Replies

1. 
   ellen | Oct 29, 2003 12:50am | #1

   I haven't had much personal experience. We are the first house outside of the historic district, in our town. We often joke that we'd better hurry up and paint our house purple, or shocking pink, before they extend the district. Seriously, though, we talked to someone on the HC when we first bought our house. We had 2 reasons for this - 1) we didn't want to get our heart set on plans for our house only to find out we couldn't implement them, and 2) we really want to be sensitive to historic issues in restoring our house. We bought it, and love it, because it's unspoiled - we don't want to be the ones to spoil it.

    

   But, from what I've seen, a lot of this depends on the town you're in. I had friends in Lincoln, Ma who got a lot of grief about the shingle color they used when they built a garage.  On the other hand, our neighbors in our new town complain about the "hysterical commission" when they are stopped from doing some pretty extreme things. I've spoken to other people in this town who say the commission in this town is very reasonable about what they'll allow.

   Ellen
2. 
   andybuildz | Oct 29, 2003 11:45pm | #2

   I'm a builder/renovator of over 27 years.

   Just bought me a pink elephant (circa:1680) for almost seven hundred thou.......on two acres here on Long Island.

   Point being......I'm serious!

   House was on the market for almost a year and a half with one fall through after the other after the home inspectors laid details on the line for the potential buyer.

   Me? I needed no stinkin' inspectors......lol.......I knew the house was as bad as you could get!

   I even had to go before the historic society at town hall a whole buncha times with my plans...

   Most peeps stood up before I got my turn to plead their case in their three piece suits and even with lawyers.....

   My turn.......lol.....dirty builder here......I actually sat down at the tabel with the historic society....lol....too funny....Turned out that they loved me.....loved what I wanted to do with this crib...they actually made an appointment to tour my house and give their opinions....I loved it!

   HAd the president of the society here last week taking pictures for the archieves as I work on this project.

   Point is........if you love the house and want to do the right thing then ask and ye shall recieve.

   Forget the horror stories.......

   Be old

             andy

   My life is my practice!

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   bobl | Oct 30, 2003 12:53am | #3

   andy,

   is that a big drainage ditch?

   youse was the quy i refered to about the good experience, just didn't want to name u

   I know about your place, been follwing u for a yearbobl          Volo, non valeo

1. 
   andybuildz | Oct 30, 2003 02:44pm | #4

   drainage ditch?????My life is my practice!

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   bobl | Oct 30, 2003 03:47pm | #5

   the pool!

   gee, did u get serious when u leave bt?bobl          Volo, non valeo

1. 
   andybuildz | Oct 31, 2003 01:52am | #6

   I never get serious till I can't figure something out......then I freak and get overly serious.......

   Be chilled

              andyMy life is my practice!

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

2. 
   Wolvie | Oct 31, 2003 01:26pm | #7

   you're doing Mikeys routine now, eh?? ;-)Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time - Abe Lincoln.

2. 
   timberin | Mar 26, 2004 07:10am | #8

   Cool pic...I didn't know what it looked like before we came.

   Big chief and the ten little indians...Ha Ha

   AKA-------L.I.Timber

1. 
   ANDYBUILD | Mar 26, 2004 02:33pm | #9

   Mike aka LI timber

                                Wait'll ya hear what the Historic society told me........ugh

   I think we're gonna have to change where the garage doors are to the side @!#%#$^@%$^$%&%^ grrrrrrrrrrrrr and no dormer#$!%#$^%$@^$%grrr.

   Manny said he can cut the foundation wall if necessary to accomidate the three doors.   Did I say @#$^$%&#%^*&%$grrrrrrrrrrr?

   Give me a call

   Be pizzed big time

                    andy

   "My life is my practice"

   Edited 3/26/2004 7:34 am ET by ANDY CLIFFORD(andybuildz)

3. 
   RenaissanceRestorations | Apr 21, 2004 11:15pm | #10

   I submitted a property I restored to the MA Historical Commission for inclusion on the National Historic Register last year. Just found out the "approval process" will take up to 2 years just to review the application, due to 'staffing and budget cutbacks'.

   JoeF
   Renaissance Restorations
   Victorian Home Restoration Services
   
   http://www.renaissancerestorations.com