Shotguns, doubles, camelbacks, raised center-halls, and multifamily properties each carry their own structural logic, and renovating them properly means understanding that logic first — not applying a generic remodel approach to a house type it was never designed for. Raised construction, pier-and-beam foundations, narrow lot conditions, and period-specific materials all factor into how we plan and sequence the work, so the renovation respects how the house was actually built.
Every older New Orleans house type comes with its own quirks — a shotgun's narrow, linear framing behaves differently than a raised center-hall's elevated foundation, and a camelback's partial second story adds structural considerations a single-story addition wouldn't. Before we finalize a scope, we assess piers, sills, framing, and how additions or past renovations have altered the original structure, since previous work is often where real problems hide. This reading of the house shapes the whole plan, rather than forcing a standard renovation approach onto a structure it doesn't fit.
Raised construction is common throughout the city, and it changes how nearly everything gets approached — from moisture and ventilation under the house to how structural loads move through piers rather than a continuous slab. We assess pier condition, sill rot, and the crawlspace environment as part of the same process as the visible renovation above, because problems below the house are often the reason issues keep recurring above it. Foundation work gets sequenced properly with the rest of the renovation, not treated as a separate afterthought project.
Older homes were often built with materials and techniques that modern standard renovation doesn't account for — original heart pine framing, plaster walls, specific siding profiles, or windows sized to openings that don't match current stock sizes. Where it matters structurally or visually, we match materials and methods to what the house actually needs, rather than defaulting to whatever's fastest or cheapest to install. This matters even more in historic district properties, where design review may specifically require it, regardless of personal preference.
You’ll get an assessment that accounts for your specific house type — not a generic renovation scope that assumes a standard modern foundation and framing. If we find foundation, pier, or structural issues that previous renovations covered up, we explain what we found and what addressing it involves before continuing, rather than building new finishes over an unresolved problem. And where your property falls under historic district review, that process is handled as part of the same plan, not a separate hurdle you navigate on your own.
Raised construction moves structural loads through piers rather than a continuous foundation, and the crawlspace underneath affects moisture, ventilation, and access in ways a slab foundation doesn’t. We assess the piers and substructure as part of the same process as the renovation above.
Yes — these are some of the most common house types we work on in New Orleans, each with its own structural considerations around narrow framing, additions, and in camelbacks, the partial second story.
It depends on your specific neighborhood and district boundaries, which aren’t always obvious from the address alone. We check your property’s status before finalizing the scope so the historic review timeline is built into your plan from the start.
This comes up often in older homes. When we find it, we assess the extent, explain what addressing it involves, and give you options before continuing — rather than building over the same issue again.
