Livin’ in Balmer’ Hon!
by Jon Klapper
If you live in Baltimore like I do, you most likely live in a brick and wood rowhouse—a unique structure with lots of character and lots of challenges.
I’ve lived in Federal Hill for 25 years and worked in the construction industry for more than 30. I know what it's like to care for a historical home. And I know how important it is to do it right.
Your home is probably a hundred or more years old. It was likely built when there was no electricity. Many homes had no indoor plumbing. Most residents owned but a few changes of clothes. Kitchens consisted of a stove, a single sink, a small icebox, and a storage pantry.
Times have changed and so has the use of your home. We’ve greatly expanded our kitchens, baths, and closets. We’ve wired every square foot and loaded our homes with electronics. We’ve heated and cooled and insulated for the sake of comfort. We’re trying to adapt 19th century homes to the 21st century world.
Our homes are undergoing their 3rd or even 4th upgrade. Prior upgrading reflected then-current needs of occupants and employed the materials available. More important, because many homes were worth far less compared to their value today, remodeling often involved the use of inferior materials and shoddy workmanship.
All these factors have combined to create the problems we have today: drafty windows and doors, creaking and sagging floors, substandard electric and plumbing, poorly constructed cabinets, and failing walls and roofs.
For more than 30 years I’ve seen and lived the good, bad, and ugly sides of city living in historical homes. If you have a problem with your home or need advice about home repair, give me a call or send me an email. I’ll be glad to help.
Jon Klapper
Federal Hill Improvements
jon@federalhill.com
443-271-3217
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