Historic Home Renovation in New Orleans
Have you ever walked through the French Quarter or the Garden District and just stopped? You look at those old houses and think, “Wow, this building has a real story.”
If you own one of these homes, you own a piece of that story. You feel that history every day. That is a great thing. But I have to be honest: owning a historic home in New Orleans is not always easy.
The heat is high. The rain is heavy. The humidity tries to rot everything it touches.
Why Renovate A Historic Home in New Orleans
You want your home to stay beautiful. You want the old doors and the cypress wood. You love the tall windows. But you also need a strong roof, cool air conditioning, and lights that work safely. You need a home that is ready for life today—and ready for the next big storm.
This is where my team and I come in.
We are Franklin Construction and Design. We do historic home renovation in New Orleans. Our job is simple: We help you keep the old charm you love while making your house strong, safe, and ready for the future.
We do not just cover up old issues. We fix them the right way. We bring back the soul of your home.
Why Historic Homes in New Orleans Need Special Care
In Louisiana, we have a special kind of weather. It is not just the sun. It is the mix of heat, the strong humidity from the Gulf, and, yes, the hurricanes and tropical storms. This weather attacks old houses in ways a home up North never sees.
Historic Design for Water and Storm Protection
Old houses here were smart. People built them to live with the water.
-
Elevation and Foundations: Many historic homes sit high up off the ground. They have deep foundations or brick piers. This helped keep the living area dry when the street flooded. After Hurricane Katrina, people remembered this old wisdom. We see many homes raised even higher now.
-
Steep Roofs and Galleries: A steep roof sheds rain faster. Wide porches, called galleries, keep the sun and the rain off the walls and windows. This keeps the old wood dry.
-
Original Building Materials: Old builders used tough local woods, like cypress, that do not rot as fast as new lumber.
When we start a historic home renovation in New Orleans, we always look at the structure first. We check for wood rot caused by years of rain leaking behind old siding or window sills. We make sure the drainage works right. We replace damaged wood with salvaged wood when we can.
My opinion is that a good roof and weather-tight windows are the most important things for any old New Orleans home. They are the armor that protects everything else. If the roof leaks, the rest of the house will follow.
Restoring Natural Cooling and Ventilation
New Orleans is hot for many months of the year. Before air conditioning, homes used to cool down using smart design:
-
High Ceilings and Transoms: High ceilings let hot air rise up and away from the people living below. The small windows above doors, called transoms, let air move from one room to the next, even if the door was closed.
-
Cross-Ventilation Architecture: Shotgun houses are famous for having front and back doors that line up. When you open them, a breeze shoots right through the house.
When we modernize a home, we keep these passive cooling tricks. We can add better insulation in the attic without hurting the historic structure. This way, your modern air conditioner does not have to work so hard, and your energy bills go down. This is smart historic home renovation in New Orleans for our climate.
The Rules of Renovation: Working with New Orleans History
You can’t just change a historic home like a new house. The city has rules. These rules are there to protect the unique look and feel of our historic neighborhoods. It is not always fun to deal with city offices, but the rules keep New Orleans special.
Navigating Historic District Approval and Permits
If your home is in a place like the French Quarter (Vieux Carré Commission or VCC) or another historic district (Historic District Landmarks Commission or HDLC), you need permission for almost any work you do outside. This is a common part of doing a historic home renovation in New Orleans.
Here are some things you need to know about permits and approval:
-
You Need a Permit: You cannot change your windows, doors, or the outside color without talking to them first. They look at every small detail.
-
Repair First: The city wants you to repair the original parts of your home before you replace them. If you tear down something old without permission, you could get a very big fine. I saw a case recently where the HDLC issued a maximum fine for an illegal demolition in Uptown. They are serious about this.
-
New Must Look Old: If you must replace a damaged part, the new material should look just like the old one. For example, if we need to replace a rotten wooden column, we use the same style and profile.
I think working with the HDLC and VCC can feel like a headache for homeowners. Our job at Franklin Construction is to take that headache away. We know the rules well. We handle the paperwork, the meetings, and the process to make sure your project is legal and runs smoothly.
Preservation Standards: Repair vs. Replacement
For us, historic home renovation in New Orleans is about being smart. We work hard to preserve the structure of your home. This means we save the old cypress posts, the brick chimneys, and the original plaster walls because these materials tell the story of the house.
At the same time, we upgrade the systems. We hide new plumbing pipes and electrical wires inside walls or floors. We put in modern, safe systems that you never see. This gives you a safe, up-to-date house that looks like it is 150 years old. Plus, we often find the hidden gems. I love when we pull up an old floor covering and find beautiful, wide heart-pine planks underneath. We can sand these floors and bring them back to life. It’s like finding treasure in your own home.
Your Historic Neighborhood, Your Home’s Style
The type of historic home renovation we do depends a lot on where your house sits. New Orleans has many different kinds of architecture, even from block to block.
-
French Quarter (Vieux Carré): This is the oldest part. Homes here are Creole Cottages or Spanish-style townhouses. The rules are the strictest here. The focus is on ironwork, stucco, and balconies. We work very carefully here to honor the original 18th-century design.
-
Garden District & Uptown: These areas have large, grand Victorian and Greek Revival mansions. Renovation here often means restoring big front porches, fancy trim, and custom millwork inside. We focus on refinishing those high interior details and making them shine.
-
Bywater & Marigny: These areas are known for their colorful shotgun doubles and Creole cottages. Many projects here focus on restoring the beautiful siding, the bright paint colors, and the simple but important porch details.
-
Mid-City: Here, you find houses with big front yards and wide porches. Weather protection is key, given some lower-lying areas. We often work on raising houses or making sure the foundation is safe and dry.
No matter the neighborhood, the goal is the same: the house should look like it belongs there, but it should feel great to live in today. This is the promise of historic home renovation in New Orleans.
Real Historic Restoration (Down to the Wood)
When we do a historic restoration project, we bring things back to how they looked when they were new. This means using old techniques and materials.
-
Plaster Repair: Old houses have plaster, not drywall. Plaster helps regulate temperature and sound better. We repair plaster walls and ceilings instead of just ripping them out.
-
Window Repair: Windows in old homes are often made of cypress or heart pine. They are built to be fixed. We use new seals and proper glazing to stop drafts and protect the wood from the rain.
-
Foundation Work: When the soil shifts or the humidity gets high, foundations can sink. We work to fix the structure under the home so the house stands straight and strong for many more years.
Custom Millwork That Keeps the Character
The details are what make an old house special. That beautiful railing, the heavy doors, the crown molding around the ceiling—that is millwork.
Franklin Construction and Design has a special focus on this. We can create new pieces of wood trim that perfectly match the old trim in your house. If you need a new mantelpiece for your fireplace or custom cabinets that look like they belong in a 1920s kitchen, we make them. This attention to small details makes a huge difference in how the final renovation looks and feels.
What People Say about us
What's new in the industry
Popular Historic Window Styles in New Orleans Homes
In New Orleans, historic homes are celebrated for their character, charm, and cultural value. Among the most defining features of these homes are their windows. More than just functional openings for light and air, they reflect the craftsmanship, architecture, and traditions of the city’s past. At Franklin Construction & Design,
How to Protect Historic Windows During Hurricane Season
In New Orleans, the arrival of hurricane season is always a reminder of how vulnerable our homes can be to high winds, flying debris, and heavy rainfall. For owners of historic homes, this risk is even more significant. Original wooden windows not only hold architectural value but are also key
Preparing Your Historic Home for Fall with Window Upgrades
As summer fades and the cooler months approach, New Orleans homeowners begin preparing their houses for the seasonal shift. For those living in historic homes, fall is an ideal time to address window upgrades that balance preservation with performance. Old wooden windows often hold immense architectural and cultural value, but
Choosing the Right Windows for Historic Homes in New Orleans
When restoring a historic home in New Orleans—whether it’s a graceful Creole cottage, a classic shotgun double, or a stately Victorian—your windows do more than let in light and air. They define the character, authenticity, and architectural soul of the residence. At Franklin Construction & Design, we understand that selecting
Top Mistakes Homeowners Make When Renovating a Historic Property
Renovating a historic home can be one of the most rewarding projects for a homeowner. These properties hold unique charm, architectural details, and a story that modern builds often can’t match. However, restoring them requires a careful balance of preservation and modernization. Without the right approach, costly mistakes can damage
Historic vs. Just Old: How to Tell if Your Home Is Worth Restoring
When you live in a city as rich in history as New Orleans, it’s not uncommon to find yourself in a home that’s been standing for decades—or even centuries. But not every old home is historic, and understanding the difference can save you time, money, and heartache. Determining whether your