Preserving Your Home
Maintenance is key to preserving the value of your historic property. Explore these resources to make the process less intimidating and improve your home.
Do
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Know your property's approximate construction date.
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Find out if your house is in a historic district subject to historic district review.
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Learn if and when additions were made to your property.
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Research period accurate materials and styles.
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Match period accurate materials with historic building techniques.
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Budget your project before beginning, the costs on preservation work can vary depend on the project.
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​Understand the zoning laws in your area.
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Explore funding options, including easements, grants, and tax credits.
Do Not
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Use historically inaccurate materials, such as vinyl siding or sliding doors.
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Demolish anything without understanding what you plan to build in its place.
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Value personal taste over historic accuracy.
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Damage the building with improper techniques.
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Bypass historic preservation laws and regulations.
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Ignore the need for continued maintenance. ​​
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Excessively add or modify your property.
​Further Reading:​
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National Park Service Preservation Briefs
National Trust for Historic Preservation Wooden Window Guide
Historic New England Homeowners Guide
Preservation Connecticut Help for Homeowners
Preservation Connecticut Funding Opportunities
Connecticut Historic Preservation Funding Opportunities
New London Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings
New London Design Review Guidelines
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