Renovating an old house is a fascinating privilege. You get to give someone’s home a whole new lease of life. This is particularly true if it hasn’t seen an upgrade or fix in decades. It’s a critical requirement if the building was left abandoned before you purchased it.

Restoring an old home to its former glory is a passion project and a great way to win when it comes to the property ladder. Old homes are hot ticket items when they’re properly restored to include modern comforts. Modernizing an old home, especially if that home was abandoned, is not easy or cheap. It will either take a lot of money or time to do it properly.

Although you can do design and decorating upgrades at your pace, there are a few key repairs you’ll need to make before you move in. These top upgrades should be budgeted in advance so that you can get them done properly as soon as possible. Once they’re fixed, you can then get started on restoring the property as you see fit.

Signs the Roof Needs Repair or Replacement

The roof of an old home will likely need to be repaired if not outright replaced. If the property is in such a dire condition that you need to restore it in the first place, then chances are it’s been a few decades since the roof was replaced. Regardless of what it needs, always bring in experts like protech roofing & exterior who can handle it all, from repair to replacement. This way, you can get one quote for the damages and get started on the repairs ASAP. The last thing you want when restoring a property is for water damage or rot to lead to the roof collapsing on all of your hard work.

Lead or Leaking Pipes

Lead wasn’t outright banned from properties until the 1980s. Even then, the ban didn’t include existing homes. What this means is that homes built before the 1980s could very well still have lead pipes in them, especially if the property hasn’t been upgraded in decades. Old pipes are also prone to cracking and leaking. If the house sat abandoned for any period of time over winter, for example, there’s a very good chance the water froze in the pipes and cracked, if not burst them. That’s why you’ll want to check for lead and the state of your pipes and get issues fixed or replaced.

Asbestos and the Walls

Asbestos was also only outlawed in the 1980s, which means there’s a chance your old home also has it in its walls. Asbestos, of course, is just one of the issues that can affect your walls. If your property is particularly old, for example, then the paint may also contain lead. There may be cracks in the walls or even foundations.

In short, you need to have your walls fully inspected from top to bottom and have any issues fixed safely so you can move in without a health hazard looming over your head.

Fix these key issues, and you can safely work further on your project without the threat of chemical danger or a full-on collapse. You may not be ready to move in until you’ve handled the electricity, floors, and other big upgrades like your kitchen or bathrooms, but you can work around those projects. Structural and plumbing issues cannot wait since they only pose a greater risk once you start renovating.