Before
After
Project Overview
Sympathetic whole-home renovation of a 1,650 sq ft 1940s North Main cottage in Greenville — preserved the period millwork, plaster walls, and original hardwoods while modernizing the kitchen, two baths, all mechanical systems, and adding code-compliant insulation. Worked alongside the homeowners' architect.
The Challenge
The homeowners had bought a much-loved cottage in a historic Greenville neighborhood with strict character guidelines — original windows, plaster walls, oak floors, and millwork they wanted to preserve, alongside a 1940s electrical system, no central HVAC, a single original bathroom that had been roughly converted into 'two' baths in the 1970s, and zero wall insulation. They wanted modern comfort and safety without losing the home's soul.
Our Solution
We worked from the architect's plans to renovate the kitchen and two bathrooms with period-appropriate materials (subway tile, hex-tile floors, shaker cabinets, brass fixtures), added a fully ducted high-velocity HVAC system that fit inside the existing wall cavities, blew dense-pack cellulose insulation into every wall and the attic, replaced the electrical panel and re-wired non-period circuits while preserving original plate covers, and brought the plumbing supply up to PEX. Original windows were restored (rebuilt sashes, new weatherstripping, storm windows added) rather than replaced — preserving the historic character while improving performance. Plaster walls were skim-coated and original millwork was salvaged and reinstalled where layout changes required.
Scope of Work
- Coordinated with homeowners' architect and historic district review
- Electrical panel replacement and selective re-wire, preserving original plate covers
- Full plumbing replumb in PEX, new shut-offs, water heater replacement
- High-velocity HVAC system fitted inside existing wall cavities
- Dense-pack cellulose insulation in all walls and attic
- Original window restoration (sashes, weatherstripping, exterior storm windows)
- Plaster wall repair and skim-coat throughout
- Period-appropriate kitchen with shaker cabinets, soapstone counters, subway tile
- Two bathroom renovations with hex-tile floors, subway tile walls, restored claw-foot tub
- Original millwork salvage and reinstallation where walls were moved
- Refinished original quartersawn oak floors throughout
- Exterior repaint in historically appropriate color palette
Materials & Products
- •High-velocity small-duct HVAC (Unico or equivalent)
- •Dense-pack cellulose wall and attic insulation
- •Restored original wood windows + exterior storm windows
- •Period-appropriate subway and hex tile
- •Soapstone kitchen counters with farmhouse sink
- •Restored original claw-foot tub with new fittings
- •Salvaged and reinstalled original picture rail and baseboard
Frequently Asked Questions
Why restore the original windows instead of replacing them?
Historic-district guidelines required preserving the original window character, but the math also favored restoration: properly rebuilt double-hung wood sashes with new weatherstripping and exterior storm windows deliver U-values within 10–15% of new double-pane vinyl, last another 50+ years, and preserve the home's character and value. Replacement would have stripped what made the home worth buying in the first place.
How does high-velocity HVAC fit in plaster walls?
The system uses 2-inch flexible ducts that snake through existing wall cavities, ceiling chases, and closets — no big chases or soffits required. Small round vents (about 5 inches) in each room replace standard rectangular registers. It costs more than conventional ducted HVAC but is purpose-built for retrofits in older homes where ceiling height and wall thickness rule out standard ductwork.
How long did the historic renovation take?
About 7 months on-site, longer than a comparable-size modern renovation because of the sensitivity required around plaster walls, original millwork, and the historic-district review on exterior changes. The homeowners moved out for the duration and considered it well worth it.