Steve Bedard Weighs in On Construction during COVID
At Bedard Preservation & Restoration, we are dedicated to working with old buildings, whether it’s structural work or exterior and interior restoration. Learning about the history of your building and how it has evolved over time are important before beginning any work. Analyzing how it was constructed, what alterations it’s had, and identifying any maintenance or life safety issues are also important. We work with owners to develop a plan and implement cost-effective solutions that are right for the age and appearance of the building. This applies to private residential projects as well as municipalities, non-profits and faith-based groups.
Steve Bedard discusses construction to one of the buildings at historic, Strawbery Banke.
The first step in understanding your building’s needs is to assess the structure for its weaknesses as well as its strengths. As the owner of the business, along with my son and partner Drew (who holds a graduate degree in Historic Preservation), we are finding a huge spike in demand for assessments especially from people looking to buy an older home or wanting to renovate a primary residence or second home. People of all ages seem to be fleeing the cities, especially since many can now work virtually, and New Hampshire appears to be the place to be!
While we know that this is a time of economic hardship for many, we’re also seeing many people who are working from home, maybe schooling children from home, and they want to remodel or expand their living space. People are putting their money into their homes instead of taking vacations, eating out, or going to sporting or cultural events like they used to.
The initial shock of Covid this spring resulted in several weeks of uncertainty in the general building trades as well as restoration work. Fortunately for contractors this was short lived and they are now extremely busy.
Bedard greets visitors at a N.H. Preservation Alliance event, pre-COVID
Buying or renovating an historic structure has always been “the greenest option” pertaining to “carbon footprint” and now it is even greener with the cost of new building materials skyrocketing. Basic building materials like 2 x 4s have tripled in cost and supply is also a problem. Existing buildings are a greener choice because they don’t consume as many raw materials as new construction and making an old home more energy efficient is often relatively simple.
As for COVID-related precautions, our crew of six plus regular subcontractors are wearing masks if working indoors in any owner occupied building. They are working “less-closely” than before and are social distancing as much as possible. The photographs from the pandemic of 1918, show people wearing masks. How about we all learn from history and WEAR A MASK!
After 45 years in this field, I can honestly say that investments in restoration always bring great satisfaction. We’ve rescued and rehabilitated dozens of historic buildings as old as the late 1600s right up through the 1930s. They embody our history and provide a collective sense of community identity. Bedard Preservation & Restoration is a proud partner of the NH Preservation Alliance. We sponsor events, do grant-funded building assessments, and present educational workshops for them. We share a great sense of pride in preserving historic buildings and making them useful again for many future generations.
Steve Bedard, October 2020
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