Antique Structure Evaluations

"It may seem expensive to save an antique building, but once it's gone it can never be replaced. This long term value is rarely considered before demolition.  Each building that falls makes your building more valuable.  Becoming a steward of your property requires an emotional and financial investment."

We loose an estimated 200 antique structures a day around New England and the surrounding states.  They are lost to overzealous contractors who bulldoze them, fire departments who burn them for practice, salvage companies who part them out and saw the timbers for flooring and neglect.  Then there are also natural disasters and just age that can take them down as well. 

George Yonnone Restorations provides expert restoration and repair consultation for antique timber frame homes, barns and log cabins. We guide clients through the decision making process with old home and barn restoration.

George shoehorns in the new sill with a series of flatbars that ease joists and studs into place.

• Antique structure evaluation
• Consultation
• House Restoration
• Barn Restoration
• Timber Frame Repairs
• Sill Analysis and Replacement
• Structural Repairs, Jacking, Squaring and Leveling
• Stone Foundation Evaluation
• Porch Restoration
• Site Condition Analysis
• General Contracting
• Large Wood Column Restorations
• Barn Removal and Relocation.

An inspection by a trained and experienced craftsman is the most important phase of any restoration project. It gives you a clear understanding of the restoration process and will help you prioritize essential aspects of the project.

Buying an Antique Home

Buying an antique home is exciting. During the process it’s important to remember that an inspection from a trained and experienced expert is critical to the process. Without it your excitement can quickly turn to despair.

An antique timber frame expert can expose undetected problems giving vital information on what to expect with repairs and restoration.

With home inspections, there is a basic guideline – the older the home the more important the inspection. An antique home is subject to many surprises and areas of specific expertise. You need a consultant with decades of specific experience to do the job right. It’s that simple.

The Benefit of Using an Old Home Restoration Expert

An inspection by a experienced timber frame craftsman exposes details that otherwise get missed. It brings a deep understanding of underlying conditions and the type of work required. Digital photos further document these problem areas and any specific damage.

An analysis always begins with a walk around the building. This exposes subtle shifts and changes in the overall structure. Like a road map, these observations give clues to bigger problems. Mistakenly, the symptom is often thought of as the problem by most homeowners. Regrettably, carpenters are then asked to repair the symptom without addressing the more important underlying condition.

Most home inspectors and general contractors do not have the experience to adequately analyze an old home. They also lack experience recognizing specific period styles, problems with plaster walls, and issues relating to antique chimney and stone work.  They can inspect your home and identify obvious things but this could just as easily lead to a false sense of security – the notion that something is better off than it actually is. And you often get low repair estimates inconsistent with the quality of the original craftsmanship.

A Specialist will Save You Money

Even if you have to pay a little extra for a structural evaluation, you will be glad you did.  The prices you may get from a local contactor will be unrealistically low compared to someone with thirty years of experience who understands the restoration process.  Because a lot potential clients don't understand this they are often shocked to hear what a project would cost to actually have it done right. 

The last thing you want is to spend time shopping for a perfect home only to run into major unforeseen problems. New owner horror stories are a dime a dozen with old houses – learn from their mistakes and avoid them yourself!

On the other hand, when empowered with the right information, you know what to expect and eliminate surprises. It’s amazing how much more enjoyable an old home can be when you know exactly what you are getting into.

Getting What You Pay For

Remember, you’ll get far more than a typical home inspection. We spend an entire day evaluating each aspect of the property and deliver a lengthy report that includes site conditions, scope of work, photos, repair estimates, and scheduling possibilities.

We’d be happy to learn about your old structure and discuss how we can help by contacting us today.