We have an old house, and we would like to retain its original charm even as we upgrade it with insulation, wiring, and new fixtures.  Of course we needed a new toilet, much lower water usage and all that.  Fortunately, my husband is a handyman and is custom renovating the bathroom himself.  We have heard horror stories about contractors removing old doors and cabinets and tossing them out, replacing everything with shoddy workmanship.

 I'm sure this is a common problem for both homeowners and preserved sites locally.  Do you have suggestions for people who do good renovation work on old buildings, or places that sell old fixtures?

 Thanks for your thoughts!

 Mary

There are lots of great contractors out there in order to find them you should conduct interviews carefully.  If you are not sure what you want, I suggest hiring an architect as good planning upfront can help you get what you want and save you money.