I am a house flipper. My main goal is to remove everything that is bad in a ruined house, make everything new and fresh, and put the house back on the market. Fresh and new everything usually sells the house. Everyone wants a nice, new, never-been-cooked-in kitchen in their new home and a beautifully styled new bathroom that no one has used yet. And in reality, most of the houses we renovate are not in good enough condition to keep the kitchens and bathrooms. Usually everything has to go. Out with the old when we are making the house new.
But, every once in a while, there is something special in a house that screams “save me!”. A banister, a door knob, a built-in cabinet. And every so often, the house is in good enough condition that we can make the effort to save it. If the house is not moldy, not damaged by fire, not eaten away by termites, we sometimes make the effort to save that one special piece. It often is not possible, but on a rare occasion it works. And it adds something unique and special to the home once the renovation is complete. A reminder of the home it used to be and a promise of the home it will be again.
So how do I know what to try to save? Some houses have nothing that interests me. Nothing that stands out or makes them interesting or special. But when I walk into a house and see a remnant of the past that might still be useful or fun, but would never normally be in a flipped house, I try to keep it. Obviously, we try to keep original hardwood flooring and fireplaces, not just for the aesthetics, but also for the financial benefit of keeping them. People like those features and will pay more when the house has them. And if I can save them, I can save on the cost of installing new floors and fireplaces. Double benefit. But sometimes there is a little detail that we find that really has no specific benefit in saving, other than adding a little unexpected flavor to the house. And those are the ones I like the best. A fancy door knob with skeleton keys that we can use in a fun spot. A built-in curio cabinet from decades past. Wall trim or baseboards that are old and decorative. Stepping stones in the back yard. Maybe even some undamaged wallpaper. These are my favorite things to try to save. These are the little bits of spice that make the house more interesting and unique.
If you are getting ready to do a renovation in your own home, look around. Do you have any neat features that might be worth keeping? Anything that might just need a fresh coat of paint or some adjusting? Something that will remind you of the house you started with when you set out to remodel your home? Everything brand new isn’t always the way to go. It can be boring and cookie cutter. Sometimes all you really need to make your renovation perfect is finding a way to keep part of the old when you make the house new again.
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