Specialties

Our mission is to restore homes with quality craftsmanship in a timely manner at affordable prices. We are fully insured and licensed to operate anywhere in the state of Illinois.

We have over 10 years of experience in the home restoration industry, serving Chicago and its suburbs. We have established a reputation of quality and dependability but our greatest accomplishments are always our numerous Satisfied Happy Customers.

Our goal is to bring each one of our costumers the best materials available on the market and to offer high quality workmanship. We believe that costumer satisfaction is the key to success, thats why quality service is not something we aim to give but is something we insist upon!

We specialize in Roofing, Siding, Windows, Gutters, Soffit, Fascia, Exterior Painting, Interior Painting, Power Wash, Drywall.

We also work with all insurances to repair Hail Damage, Wing Damage, Water Damage, Flooding Damage, Interior Damage, and Exterior Damage.

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Home Restoration Experts - Naperville, IL - yelp.com

Caution Homeowners!

Can You Really Trust Your Contractor?

Just because your contractor is skilled, and loves old houses and renovating a home, does NOT mean your contractor knows about or is qualified to provide old home restoration services. Working on old houses requires special knowledge. Old House Guy has this expertise and will help you work with your home remodeling contractors to get the results youre looking for!

Your house is our priority. We only do whats right for your house!

Whether Youre Restoring Victorian Homes or maintaining a 1980 Cape Cod. You may not realize you need our Services!

Recently we worked with two happy homeowners looking for home restoration services. One couple wanted to remodel their 1990s house to appear more traditional so it would fit in better with the older homes in the area. The other homeowner had an 1870s Victorian that needed some minor work.

Both of these homeowners were very excited to share their plans and the wonderful creativity of their contractors. They were so happy to spend their money on modifications they really believed would look good. But all they were left with was bad design.

You cant really blame the overly enthusiastic contractor or the homeowners. Theyre both exposed to so much bad design; they cant help but want to reproduce it. What they needed was the expert guidance of Old House Guy, masters of traditional home design and old house renovation.

There is a video out there about Spring Break called Girls Gone Wild. Someday I will make a similar video called, Contractors, Architects, and Homeowners Gone Wild.

Yes you can make a new house have more of a period or traditional appearance but you must understand traditional architecture! More importantly you need to know what NOT to do.

Traditional architecture is something todays architects are no longer taught unless they are specialized in historic preservation. For an old or new house, this training is essential!

Just because a homeowner spends a lot of money on a project and does a lot of work doesnt mean the house will look good. It can still look all wrong.

Many of the people who try the hardest to make their house look good are the ones that fail.

A homeowner whos renovating a home will get wrapped up in their project and not see the problem so they keep buying and buying: New light fixtures, new landscaping etc. They dont realize these are merely distractions from the fundamental issues they and their home remodeling contractors have created. After all this expense they finally convince only themselves their house looks good. And it usually only looks good to the UNTRAINED eye.

Here is an example of a house that may look nice to the untrained eye but there are many mistakes that go unnoticed. See traditional home design mistakes here .

Just remember that future homeowners will scrutinize what you do to your house. There is a lot to understand about architectural design and old house restoration services .

The following is an excerpt by Steve Mouzon that explains what people do to their old and new homes.

. . . historic homes consist of misshapen pieces of modern or Disneyland interpreted traditional architecture stitched together with no clear vision of what the result should be. The same is for current construction stitched together with semi-traditional pieces or architecture.

Most people probably cant explain exactly what is wrong with this sort of building because there are just enough traditional pieces thrown in to make it look vaguely traditional at first glance just as Frankenstein looked vaguely human at first.

Trust the Guidance of OHGs Old House Renovation

Do not make this mistake I will help you! You can buy books and study design or you can ask Old House Guy. No matter what you decide to do to your house, at least you will understand your options and be a better-informed and educated consumer at a just a small cost.

There are great sites like Houzz that offer advice too. Just because 100 people tell you to do something does NOT mean its right.

Remember you cant always trust your contractor or architect. You may need to educate them in correct design for your house. Unfortunately thats how it is today. Let the buyer beware! Let us help you!

If youre planning a project and want a partner with education and experience renovating a home, Click Here to contact The Old House Guy today .

We can help you too so you can help your clients. Contact us.

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Old House Renovation Restoration Services for Traditional ...

When our home of 45 years was demolished in Joplin's horrible F-5 tornado of 2011, we were consequently relocated to the south KC metro area and have lived here since. Hoping we were through with weather disasters forever, we learned life sometimes has other things in store! In our 90s now, the last thing we thought we would be doing in the cold January weather of 2018 is relocating again, albeit for only a short time due to having a water pipe freeze, break and flood our home. We cannot possibly explain what it is like at our ages to go through stressful times such as this incident presented. Working with Wilson Home Restoration allowed us to relax and understand that we were working with the BEST. Their friendly reassurance that all would be taken care of in a timely manner was very much appreciated. Communication with them was EXCELLENT! Never did we feel ignored or bothersome. In fact, much of the communication was prompted by WHR, just as part of the ongoing efficient work they provide. Attention to detail is their strong suit. We were soon quite comfortably back in our home and are still enjoying all the nice compliments we receive regarding the work Wilson Home Restoration did for us. Leadership and craftsmanship are benchmarks for them. A fine company to work with making it so easy to share in the rave reviews enabling others to benefit from their work too. Thank you Wilson Home Restoration!

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Wilson Home Restoration - Renovation and Restoration Company

Project: Refinish Furniture

Date: 07/11/2018

Item to be refinished: Table, Other

Material type: Wood

Upholstery Needed?: No

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: Timing is flexible

Comment: sofa table coffee table (tea table height) - possible shortening of 4 legs a few inches grandfather clock - 200 years old, very simple design

Project: Repair Furniture

Date: 07/11/2018

Type of Repair: Upholstery & furniture frame repair

Material type: Wood

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: Within 1 week

Project: Refinish Furniture

Date: 07/09/2018

Type of project: Refinish / Restoration

Furniture Type: Other

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: 1 - 2 weeks

Comment: I have a small wooden cupboard 58"hx24"wx13"d that need cleaning and the door probably needs to be refinished.

Project: Upholster Furniture

Date: 07/08/2018

Item in Need of Work: Sofa

Fabric Choice: Velvet

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: More than 2 weeks

Project: Repair Furniture

Date: 07/05/2018

Type of Repair: Non-upholstery repair

Material type: Unsure

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: Timing is flexible

Project: Upholster Furniture

Date: 07/02/2018

Item in Need of Work: Sofa

Fabric Choice: Other fabric

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: Timing is flexible

Comment: sofa needs reupholstery

Project: Upholster Furniture

Date: 07/01/2018

Item in Need of Work: Armchair

Fabric Choice: Suede, Cotton print, Other fabric

Request Stage: Planning & Budgeting

Desired Completion Date: Within 1 week

Comment: I have two barrel- swivel accent chairs that I would like reupholstered. We are moving within the next two weeks and I would like these chairs to continue working for my family, just with another design. Thank you!

Project: Repair Furniture

Date: 06/2018

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: Within 1 week

Comment: I need a repair tech in the westport, WA area to repair a sofa at our customers home.

Project: Refinish Furniture

Date: 06/2018

Type of project: Refinish / Restoration

Furniture Type: Table

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: Timing is flexible

Comment: repair broken stretcher and blemishes on finish of Baker coffee table

Project: Refinish Furniture

Date: 06/2018

Item to be refinished: Table

Material type: Wood

Upholstery Needed?: No

Request Stage: Ready to Hire

Desired Completion Date: More than 2 weeks

Comment: kitchen table, all maple. Never stained. Surface needs sanding and good varnish type repainting. 3' by 4'

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19 Best Furniture Repair and Refinishing Pros - Seattle WA

Buying Cheap Materials Inaccurate Measurements

Nancy Soriano, former editor in chief of Country Living magazine says, "I can't emphasize enough how an inch or even sometimes a half an inch can make a difference. And if your dimensions are off and it's not equal and symmetrical, you're not going to get the full impact and effect that you want. If you're not sure about how to measure or you can't follow the directions, don't hesitate at all to call somebody. Ask them to come over and take the measurement for you."

"Make sure you're looking at the entire floor plan of your home when you're planning your doorways. Look for, and make sure that every room has multiple exits. Or, if those doorways are in high-traffic areas, make sure they're wide enough to let multiple people pass through," Carey says.

"I think it's really important to anticipate the time and the pacing of your renovation," notes Nancy. "You probably want to do that up front, get it over with and then you can slowly start to piece your life and your home back together."

"When you're renovating, bigger is always better when it comes to hallways and stairs," Jim says.

"I think people sometimes forget about electric when they've been renovating because it's costly and it's hidden," Nancy says. "You want to walk through the house with the electrician before you start to talk about outlets, where they are, where you want new outlets, three-prong outlets. You want to make sure everything's up to code."

"You bought that Spanish home or that Craftsman home for a reason, because you liked that style. So keep your new design, your new build projects within that style," Steve insists.

The bottom line is "if you do perform work without a permit and something serious happens, your homeowner's insurance will not cover it," says Marc.

"The biggest mistake people make when they're trying to figure what the payback is going to be is they overbuild for their neighborhood," says Jimmy. "They have a $100,000 house and they put a $100,000 addition on it, so now they have a $200,000 house in a $100,000 neighborhood."

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Home Renovation Ideas & Mistakes to Avoid | HGTV

Save Up to 40% on July 4th Deals

Make your home the perfect place to entertain this holiday when you shop our Red, White and Blue Savings event. Save up to 40% on dishwashers and other appliances, including refrigerators, ovens and washers and dryers. When it comes to lawn care and edible and organic gardening, find savings on mulch, fertilizer and riding mowers. We also offer high-quality outdoor grills, planters and hardscapes to complete any patio experience. Dont forget to browse our deals on power tools and power tool accessories so you can finish those summer DIY projects.

Make organization a priority this summer with up to 30% off select storage solutions. Our wide selection of totes, bins, crates and shelving units are perfect for garage, closet, kitchen and laundry room storage. Store tools and equipment in your garage with freestanding garage cabinets. Use workbenches in a garage or shed to streamline your DIY projects. When its time to head back to school, find dorm storage essentials including over-the-door shoe organizers and decorative storage bins to create a space thats stylish, cozy, functional and all your own. If youre moving to a new home or apartment, we carry an assortment of moving supplies such as boxes, packing tape and dollies to make the process a breeze. Pick up the right number of boxes and accessories youll need in just one stop by using our helpful moving calculator.

Transform your bath and kitchen into the spaces youve always envisioned. Create an inspiring bathroom by choosing from our wide range of cabinets, toilets, faucets, light fixtures and other bath accessories. We offer a variety of stylish vanities, or you can design your own for ultimate customization. While youre at it, be sure to shop our fixed-mount or hand-held showerheads to elevate your showering experience. For your kitchen, make a bold statement with one of our elegant countertops, ranging from budget-friendly laminate to durable quartz surfaces. We feature several flooring and paint solutions to help spruce up your dcor. Dont forget to add the finishing touches with the right appliances and housewares, whether theyre as small as a steel forged knife set or as big as a French door refrigerator.

Here at The Home Depot, we're committed to helping you save, and our coupons reflect that. In addition to our daily saving opportunities, we offer programs for our professional customers and those who enjoy gardening. Stop by your local Home Depot today and take advantage of all our discounts and promotions!

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The Home Depot Secaucus|Secaucus, NJ 07094

OFFICES IN WASHINGTON STATE AND MONTANA

Our clients get free phone support for as long as you own your log home.

Bought the log home or cabin of your dreams but need help preserving or restoring it to its original beauty? With over 30years experience, we will help you maintain, restore and repair your log home, building or cabin so you can enjoy it for years to come. Dont delay another day! The longer you wait the more expensive it will be to repair the disintegration caused by water and rot damaged logs.

ServicesWe serve the entire west coast including the states of WA, OR, ID, MT, AZ, WY, CO and more!

If you need help chinking, replacinglogs, blasting and sanding or even insurance/litigation support you have come to the right place.

West Coast restoration uses the soundest, most environmentally friendly methods and products to repair and restore your log home to its original glory. We have crane capabilities to reach every corner of your structure effectively. Click here for a complete list of services including everything from fire restoration to dry rot and insect removal.

We restore all the following types of log homes:Swedish cope, hand crafted, manufactured or milled, adirondack, Finnish cottage, Norwegian Saddle, tongue and groove, German box style, camarote, cabana, choa and cedar sided

Mission StatementWe pride ourselves on being the premier provider of log home restoration and log home repair services in the Pacific Northwest. We specialize in log and cedar home restoration and our passion is restoring the wood to its natural beauty by using the most up-to-date standards and technology available. We strive to do whatever it takes to get the job done to the highest standard.

Our GuaranteeWe guarantee all our work for one year, with ongoing phone support for any maintenance questions. We never compromise on the quality of products used to repair and restore your home and all our products and methods are up to date and environmentally friendly. We hand test every product we use so you can have confidence that it will stand up to the elements.

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Log Home Restoration | Log Home Builder | West Coast ...

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Engine 169 is "the little engine that could."

Although much of its history is long past, the 1883 steam engine may be "on track" to operate again in the future.

Volunteers like Jim Poston, a member of the Locomotive 169/Business Car B-1 Restoration Team, are hoping to see the engine hit the tracks again.

"The fact we've got a historic artifact here in Alamosa is important," Poston said.

Engine 169 was part of a 12-locomotive order built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1883. It is a narrow gauge engine, meaning if it becomes operational, it would have to run on a three-foot track like the Cumbers & Toltec or Durango & Silverton.

For 55 years Engine 169 pulled its weight -- and then some -- on Denver & Rio Grande Railroad lines throughout Colorado. Retired from service for many years, Engine 169 has greeted visitors to Cole Park in Alamosa and has enjoyed an elevated status in its own pavilion, shared with the B-1 Business car, since 2002.

Poston said with Alamosa's railroading history, it is fitting that the locomotive should be housed here. The Valley's history and geography are tied to the tracks. Poston said it is no coincidence that Monte Vista is about 15 miles from Alamosa and Del Norte about 15 miles from South Fork.

"How far can you go with a tender full of coal?" Poston asked.

He thanked those who helped provide Engine 169 a home, including the City of Alamosa (which owns the pavilion and provides electrical and other utilities) and Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce/Alamosa County Economic Development, which owns the locomotive.

Poston and other volunteers would like to see the engine come to life again on the tracks and believe it is possible, just like 168 (which once pulled a train carrying President William Howard Taft) found a new home with Cumbres & Toltec.

"The locomotive will obviously need more work," Poston said. The tender has been refurbished, and in about 1999 the locomotive passed a pressure test. The boiler has also been tested.

"We just need to make sure the locomotive is mechanically reliable," Poston said.

He estimated the remaining work to get Engine 169 operational again would run from $500,000 to $1 million. The engine would have to meet federal regulations for operation. For example, repairs would need to be completed on the running gear.

Poston explained there are specialists who can work on steam engines in Colorado as well as other states.

Fundraising is ongoing for the Engine 169 project.

Poston has met with the Alamosa city council, Alamosa City Manager Heather Brooks and Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce/ Alamosa County Economic Development Executive Director Randy Wright to discuss the future of Engine 169 and possible financial support for its upkeep and restoration.

Volunteers are also needed.

"We are always looking for volunteers. You can know everything about steam engines or absolutely nothing," Poston said. "We are willing to teach people."

Volunteers are welcome to help greet visitors every first Saturday at the pavilion, when it is open to the public, and help with the upkeep of the locomotive.

Poston said many of those who worked on the steam engines are no longer around, so it is essential that the next generation become involved to preserve this historic heritage.

Poston, who was part of the space shuttle team during his professional career, has been interested in trains since his dad got a Lionel train set for Christmas. His license plate "challenger" encompasses both his favorite space shuttle and favorite steam locomotive. He has been involved with 169 efforts since 2011.

Poston will be promoting Engine 169 at the national narrow gauge convention in Denver Aug. 30-Sept. 2 with brochures, calendars, T-shirts and denim shirts.

Colorado is the perfect host for the convention, Poston explained, since the state is the home of steam railroading and one of the states known for the exploration of the American West.

Railroading is a tourist draw for Alamosa and the San Luis Valley, Poston added.

"If you live anywhere in Colorado, you are less than a day trip down here, and there's a lot of other things to do in Alamosa and a lot of things to do in the Valley."

In addition to the larger expenses of restoring the engine, there are insurance and other maintenance type expenses for which donations are appreciated.

"We have a core of enthusiasts that want to see the train operating," Poston said. "We need to augment that core."

------

Information from: Valley Courier, http://www.alamosanews.com/

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Locomotive restoration of 1883 steam engine 'on track' - Pueblo Chieftain

Q: We have an old steamer trunk that belonged to my great grandparents. It is in excellent condition inside and out except for the leather handles on each side, which have rotted away. My husband has replaced them with strong climbing rope. Of course, this ruins the appearance. We were told that the bolts that held the leather handles must be cut off, then new leather can be put on with new hardware. Is there someone who could come to our home and do this?

Silver Spring

A: Almost certainly, the leather was not held on with bolts that need to be cut off. The handles on steamer trunks are typically attached with clinched nails nails hammered in from the outside and then bent over tightly on the inside.

Colonial Restoration Studio in Gaithersburg (301-948-6652 ; colonialrestorationstudio.com) has replaced handles on hundreds of these trunks over the years, said Dave Hawksford, who runs the shop along with his son, Jarrod. The shop offers in-home repair of cedar chests in Silver Spring, as well as in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac and Rockville. But steamer trunks need to be taken to the shop to be outfitted with new handles. You have to take the paper off on the inside, Hawksford said, and removing the handles requires special tools that they keep at the shop.

Raymond Burkett, who runs a furniture restoration business in Takoma Park (301-589-2658), also said that he can replace handles on steamer trunks, but only in his shop. Because the trunks were built to be lightweight, he said, the wooden parts are very thin. So its a challenge to remove the bent-over nails without damaging the wood.

Hawksford estimated the cost at $150 to $190; Burkett said it might come to about $200. Steamer trunks typically fit in a passenger car, but if moving the trunk yourself isnt possible, both companies offer pickup and delivery, with the price for both trips in Silver Spring totaling $75.

If youre handy and want to do the work yourself, check out the website of Brettuns Village (207-782-7863; brettunsvillage.com), a company in Maine that offers dozens of styles of leather handles and other trunk replacement parts, the tools needed to remove clinched nails, and instructions for doing the work without damaging the wood.

Van Dykes Restorers (vandykes.com) also offers replacement trunk handles.

Q: We have an exhaust fan in the ceiling of our 1930s brick Colonial kitchen. The circular opening measures 9 inches in diameter. The fan, which we believe is original to the house, turns on from a switch on the wall. But it makes a loud squealing sound. Is it possible to replace the fan with one that would still fit the current opening? It vents to the outside on the side of the house.

Silver Spring

A: A Dayton ring exhaust fan with a nine-inch blade diameter might work. This model comes in a circular frame with an outside diameter of 9 5/8 inches and an inside diameter of 9 inches. Grainger, which owns the Dayton brand, sells it for $109.47.

Chris Nakis, who responds to technical questions related to heating and air-conditioning equipment for Grainger, recommended calling an HVAC contractor or an electrician to check before you order whether this fan is likely to work, and then to install it. Retrofitting a fan into an existing opening sometimes takes some fussing, and an experienced contractor is likely to figure out a solution. For example, the mounting tabs might need to be bent or even cut off, he said.

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How to fix up an old steamer trunk - Washington Post

Restored modernist icon houses Harvard fellows

Wimbledon House is knownfor its bold, modular design and sunny, inside-out aesthetic, but when then-budding architect Richard Rogers designed the London home for his parents in the 1960s, he wanted to create a flexible living space that could shape-shift to suit their needs.

The steel-framed, prefabricated house with moveable partitions influenced Rogers later work on landmarks such as the Centre Pompidou but more than an architectural experiment, the home was designed for living, a space where his mother, who loved to cook, could host big gatherings around the dinner table.

So its fitting that one of the first events to be held in the home since it became a fellowship residence for Harvards Graduate School of Design (GSD) will be a talk examining the way food and cooking shape cities one focus of study by the fellows this year.

Rogers gave the home to GSD in 2015 to ensure the Heritage-listed propertys continued use as a residence and last month it was unveiled after restorations by architect Philip Gumuchdjian and landscape architect Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, M.L.A. 84.

The restoration wasnt Gumuchdjians first brush with the house. In 1980 while he was an apprentice, he was tasked with replacing the homes iconic yellow blinds and even then he was awed by the houses flexible design, which he describes as radical.

I recall it as a place full of serenity and aesthetic harmony, he said, a place of sunlight and of views into landscape.

Fast-forward to 2015 and Gumuchdjian presides over a firm whose challenge was to restore the modernist icon to its original state while modifying it for its new role as a research home for Harvard. Replaced were the roof, the asbestos-filled external walls, and the servicing; removed were recently added buildings and internal partitions.

[Wimbledon] is not just an iconic, flexible machine for living nor simply a historic experimental building that foretold the architects future work, he said, it was also a home with a unique memory, patina, and aura.

The garden was completely re-created. Longstaffe-Gowan, a 1984 grad of GSD, strove to restore the original balance of the 1960s composition to better reflect the architects original intentions. Wimbledon is a total work of art, he said. The house, gardens, and interiors were conceived in concert to form a unified whole.

In addition to serving as the residence for the Richard Rogers Fellowship, the Wimbledon House will provide the GSD a new venue for lectures, symposia, and other events bringing together scholars and practitioners from London, Europe, and around the world.

One of the first events to be hosted at the house this fall explores the way food and cooking shape cities, which seems apt considering the central role of food and cooking in Rogers life his wife, Ruth, runs a Michelin-starred restaurant, and presented a lecture about food at Harvard last fall. One of the six inaugural fellows, GSD alum Jose Castillo, is studying cooking and eating through cultural, ecological, and political lenses, probing connections between urban food economies and forces like climate change and migration.

This application of design thinking to broad global questions exemplifies the work GSD hopes to stimulate, especially through the Richard Rogers Fellowship. Other projects by fellows this year will focus on public and affordable housing as well as citizen-driven revitalization efforts in cities.

The fellowship, launched in October, is inspired by Rogers commitment to cross-disciplinary investigation and social engagement as an architect, urbanist, author, and activist and is dedicated to advancing research on a range of issues key to shaping cities social, economic, technological, political, and environmental.

Each year, six fellows will be awarded a three-month residency, travel expenses to London, and a $10,000 cash prize.

To learn more, please visit the Richard Rogers Fellowship website.

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Restored modernist icon houses Harvard fellows - Harvard Gazette