You choose a historic house because of its old-world craftsmanship and its unique charm. But when you purchase an older home you can also buy into an array of special problems, including geriatric fixtures, ancient plumbing, crumbling window frames, poor insulation and other issues that can make for home renovation challenges.
Enter the Decatur Old House Fair. A kind of Match.com for historic home fans, the fair allows homeowners to meet the contractors, tradespeople and experts with a specific interest in older homes. For motivated do-it-yourselfers, the fair offers the know-how to tackle a home renovation project on your own.
On hand at this annual fair are experts of every stripe, from masons who can help reconstruct a deteriorating chimney to porcelain resurfacers who will refresh a chipped and yellowed cast iron tub. All have a proven track record working with the kind of historic properties that may cause traditional contractors to tear out their hair.
“They’re vetted” said Regina Brewer, historic preservation planner for the city of Decatur and organizer of the Decatur Old House Fair. “They understand that historic materials are important to the house and add value and character.”
“It’s one thing to tell homeowners how to restore their houses. It’s another thing to give them a seminar and connect them with the tradesmen who do that work,” Brewer said.
New this year is a “Short Bites” format with 30-minute sessions on a variety of topics including aging in place, masonry; hot water heaters, grout and caulk renewal and energy efficiency. Old house pros like Decatur’s Renewal Design Build, M. Cary & Daughters plumbing, Comprehensive Home Inspections and insurance companies and banks with expertise in working with old homes will be among the 36 exhibitors.
In addition to curating the fair, Brewer knows firsthand the challenges involved in living in an older home. Like windows that don’t open.
“They were caulked with tub and tile caulk” laughed Brewer of the immobile windows that awaited her when she and her husband moved into their 1912 American Foursquare. The couple attended a seminar organized by a traveling company that gave them the tools to renovate the windows on their own. Because of that personal experience, Brewer made hands-on window restoration with Sandy Crowe of Crowe Development Corporation, a component of the Decatur Old House Fair. It continues to be one of the fair’s biggest hits.
But owning a historic home doesn’t involve just structural issues. Aesthetics are a huge part of why people buy vintage properties. Maintaining their historical integrity or simply beautifying a formerly neglected home are also part of the Decatur Old House Fair. Experts like genealogist Kenneth Thomas will help homeowners research their home and determine its operative architectural style. And for a $25 consultation fee, color expert and author Roger Moss can help guide homeowners on choosing the exterior paint color that makes best historic sense whether they own a ranch, Victorian or Craftsman home.
And for those just looking for a fun weekend project, there are those, too. HGTV’s Jodi Marks will school homeowners on quick, inexpensive activities like building a window planter or creating an easy and inexpensive water feature.
IF YOU GO
The Decatur Old House Fair. February 18. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Decatur Downtown/Emory Conference Center, 130 Clairemont Avenue, Decatur. For a full schedule or to buy tickets, visit www.decaturoldhousefair.com or call 404-371-8386.
