TAKING
CARE OF YOUR OLD BARN
Tip #2 - Make a Plan.
Once
you understand the condition of your building, you can develop a plan for
fixing the problems and maintaining it. A good plan may extend over several
years (seasons and budget allowing) and will address the most serious problems
(such as roofs, foundations, and structural failure) first.
Set priorities as you develop your repair and maintenance plan. You may need to correct some problems before others. For example, you should repair a leaky roof before you tackle interior features damaged by the leaks. However, if major parts of the roof structure need replacement, you will have to remove the roofing, so it will make more sense to fix the structure and then fix the roof. Ask yourself which work needs to be done first, and when can it be done? If funds are limited, can a small investment in time and materials now stop further deterioration or temporarily support a weak part of the structure? Even if your building demands immediate attention in one area, don't forget to include in your plans regular maintenance on other parts of the building.
Specify in detail any work
you intend to have done so that contractors can bid on exactly the same
specifications and you can compare estimates. One option is to hire
an architectural conservationist or historic preservation architect to
prepare a condition assessment and plan for you that will address what
is wrong, what needs to be done, and what approximate costs will be. Professionals
can save you time and money by identifying the least expensive but most
effective way to solve a problem.
Deciding who should do the work will require some thought and
research. What work can you reasonably
expect to do yourself and for what will you need a contractor? If you are
going to hire contractors, you may want to talk with other barn owners
to learn from their mistakes and successes. Who did the work? How much
did it cost? Did it solve the problem? (See organizations listed in this
pamphlet under "For More Information"
for contractors interested in work on historic barns.)
When asking for estimates from contractors, request a fixed price for
work that can be easily measured, but discuss time-and-materials contracts
for projects that may be very difficult to estimate. It is easy to
estimate roofing and painting, for example, but the full cost of jacking
up a building and making structural repairs may not become apparent until
work is underway. For time-and-materials contracts, break down the work
into phases with a list of tasks to be completed and a maximum cost for
each phase; that way you can ensure that work is completed to your satisfaction
before committing to the next phase.
Valuable archeological remains may be in the ground around your building.
There may be artifacts that date your building, or evidence of an earlier
building, or even a prehistoric site. Plan as little ground disturbance
as possible and discuss your concerns with contractors before and during
any work you undertake.
© 1995 Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. All rights reserved.