What Your Home’s Era Means for Your Budget
Older homes across Durham and Chapel Hill have distinct charm, but their building eras bring hidden maintenance needs that can quickly impact a scope of work.
- Pre-1960s Charm: Often features ungrounded knob-and-tube or two-prong wiring, galvanized supply lines, settling foundations, and plaster that requires thoughtful handling.
- 1970s–1980s Builds: Frequently reveal polybutylene plumbing, aging HVAC ducting, or early aluminum branch wiring.
- 1990s & Beyond: While modern in framing, these homes often need structural layout alterations to open compartmentalized rooms and upgrade original builder-grade mechanicals.
A good rule of thumb is to carry a dedicated 10–15% contingency fund. This ensures that discovering unexpected infrastructure needs doesn’t derail your design vision.
