4 expert tips for renovating a historic home
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Mark Ramler (right) says he first caught the restoration bug when his dad showed him how to repair an old dresser. Photos: Courtesy of Mark Ramler
Mark Ramler has spent much of his life looking at things other people might discard and imagining what they could become.
Why it matters: Historic homes in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are tangible links to the region's past, and Ramler believes preserving their original character keeps that history alive.
State of play: He's restored over 20 houses, including his own, and is now working on his new office — a turn-of-the-century home and former school in Newport's East Row Historic District.
The intrigue: Old houses sometimes reveal pieces of history along the way.
- While renovating a vacant 1860s Newport home about a decade ago, Ramler found a roughly 10-pound object wedged into brick in the attic, stamped with a backward "US."
- It turned out to be a mold used to make belt buckles for Union soldiers during the Civil War.
What he's saying: Ramler believes owning an old home makes you its temporary caretaker.
- "This building is gonna be here for hundreds of years past me," he tells Axios. "We're stewards."
Flashback: Ramler bought his Newport home in 2008 when it was a rundown three-unit building.
- He spent years bringing it back to life, at one point living with little more than a stove and refrigerator in a gutted kitchen.
- He's still tinkering with it today. Asked how long the restoration took, Ramler jokes: "I'll let you know when I'm done."
Zoom in: Ramler's first advice for anyone bringing an old home back to life: Don't start swinging a sledgehammer.
- Instead, do "selective demolition" — carefully pull up carpet or remove newer materials to understand what's underneath before making big decisions.
More pro tips:
🏡 Shop your own house. Ramler salvages original floorboards from rooms that will be tiled and uses them to patch damaged floors elsewhere.
👀 Look next door. Similar homes nearby can reveal what missing trim, cornices or other details originally looked like.
🪑 Don't add old stuff just because it's old. A salvaged piece should fit the home's period and architecture.
💡 Expect surprises. Old sewer lines, wiring, termites and structural problems can quickly change a renovation plan. When in doubt, call an architect or engineer.
