carolina also boasts some of the most progressive historic preservation laws and best resources in the country.
“It’s just a wonderful atmosphere for historic preservation and restoration,” says Lucy Archie, who serves as chair of the board of directors of Preservation North Carolina, a statewide private nonprofit organization. “When I went to Chicago to get my master’s degree in historic preservation, I was surprised to find out that many people believed North Carolina set the standard.”
In fact, North Carolina has some of the most generous tax incentives in the U.S. for historic renovation. However, the qualifications for the tax break are very strict. If any of the criteria are not met, the homeowners will not be eligible for the deduction.
The tax rules and regulations are complex, and they are accompanied by a dizzying array of forms that must be completed. Sybil Argintar makes her living by helping people qualify for the lucrative investment tax credit programs by researching and assisting in the planning of renovation projects. Her business, Southeastern Preservation Services in Asheville, has clients located throughout Western North Carolina as well as parts of east Tennessee and north Georgia.
“When people decide to restore an old home, they will be spending a lot of money on the project, and of course they want to do it right,” says Argintar. “And that’s where I can help them.”
Even in these uncertain economic times, Argintar says that interest in purchasing and restoring historic homes has remained stalwart. In fact, she believes Western North Carolina is one of the most robust markets for historic restorations or “rehabilitations.”
“There has always been a strong interest in historic homes in this area,” Argintar says. “That’s one of the reasons I chose to be here and open my own business in Asheville. It has been something of an epicenter for preservation of historic homes and businesses.”
Archie agrees with Argintar, having been involved with similar work in Northern Illinois after earning her masters degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. When she and her husband Andrew moved to Asheville to be closer to family, they undertook the renovation of a circa 1891 Queen Anne-style home in the historic Montford neighborhood. Two years ago, the Archies went for the “double whammy” of historic restoration, purchasing a storefront in downtown Asheville to house their growing business, Old North State Clothing Co.
“You need to have the right mindset if you want to restore and live in a historic house,” Archie says with a laugh. “And you need to have a good sense of humor about it.”
She recalls an incident outside her home when a section of a walkway collapsed into a small sink hole. Archie put up some yellow caution tape around the hole to keep people from tripping and possibly injuring themselves. “I had several neighbors ask about it—some even wondered if it was crime scene,” she says, chuckling. “You really have to laugh about these things. Otherwise you might end up going a little bit nuts.”
Archie says that the best piece of advice she can give to anyone interested in restoring historic homes is “always be prepared for the unexpected.”
“You have to be flexible in your scheduling, because everything will take longer than a contractor says it will,” she says. “And don’t ever budget exactly what they quote you—things will happen during the renovation that can cost you more. If you’re not prepared and can’t afford the extra costs, it could jeopardize your whole project.”
Archie remembers when she contracted to make some improvements to a porch on her home. When the contractor examined support posts for the porch, he discovered that the porch foundation was essentially sitting on the ground with no concrete footers—a construction no-no if the structure was going to meet city housing codes. “So they had to dig out underneath the porch and pour new footers. It ended up costing a lot more than the original estimate,” says Archie. “But it had to be done.”
Archie also recommends that anyone interested in historic home restoration enlist the help of an architect. If it is an extensive project, then architects are very helpful in ensuring that the renovations are consistent with the character of the house, while adhering to city codes or neighborhood restrictions.
Most restrictions on renovations to historic homes apply to exterior work, and the requirements and limits on changes and renovations that homeowners can make can vary widely from neighborhood to neighborhood within a city. Neighborhoods that have been designated historic districts can pose very specific challenges and restrictions, and an experienced architect is an invaluable ally in navigating this often-confusing terrain.
“Take Asheville for example,” says Jane Mathews, principal with Mathews Architecture. “There are several historic districts, including Montford, Albemarle Park and the Biltmore area. All those areas have different levels of restrictions and requirements for home and office renovations. It is really much easier—and might actually save you money in the long run—if you work with an architect to ensure that the project meets all the codes and restrictions.”
Mathews has worked in the Asheville area for more than 20 years and has dozens of clients who have undertaken historic restorations. She feels that, even with the economic downturn, the current climate and interest in historic restorations is the strongest that she has seen, and that Asheville has the talent to meet the demand.
“In the past few years we have seen the resurgence of craftspeople in this area who do some excellent work,” she says. “There are a lot of historic renovations and it’s moved away from concentrating on big houses and towards renovating and updating much smaller homes like bungalows and cottages. It is very exciting to see some of the work that is being done.”
Contact Jane Mathews, AIA of Mathews Architecture, 34 Wall Street, Suite 307, Asheville, 828-253-4300, or visit mathewsarchitecture.com. Contact Sybil Argintar of Southeastern Preservation Services at 828-236-1832.
