Restoration
Highwood Victorian Restoration
Location
Highwood, IL
Completed
2024
Duration
8 months
Budget
$385,000
Scope
What we built
Full structural restoration of an 1894 Queen Anne. Foundation stabilization, original window restoration, plaster repair throughout, kitchen and primary bath rebuild with period-correct details, and discreet HVAC integration without sacrificing historic ceilings.
The home was on the local historic registry, which meant every exterior decision required board review. We came in three weeks before the prior contractor was scheduled to begin demolition — they had planned to replace the original 1890s windows wholesale.
Instead, we partnered with a window restoration specialist out of Evanston to bring all 23 original double-hung windows back to weather-tight, draft-free working order. Restoration came in at 60% of the cost of replacement.
Behind the walls, we routed a fully modern variable-refrigerant heat pump system through the unused servants' staircase, which let us preserve every original ceiling and crown molding on the main floors.
"We chose Neth Built because they were the only firm that asked about the history of the house before talking about scope. Eight months on, our home feels like itself again — only quieter and warmer."
— The Donnelly Family, Highwood