Whether repairing storm damage or restoring an old home to its original condition, finding the right materials and skilled contractors can be a challenge.
Mike Fowell, managing member of Macco Restoration and Remodeling, said he frequents places like Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, a thrift store-style home improvement business in Chantilly that sells new and used building materials.
“Sometimes you just need to replace a couple of tiles and not the whole wall,” Fowell said. “I spend a lot of time digging through boxes looking for matches.”
| Resources: |
| »The Brass Knob: thebrassknob.com |
| » This Old Tile: thisoldtile.com |
| » Restore: restorenova.org |
| » Renew Restoration: Renewrestoration.com |
| » Rose Restoration: roserestoration.com |
| » Hadeed Carpet: hadeedcarpet.com |
| » The Restoration Industry Association: www.restorationindustry.org |
Old tiles can be especially difficult to find. In this case try This Old Tile, an online source for hard-to-find or discontinued tile. If there is no record about where the tile came from, for a nonrefundable $29.95 staff will research and try to identify it. When the manufacturer is known, the charge is $14.95 to process a request and offer a quote.
The Brass Knob, in Adams Morgan, has a large selection of ornate doorknobs, iron works and fireplace surrounds. Most of the items available were salvaged from Washington-area homes and buildings — which makes the store a particularly good place for area homeowners to hunt for vintage door hardware.
If you need a company to do repairs, Baltimore-based Renew Restoration specializes in the restoration or replication of historic windows, glass, doors and millwork. Hadeed Carpet can repair and restore oriental carpets and rugs.
Large restoration jobs — the sort that result from a fire, water or natural disaster — are generally best handled by full-service companies. The Restoration Industry Association offers certifications and a list of members who handle damaged property restoration.
Andrew Golkin, of Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Suburban Virginia, said 90 percent of his business involves working with insurance companies. The company employs a furniture refinisher who has repaired furniture in the U.S. Capitol and the White House.
They company also restores brick damaged by extensive mildew or smoke, using a process called soda blasting that is similar to sand blasting. “Instead of sand we use baking soda which doesn’t damage the masonry,” Golkin said.
The company can also digitally recreate damaged art.
“It’s not the original, but the average person walking through the house wouldn’t be able to tell the difference,” he said.
