Renovation
8 W Seventh St
Frederick, MD
Work on this property earned the
2011
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD
from the City of Frederick for
Bricks and Mortar Rehabilitation
Scope of Work:
Murphy Properties purchased the property located at 8 W 7th Street in July, 2010.
At the time of the purchase, the property had fallen into disrepair. The exterior paint was peeling and the front porch flooring was rotted; all three exterior doors were not historic and in poor shape; the heating system was inadequate; the single bath upstairs was dysfunctional; most windows were inoperable - nailed shut with broken panes; the original electric wiring was in terrible shape and dangerous; the addition on the rear of the house (which supports the balcony above) provided no structural support - the framing members were completely rotted through; the plaster throughout the house was cracked and crumbling; the fireplace was inoperable; the basement had low clearance, a dirt floor, missing windows and only a partial staircase; the fence was in poor shape; the yard was mostly poison ivy; and the shed and garage were an eyesore.
During the next six months, extensive renovations occurred. The exterior was scraped and painted and the flooring on the porch replaced; all three exterior doors were replaced with salvaged historic doors; the old oil tank an furnace were removed - new duct work, furnace and air conditioning were installed; the old bathroom was removed, and two and half new bathrooms installed; every window was taken out, repaired, scraped and painted, pulley systems fixed, and re-glazed; all wiring was removed, and new wiring and new panel installed; the framing of the rear addition was replaced - as well as the roof with new standing seam metal, and new German lap board siding as needed; where possible, the plaster was patched, skimmed and painted, and exposed brick was re-pointed and repaired; the fireplace was repaired and a new gas log insert installed; the dirt floor in the basement was dug down 18 inches and gravel and concrete were installed - along with a drainage system and sump pump, the windows and stairs were repaired; the existing fence was repaired and the chicken wire fence was replaced with new dog-eared privacy fencing; all poison ivy was removed, the yard reseeded and new garden beds and plantings were installed; the shed was sided with German lap siding, had a new standing seam metal roof installed and the garage had new metal siding and new doors installed.
This project was featured on HGTV's House Hunters - Episode HNT-5108H "Stylists Search for Hip Starter Home".
