How to Upgrade Your Period Property
We all dream of a period property. Living somewhere with a sense of history, gorgeous original features, and high, airy ceilings is many people’s ideal home situation. But period properties can be difficult to upgrade. You want to make the most out of your home – as with any other big investment – while at the same time ensuring that you maintain and look after the features that made you fall in love with it in the first place. If you’re looking for some ways to make your period property more efficient and practical for you and your family’s lifestyle then read on.
1. Windows
You lose 20% of your home’s heating through poor-quality glass which is badly insulated. But the windows of a period property are one of its most enticing features, so how do you keep the glorious aesthetic of your home and at the same time improve your energy efficiency? Try looking for Replacement Windows that are in keeping with the look of your home and, at the same time, can provide you with eco-friendly and durable windows that are exactly designed to meet your specifications. Work with experts in window-fitting and you won’t regret upgrading your windows for both the look and feel of your home.
2. Electricity
There are some clear signs that it might be time to replace your home’s electrical wiring. In all likelihood, it was built in a time before electricity was commonplace, which means that the wiring will have been installed over time and so might not be of the best quality. Not only is bad or faulty wiring frustrating, but it can also be dangerous and cause fires or shocks. Contact an electrician is you think you have an old-fashioned fuse box – you can tell if it has a wooden back. Cast iron switches are also a clear indicator that it’s time for an upgrade. Not only will this enhance the safety of your electrics, but a modern fuse box will also up the value of your home.
3. Decide on your aesthetic
There are lots of options when adding on to a period home. You might find that there just isn’t as much space as you’d like, or the shape of the rooms doesn’t quite fit with your lifestyle. If that’s the case, then it’s worth considering an extension. But how? An obvious option is to go up, take advantage of high roofing and expand into the loft. You can gain two or three additional rooms by simply building upwards, and you’re less likely to run into planning regulation difficulties.
Another possibility is to extend onto the back of the property. When you’re buying, find out how much surrounding land you own and so you’re aware of how far you can build out, adding onto the back or side of your property. If you’re meeting with an architect, decide how you want your property to look. Although it can be tempting to try and make extensions fit in with the property, remember they’ll never look exactly the same so you might decide instead to make a feature of the new.
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