HISTORIC HOME MAKEOVERS, WEST

We end our tour of historic homes crossing the Rocky Mountains and heading to the shores of the Pacific. So far, we've visited the Northeast, the Southeast and the Midwest in search of interesting renovations of historic properties. Our ground rules were simple: We set out to find remodeling projects costing $500,000 or less that might make restoring an older home that could be bought at below market value worth the effort. Take a look at what we found in the West:

Ft. Collins, Colorado

Cost of Renovation: $450,000

Before:The owner wanted a major overhaul of this century-old farmhouse, feeling that the garage didn't match the house well and wasn't big enough.

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Ft. Collins, Colorado

Cost of Renovation: $450,000

After:The contractor added on a three-car garage and family room. Extra care was taken to blend the new addition with the original architectural feel of the house. This historic renovation was a 2005 QR Magazine Chrysalis Award Winner.

Contractor: Highcraft Builders, Ft. Collins, Colorado

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Oakland, California

Cost of Renovation: $500,000

Before:This 1917 cottage had gone to seed. It was being remodeled to accommodate an older tenant. Easy entry and access were key.

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Oakland, California

Cost of Renovation: $500,000

After:Voila. New cedar siding and landscaping make the outside more appealing. Notice how the entryway is more inviting and easier to navigate. What you can't see is the addition of a sunny, south-facing kitchen bay window on the back. Also inside, the contractor restored an old bead-board ceiling, replicated the original wood casings for all the doors and windows, and installed restoration light fixtures typical of 1917. A finishing touch: two new leaded glass windows in the living room.

Contractor: Jerri Holan & Associates, AIA, Albany, CA

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Claremont, California

Cost of Renovation: $450,000

Before:This 19th century Victorian charmer, originally a summer house for Charles Sumner, the founder of Pomona College, was built in 1887. Clearly, it needed some sprucing up. The exterior paint was peeling, and the interior was showing its age. The house is the only example of Queen Anne Victorian architecture in the historic town of Claremont, 30 miles east of Los Angeles.

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Claremont, California

Cost of Renovation: $450,000

After:The old shingles were removed and a new state-of-the-art plywood "skin" was wrapped around the entire house. Then new redwood shingles were milled to exactly duplicate the old ones. All the original trim and ornamental details were carefully restored or replicated. New cabinetry and fixtures complement the inside.

Contractor: HartmanBaldwin, Claremont, California

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Eureka, California

Cost of Renovation: $300,000 (estimated)

Before:This Victorian is known as the Petch house, built for Thomas D. Petch and his family in 1895. Petch was the superintendent of The Eureka Lighting Company. But the house had been converted into apartments in the 1920s, when a two-story addition was added on to the left side to add two kitchens and two baths. Asbestos siding replaced the original exterior in the 1940s or 50s. Yet, the house was still using its original 1895 wiring and plumbing. The downstairs rooms all had gas/electric lights while upstairs it was electric only. Go figure.

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Eureka, California

Cost of Renovation: $300,000 (estimated)

After:A new owner bought the house two years ago, and here's the progress so far. He has been ripping, pulling, prying and stripping siding, flooring, paint, wallpaper and anything else that doesn't mesh with the original character of the home. But he has updated the wiring and plumbing. Now he is buying old light fixtures, tile and trinkets to make the place look "new" again -- circa 1895. Truly a labor of love.

Photo credit: Greg, the owner

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Sacramento, Califorinia

Cost of Renovation: $350,000 (estimated)

Before:The Simple Delta Cottage is believed to date back to 1875. Some local historians believe it may be the oldest structure still standing in Sacramento. The goal was to save it from demolition. The property had been vacant for ten years.

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Sacramento, Califorinia

Cost of Renovation: $350,000 (estimated)

After:This is a winner of a Chrysalis Award for Best Residential Historic Renovation. There were seven sidings on the building from various "remodelings" over the last 124 years that had to be stripped away. To have head clearance downstairs that met modern building code, the entire home had to be raised an additional 10 inches. That presented an interesting challenge for the contractor with those steps leading up to the front porch. But mission accomplished. The project was actually completed ahead of schedule.

Contractor: B-Line Construction, Sacramento, California