ARTICLE 06

Thinking About Buying a House to Renovate? Look Beyond the Finishes  
It is easy to walk into an older house and start imagining what it could become.

The kitchen could be opened up.

The windows could be larger.

Maybe the attic becomes a primary suite, the basement becomes usable living space, or an addition finally gives the house the room it needs.

Sometimes that vision is exactly what makes a property worth buying.

But before falling in love with the possibilities, it helps to understand what you are actually buying.

Because outdated cabinets and ugly flooring are easy to see.

The expensive problems are often the ones you cannot.

Start With the Structure, Not the Style

Cosmetic work is usually the easiest part of a renovation to understand.

Paint, flooring, fixtures, cabinetry, and finishes can all be changed.

The bigger questions are often underneath them.

Is the foundation in good condition?

Are floors noticeably out of level?

Are there signs of water intrusion?

Has the roof been leaking?

Are there cracks or movement that deserve a closer look?

Has part of the house been altered previously, and was it done correctly?

An older home does not need to be perfect to be a good renovation candidate.

But there is a big difference between a house that needs updating and a house that needs major repair before the design work even begins.

Understand What You Can Actually Change

A wall may look easy to remove until you discover it is carrying the floor or roof above.

An attic may look large enough for another bedroom until ceiling height, structure, stairs, or code requirements are considered.

A basement might appear perfect for living space but have moisture issues, limited ceiling height, or no practical way to provide the required light and emergency egress.

Even changing the location of a kitchen or bathroom can affect plumbing, structure, ventilation, and the floor below.

The point is not that these things cannot be done.

It is that seemingly simple ideas can have consequences elsewhere in the building.

Look at the Property Too

The house is only part of what you are buying.

If you are hoping to add on someday, can the property actually accommodate an addition?

Setbacks, lot coverage, height restrictions, easements, septic systems, utilities, flood requirements, wetlands, and other site conditions can limit what is possible.

This can be especially important on tighter New York properties, where an existing home may already occupy a large portion of the buildable area.

In Montana, additional questions may include steep slopes, access, wildfire exposure, wells, septic systems, snow, drainage, and how easily construction equipment can reach the property.

A house may have renovation potential while the site creates very different limitations.

Older Homes Come With Older Systems

A beautiful older home may still have electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, insulation, or ventilation systems that are reaching the end of their useful life.

If a major renovation is planned, some of those systems may need to be upgraded anyway.

That can be a good opportunity to improve the home.

But those costs should be understood as part of the project rather than discovered after the renovation budget has already been committed elsewhere.

The same goes for things like older windows, roofing, drainage, or exterior materials.

Sometimes the renovation you see is only one part of what the building actually needs.

Previous Renovations Deserve Attention

One of the biggest unknowns in an existing house can be the work someone else already did.

Walls may have been removed.

Garages converted.

Decks enclosed.

Bathrooms added.

Basements finished.

Sometimes that work was thoughtfully designed and properly permitted.

Sometimes it was not.

Before assuming an existing condition can remain, it may be worth understanding what approvals exist and whether the work appears to have been constructed correctly.

Buying a renovated house does not necessarily mean you are buying a house with fewer problems.

Do Not Forget About Hazardous Materials

Depending on the age of the building, renovation may also involve materials such as asbestos-containing products, lead-based paint, or other conditions that require proper testing and handling.

These are not reasons to automatically avoid an older home.

They are simply another example of why renovation planning should look beyond the visible finishes.

A Small Amount of Investigation Can Change a Big Decision

You do not need a complete architectural design before buying a property.

But if you are considering a house specifically because of its renovation or addition potential, an early feasibility review can be valuable.

What could realistically be changed?

Where could an addition go?

Are there obvious zoning or site limitations?

Does the existing layout have potential?

Are there conditions that should be evaluated by a structural engineer, contractor, inspector, or another specialist before you move forward?

Those questions can help distinguish between a property with real potential and one that only looks promising at first glance.

Buy the Possibility With Your Eyes Open

Older homes can be incredible opportunities.

They can have established neighborhoods, mature landscaping, character, proportions, and locations that would be difficult to recreate with new construction.

A thoughtful renovation can preserve those qualities while creating a home that works for the way you live today.

The goal is not to find a house with nothing wrong with it.

It is to understand which problems you are willing to solve before you buy them.


Michael Demetrios Frudakis, AIA, NCARB
Principal Architect