Last week, in our ongoing series about renovating and rehabilitating historic homes, we looked at managing the construction process -- and today, we’re looking at the closely related topics of managing the budget and keeping costs down. Of course, everyone wants the best work they can afford, and by following a few easy steps, you can make your dollars go farther.

1. Know your budget. How much you have (and want) to spend on a project is a personal decision that needs to take into account your finances, home value, local real estate values, availability of loans, etc. Having this number in mind at the start of the project is key because it can help you make decisions from what contractor to select to the kinds of materials and finishes you can afford.

2. Gather estimates. Creating an accurate estimate for a historic home can be difficult for even seasoned professionals, because of the unknowns that may surface in a project. (Hello, asbestos abatement!) Most estimates are based on the time required to complete a project, the number of workers needed to complete it, and the hard costs of materials. You should get several estimates and compare both the price and the experience level of the professionals you select.

Tip: Always be sure to check references before you hire any firm or individual.

Roof detail, Shelburne Farms, Vermont.

3. Set a payment schedule. Typically, you will pay for work as milestones are reached in the project plan you’ve agreed to with the contractor. Be sure the work is completed to your satisfaction before making payment. In the event your contractor wishes to be paid on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, assess the amount of work that remains and plan the payments accordingly.

4. Create -- and stick to -- a plan. Not sure how to get started with developing a construction plan? You’re in luck! We covered that in last week’s toolkit.

5. Follow a sequence. Completing like work together and in an order that doesn’t require backtracking cuts down on set-up and break-down time for craftspeople, keeping your costs down as well.

6. Be realistic. Make sure your plan and construction schedule have some flexibility built in to cover the inevitable delays without racking up additional costs.

7. Talk to the experts. In the event you’ve chosen a do-it-yourself route for your project, be sure to consult with knowledgeable researchers, architects, or landscape architects about your project.

Craftsman's hands

8. Do not “fake it ‘til you make it.” Your DIY home restoration or rehabilitation work is not the time for on-the-job training. Before you start, learn the skills you’ll need to succeed -- either in a classroom setting, from material suppliers, or with hands-on training from craftspeople. Making mistakes due to lack of knowledge will end up costing in the long run.

9. Look for assistance. Though most low-interest loans, tax abatements, easements, and assistance for restoration or rehabilitation projects are for income-generating properties, you may be able to find a state or local program for homeowners. Check with your statewide historic preservation office (SHPO) to learn more.

10. Keep quality high. All these money-saving ideas aside, don’t skimp where it matters. It’s better -- and in the long run, cheaper -- to do things right the first time. Shoddy craftsmanship and/or inappropriate materials generally increase future costs, due to the need for repair or additional maintenance.

Now it’s your turn: What’s the best way you’ve saved money while working on your historic home?

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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I still remember when I learned there was more to Frager’s Hardware than its three ground-level store fronts and garden center. I had arrived in search of adjustable window screens and after wandering aimlessly for less than a minute (it was impossible to go longer with a confused expression without being helped at Frager’s), a kind gentleman led me up the stairs to the left of the cash registers into a part of the store I hadn’t known existed, and quickly found me my screens. I can’t honestly say I know where he got them from, however, because I was too busy marveling at my surroundings.

Frager’s was like shopping in my grandmother’s attic.

In 14 years of living on Capitol Hill in D.C., I only once went to Frager’s and left empty-handed. Sometimes my object of desire was in the main store in the narrow, jam-packed aisles. Other times, I made my way back up the stairs, and still others, I was escorted into the basement. I wandered the garden center more times than I can count, and I visited in every season from spring planting to summer grilling to Christmas tree shopping. I hit the paint shop with chips peeled off my bathroom door and left with a perfect match. I haven’t had a key cut anywhere else in years.

To call it a hardware store sells it short. It was an everything store. And an everyone store.

When preservationists talk about sense of place, we all have somewhere in our mind's eye a specific spot that tells a story. For Capitol Hill -- the Capitol Hill where people plant flowers and walk their dogs and have cookouts with their neighbors, not the one that makes the evening news -- Frager’s was that place.

From newbies getting settled to folks established enough to have “house accounts,” every Hill resident wandered into the nearly 100-year-old storefront at some point. (And for most of us, at many, many points.) In a neighborhood full of historic homes, they would invariably have what big-box hardware stores did not: just the right semi-ancient doohickey necessary to start (or finish) a DIY project.

Yesterday, our place that had everything was reduced to nothing by a devastating fire.

And, because they are neighbors and community members first, everyone on the Hill is incredibly grateful that no one was killed in the fire, and that the only injuries were not serious. Restaurants from our nearby Main Street have already put out word that they’ll hire displaced staff, a fundraiser is already underway, and our local government has already gotten permission to host a “pop up” Frager’s in the very same location Eastern Market used to recover from its fire in 2007.

Nothing could say more to me about the value of our historic places such as Frager’s, both before and after the fire, than this tweet:

Not sure what @fragers will need yet, but I am sure the community will take care of them like they've taken care of us for the last 100 yrs

— Michael Lawyer (@mclawyer) June 5, 2013

I noticed this morning when I stopped by that, somehow, a large number of the flowers from the garden center seemed to have survived the fire unscathed. The bright blooms next to the devastated building gave me hope that, before long, Frager’s will thrive once again.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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It may not be the solstice yet, but with Memorial Day in the rear view mirror and the thermostat nearing 90 degrees (here in D.C., at least), summer is definitely here -- and with it, the urge to head off on a vacation. We've already shared not one, but two lists of ideas to whet your appetite for summer travel, and now we're taking on the topic for our June #builtheritage Twitter chat.

If you're interested in discussing your favorite historic travel destinations, your most serendipitous preservation finds, and the heritage festivals that have you hitting the road, this is the chat for you! We'll be chatting next Wednesday, June 5, from 4:00-5:00 EDT.

Here's how to get involved:

1. Sign in to Twitter, TweetDeck or TweetChat. We (the chat moderators) usually use TweetChat since it adds the hashtag automatically and allows for easy replies and re-tweets.

2. Follow and tweet with the hashtag #builtheritage.

3. Watch for the questions in the Q1 format. Provide answers using the A1 format, and interact with other participants using replies and retweets.

What we mean by the Q1/A1 format is this: Questions (we usually have four per chat) are posed by the moderators as Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 about every 15 minutes. We ask that chatters reply with A1, A2, etc. to help everyone stay clear on what they’re responding to. A lot of side conversations (often about food) still break out, but it helps keep things at least a little organized.

And in case you missed our chat last month -- on the always-popular topic of preservation-related jobs -- we have a handy transcript*, as well as this handy Storify, to capture the highlights.

* Note: due to the new service we're using for the transcripts, they're best read from starting from the last page and working forward. This will put the tweets in chronological order.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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For quite some time now, I've had a Sunday morning ritual. I get up about 8:45, make some coffee and peanut butter toast, grab my iPhone, and settle into my couch to watch -- and live-tweet -- CBS Sunday Morning with my friends Alison and Jenna. This past Sunday, however, was much more exciting than usual, because it quickly became clear that the episode's "design" theme was heavily laced with historic preservation.

How heavily? So much so that even Jenna, who unlike Alison and me, does not work here at the National Trust, noticed:

Oh goodness, "historic preservation" moment on @cbssunday. I bet @smheffern & @tikidaisy are nerding out.

— Jenna Sauber (@cajunjen) May 19, 2013

And indeed we were. from the opening segment -- featuring Trustee Paul Goldberger -- on:

All of Charles Osgood's segment introductions were just as full of preservation-friendly stories and images -- the Art Deco hotels in South Beach, Vizcaya (named to our 11 Most Endangered list in 2008), the gorgeous Midcentury Modern Fontainebleau Hotel, and even a quick glimpse of Philip Johnson's Glass House.

Even a segment on the design of Beijing's hutongs -- commercial alleyways, many of which date to the 14th century -- has a preservation message. In talking about bringing her business into a rehabbed hutong building, a young designer said, "For me, it's about finding that balance... taking what is the best from the past and at the same time, give it contemporary relevance."

Words for American preservationists to live by, even if few of the sites we work with have a history dating back 800 years.

Check out a full list of videos and links for the May 19 episode of CBS Sunday Morning.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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Last week, after completing our series on how to buy a historic house, we embarked on the next step in the process: deciding whether to restore or rehabilitate your home. Once that’s decided, the fun really begins, since it involves playing detective. There are clues all around to what your house may once have looked like; you just need to know where to look.

We covered the go-to-the-library angle before in our 10 Ways to Research Your Home’s History toolkit, so today we’ll look more closely at what your house and its immediate surroundings might be trying to tell you.

1. Inspect the exterior. Is the outside of the house all one architectural style, or are there a couple of different styles visible? More than one architectural style may signal a later addition to the original structure.

2. Match up the interior to the exterior. If the inside of the house has a section in a different architectural style and the outside does not, that suggests a major remodeling in one area, but perhaps not an addition.

Astilbe and old milled clapboard

3. Know your materials. Are the exterior walls all made of the same thing? Or are they different? Any differences -- even subtle ones like larger or smaller clapboards -- could indicate an addition to the house.

Tip: This might not apply if you bought a Queen Anne-style house, as they are known for incorporating many different materials.

4. Examine the floor plan. Is the layout of the house consistent with its style? For example, if your Georgian house -- which should have a symmetrical floor plan -- is asymmetrical, that would imply a significant alteration.

5. Check out the walls and flooring. Are the walls uniform, or are there thinner or thicker areas that could show a door or window has been filled in? What about the floors? Do the boards all run the same direction within a room? Are they the same size throughout? Inconsistent walls and/or floors can hint at an earlier design.

6. Look up. Are there changes in ceiling height? This could demonstrate several different things: that a wall has been removed, an addition built, or mechanical systems added.

7. Peek behind molding and switch plates. Clues about old paint colors and/or wallpaper are often lurking behind molding and switch plates, which can suggest both the earlier look of a room and what its original use was.

Crown molding at Riversdale Mansion in Maryland

8. Investigate interior trim. A change in baseboard trim, window/door frame styles, or other altered embellishments can lead you to either an addition or a thorough remodeling.

9. Spy on your neighbors. Or, more specifically, on their property. Are their walls and fences identical to yours? This could reveal that a larger property -- perhaps yours, if your house is the oldest -- was sub-divided for development.

10. Scour your yard for clues. Are there changes in grass color, depressions in the ground, or other markers indicating a lost wing of the house or an outbuilding? Is there any abandoned, overgrown, or clearly removed foliage? This could help you locate a garden or orchard.

Have you had the opportunity to play detective in your historic home? What clues did you find?

Adapted from The New Old House Starter Kit by Richard Wagner, AIA.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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After three weeks of online voting -- and massive numbers of tweets, Instagram photos, and Foursquare check-ins -- we, along with our partner, American Express, are happy to announce that the Washington National Cathedral received the most points in the 2013 Partners in Preservation competition. As the winner of the popular vote, the Cathedral will receive its full grant request of $100,000 towards restoring two bays of the vaulted ceiling inside the nave, which were damaged in 2011's earthquake.

In addition to the grand prize, three sites -- LAMB at Military Road School, Brightwood, D.C.; Arlington House, Arlington, Va.; and Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region, Anacostia, D.C. -- won $20,000 each for being top peformers on Twitter, Instagram, and Foursquare, respectively.

One of Living Classrooms' Chesapeake Bay working boats

The remainder of the $1 million in preservation grants was distributed to a dozen of the participants from the greater Washington, D.C. area:

• All Souls Church Unitarian, Adams Morgan, D.C.: $50,000 to repair the historic bell tower, including clock, stonework, and windows.
• Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site, Shaw, D.C.: $75,000 to rebuild front and rear facade in order to stabilize home for public access.
• Colvin Run Mill, Great Falls, Va.: $75,000 to bring the 18th-century grain elevator into working order.
• Congressional Cemetery, Barney Circle, D.C.: $50,000 to replace and reconstruct a row of 26 mausoleum vault roofs.
• Dumbarton Oaks Park, Georgetown, D.C.: $50,000 repair garden’s original built structures, including viewing platform, stone houses, and retaining wall.
• The GALA Hispanic Theatre at The Tivoli, Columbia Heights, D.C.: $35,000 to restore three ornate interior domes.
• Greenbelt Theatre, Greenbelt, Md.: $75,000 to renovate Art Deco lobby.
• LAMB at Military Road School, Brightwood, D.C.: $60,000 to repair exterior of school building, including columns and cupola.
• Meridian Hill Park, Columbia Heights, D.C.: $50,000 to stabilize and repair exposed aggregate concrete grotto.
• Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, Scott Circle, D.C.: $90,000 to restore stained glass windows on church’s primary facade.
• Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, Va.: $100,000 to paint, plaster, and restore Washington’s Large Dining Room.
• Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Mount Vernon Square, D.C.: $75,000 to repair and preserve a dozen of the Synagogue’s stained glass windows.

In addition, the remaining historic places that participated in Partners in Preservation also each received $5,000.

Congratulations to all the participating historic sites!

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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The DC metro area served up what could only be described as perfect spring weather -- sunny, warm, and dry -- for the Partners in Preservation Open House Weekend on May 4-5. And with activities ranging from viewing Saturn's rings to meeting adoptable dogs, participating sites pulled out all the stops to impress visitors -- and garner votes!

Excited that, after years of being in other cities, Partners in Preservation was in our own back yard, I was among several National Trust staff who jumped at the chance to see Open House Weekend first-hand. And I think I speak for all of us when I say that we were impressed with not only the events and sites, but also the enthusiasm of local community members who turned out.

Before you dive into the slideshow and recaps, one reminder: Voting ends tomorrow, so there are but two chances left to support your favorite sites. Vote now!

All Souls Church Unitarian:
I joined friends and congregants at All Souls after services for bell-shaped cookies and punch on the terrace, followed by a rare tour of the bell tower, which houses the Revere bell and which would benefit from Partners in Preservation funding. We received a lesson in bell ringing, observed the workings of the clock, and took in a spectacular view of the city. -- Erica Stewart

Clara Barton's Missing Soldiers Office:
I attended the 2nd annual Whiskey and Cigar event. There were approximately 80 people in attendance, which is 50 more than the site reported the previous year! -- Monica Rhodes

Colvin Run Mill:
Colvin Run Mill had kid-friendly activities like old-timey laundry and corn meal grinding as well as demonstrations of the mill at work. They also had a voting booth station set up on the way out, so visitors could not leave without casting a vote. -- Sarah Heffern

Congressional Cemetery:
I got to Congressional on the early side on Saturday, so I missed the spaghetti sauce tasting scheduled for the afternoon. I asked the origins of the tasting, which seemed odd for a cemetery, and was told that it’s because John Philp Sousa’s family was apparently famed for their tomato sauce. (Sousa is one of their famous “residents.”) I did get to hear the sousaphone played, saw families heading out on a scavenger hunt, and visited the mausoleums that would benefit from the grant. -- Sarah

Dumbarton Oaks Park:
I took a walking tour of the site and listened to a poetry reading there. Site supporters staffed half a dozen informational tents related to education and preservation of the site, and lots of families and local preservationists attended the event. -- Andy Grabel

Heyden Observatory:
I viewed a magnified Georgetown clocktower and saw Saturn and its rings from a telescope inside the observatory. -- Andy

Volunteers -- and adoptable dogs! -- at the Aspin Hill Kennel

The Kennel at Aspin Hill:
Visitors were invited to walk in and take a look around the kennel while discussing its future use with a member of the Montgomery Humane Society. The MHS also brought two very adorable dogs and three guinea pigs ready for adoption. -- Monica

LAMB @Military Road School:
LAMB’s open house festivities included a meet and greet with former students of the Military Road School, a peek at the school’s green roof, and a look at plans to restore the historic school building, now 101 years old. Attendees of all ages enjoyed lawn games, a barbeque, and a riotous circus act by a very agile LAMB parent. -- Erica

Sixth and I Historic Synagogue:
I toured the sanctuary and balcony, walked on the stage, and visited the reception hall where site volunteers and staff served refreshments. -- Andy

US Marine Corps Memorial:
Friendly and well-informed Park Service employees staffed a tent that was chock-full of information both about the monument and the Partners in Preservation program. -- Sarah

Washington National Cathedral:
I listened to a soul/gospel band performing on the Cathedral steps, walked around the inside of the sanctuary, and walked on the grounds and through the collection of vendor tents. -- Andy

Voting begins on April 24, 2013 at 12:01am Eastern Time and ends on May 10 at 11:59pm ET. Must be at least 13 to vote. Limit one (1) vote per person/email address per calendar day. See terms of participation for complete details.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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In our ongoing series about buying a historic home, we've covered how to find a historic house, determine its architectural style (parts One and Two), and finance the cost. Today we're on to the next step in the process -- how to inspect the house to make sure it is in good condition.

Of course, a professional inspection -- which will cover many of these same areas, but with greater depth and accuracy -- is necessary once you move from looking to buying, but knowing what to look for while you're shopping around can help you make your decision!

1. Make a list. Before you get started, make a list of all the areas you want to look at, including the roof, chimney, interior and exterior walls, porches, windows and doors, foundation, fireplaces, attics and basements, bathrooms, etc. This will help ensure that you don't miss any critical elements, and can also help you prioritize the work that needs to be done once you become the owner.

2. Take pictures. Having photos to refer back to will help you remember what you've seen. (Be sure to ask the owner or their representative for permission first!)

3. Start at the top. From a distance, examine the roof and chimney. Look for a sagging roofline, leaning chimney, and any sort of obstructions. Closer in, examine the roof shingles or tiles for signs of rotting, cracking, or other damage. Check the chimney for loose or missing mortar, and verify that the flue liner is intact.

4. Examine the walls. Like the roof and chimney, a house's walls need to be looked at both from near and far. Different kinds of exteriors (wood, masonry, stucco, etc.) will show different kinds of wear, but signs of water damage and cracking are rarely good signs. And don't neglect the interior -- while paint color and wallpaper are easily changed, make sure those aesthetic choices aren't covering up signs of leaks, loose plaster, or other damage.

5. Spend some time on the porch. And not, alas, just drinking iced tea and reading a book. Look for weak floor boards and peeling paint, which are signs of rot, and take a moment to look underneath to make sure the piers holding up the porch are stable and not pulling away from the house. Also, make sure the stairs are in good condition; be on the lookout for missing or damaged railings.

 6. Look out the windows. Are they original? Moreover, are they in good shape -- no cracked or broken glass, or damaged sills or rails? If the windows are not original, are they compatible with the house?

Tip: If you're not sure about how to handle a home with historic windows, check out our toolkit from last fall, 10 Things You Should Know About Retrofitting Historic Windows.

7. Walk around -- and up and down. In other words, pay attention to the floors and the stairs. Listen for squeaks and feel for springiness, sags, and tilts. Pay particularly close attention to the floors near sinks and tubs -- is there water damage? Peek under the carpet when possible to assess the state of the flooring below, and look along the baseboard for ridges that indicate a floor has already been sanded down. (Most can only be sanded one or two times.)

8. Go underground. How is the basement? Keep your eyes peeled for signs of water damage -- both obvious and hidden. Puddles, clogged drains, or a sump pump make it clear that water has been an issue, but stealthier signs often include furniture and books up on risers rather than on the floor.

9. Are all systems go? Don't forget to look at the basics that we all take for granted: heating, hot water, and electricity. Many houses that have been renovated have newer systems, but not all will. You'll want to be sure that everything is functional and safe before buying the house.

10. Don't forget the attic. There are several key things to pay attention to in the upper reaches of a historic home: making sure there's no wildlife (look for signs of animal damage, nests, or hives), holes in the roof not visible from outside, or water damage -- and that there is climate-appropriate insulation.

There are just some of the many things to keep in mind when inspecting a historic home. What else do you look for?

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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Though it seems we just wrapped up that chat, our next one is already around the corner. We've made the May chat something of a tradition, discussing preservation jobs (and job-hunting techniques) every year as a new crop of preservationists graduate. Whether you're established in the field and have advice to offer, or the ink's not yet dry on your diploma, please join us on Wednesday, May 1 at 4:00 EDT to talk about this field we all love.

Here's how to get involved:

1. Sign in to Twitter, TweetDeck or TweetChat. We (the chat moderators) usually use TweetChat since it adds the hashtag automatically and allows for easy replies and re-tweets.

2. Follow and tweet with the hashtag #builtheritage.

3. Watch for the questions in the Q1 format. Provide answers using the A1 format, and interact with other participants using replies and retweets.

What we mean by the Q1/A1 format is this: Questions (we usually have four per chat) are posed by the moderators as Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 about every 15 minutes. We ask that chatters reply with A1, A2, etc. to help everyone stay clear on what they’re responding to. A lot of side conversations (often about food) still break out, but it helps keep things at least a little organized.

Hope to chat with you next week!

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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Today through May 10, two dozen historic places in the DMV -- as the District, Maryland, and Virginia are known in Twitter-speak -- will be competing for $1 million in grants through a popular vote campaign. How does it work? This short video explains the process:

You can vote for one site per day, every day through May 10 and earn additional points through social sharing, so visit www.partnersinpreservation.com to see the participating sites and get voting!

And if you're local to the DMV, save the date now for Open House Weekend, May 4-5, when the sites will be hosting special events and programs to share the stories of these terrific places.

To keep up with the latest news, like Partners in Preservation on Facebook or follow @PartnersinPres on Twitter.

Voting begins on April 24, 2013 at 12:01am Eastern Time and ends on May 10 at 11:59pm ET. Must be at least 13 to vote. Limit one (1) vote per person/email address per calendar day. See terms of participation for complete details.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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