Restoration projects involve returning your structure or property to its former condition.  Bringing it back to the way it was.  You may find if you live in a Historic District or other protected areas, local requirements and regulations mandate that you abide by a set of guidelines that maintain the character of the structure as it was.  Restoration restrictions are common in historic buildings and neighborhoods that fall under a Historic District.

In private homes and commercial areas, Historic District guidelines and regulations will differ greatly. In many instances the guidelines will pertain mainly to what is viewable from the street and not pertain to how the inside of your project appears.  For example, window replacement in a Historic District may require approval, as they are viewable from the outside by others.  Repairing walls, fixing old fixtures, ripping up old carpet and restoring the hard wood floors underneath and all good examples of a restoration project.  Bringing the current back to the old.

Restoration in many ways uses fewer materials and resources and allows you to potentially re-use already existing materials.  For cost efficiency, restoration may be the way to go.  If your project has an already existing good “foundation”, a restoration project may be a good choice for you.