Many areas with historical homes are subject to review boards that seek to regulate and preserve the original charm, style and materials used on California homes.
While windows, doors and in some cases color schemes are known one thing that is often lost in time is the roof drainage, weather vanes, finials and cupulas.
This means homeowners are usually free to do whatever they wish with things like their gutters.
Why is this?
For one thing, photographs of homes during the time of the original occupancy may or may not be in existence. Another reason is that the original gutters and roof ornaments have long since decayed. In the early part of the 20th century materials were expensive and labor was cheap. That meant that craftsmen might spent weeks lovingly soldering the sheet metal and gutters, but the tin material was thin and rusted out in a decade. Now, material is relatively cheap compared to labor. Ten feet of copper gutter may cost $60.00 in materials but good luck getting that installed by a professional company for less than five hundred dollars.
The result is that many of the trade skills and genuine arts are being lost as the market mainly does not support craftsmen, and homeowners flock to discount contractors.
We have the ability to trademark homes; to surpass the original metal work and create works of functional beauty. Our love is coastal historic homes and in our craft there is no equal. We invite you to accept us into the Coronado community.
