Historical Home Renovation Contractors
in Philadelphia

Types of Historic Homes We Restore

Philadelphia's housing stock is older and more varied than almost anywhere in the country, and each type has its own quirks:

• Rowhomes and brick twins, the backbone of the city, usually soft brick laid with lime mortar and shared party walls
• Brownstone-fronted homes, where soft sandstone facing spalls and delaminates over time
• Stone farmhouses, common out toward Bucks and Montgomery Counties, built from local fieldstone
• Victorians and twins with detailed brick and stonework that needs matching, not replacing
• Stucco-over-masonry homes, where failing stucco hides the condition of the wall underneath

We've worked on all of them, and the approach starts with reading what the house is actually built from.

Signs Your Historic Masonry Is Failing

Old masonry warns you before it fails. On a historic home, watch for:

• Mortar joints that are crumbling, cracked, or washed out
• Brick or brownstone faces that are flaking, blistering, or shedding
• White, chalky efflorescence bleeding through the wall
• Cracked or bulging stucco
• A leaning or crumbling chimney
• Damp interior walls or a musty smell, a sign water is getting through the masonry

Caught early, these are straightforward restorations. Left alone, water turns them into structural work.

Why Historic Homes Need a Specialist

Old houses are built from soft materials, and they're unforgiving of modern shortcuts. The brick is soft and was laid with soft, lime-based mortar that flexes and breathes; a lot of the stone was face-bedded, set against its natural grain. Come in with hard Portland-cement mortar or a non-breathable sealer and you trap moisture against the masonry and spall the face right off it. Restoring a historic home the right way means matching the materials to what's already there, so the repair works with the house instead of destroying it. That's the whole job, and it's why this isn't work for a general remodeler.

Working Within Philadelphia's Historic Rules

Many of Philadelphia's older homes are in historic districts or individually designated, and that means exterior changes can need review by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. We know how to work within those requirements, using appropriate materials and methods that keep a designated property compliant. And honestly, even on a home that isn't designated, that's how it should be done, matched, reversible, and true to the original.

Preserve the Character, Upgrade What's Failing

A good historic renovation keeps what makes the house special and fixes what's actually failing. We're not stripping out the character to modernize it; we're stabilizing the masonry, sealing out water, and restoring the facade so the home keeps its history and stops deteriorating. Done right, that protects the house and adds real value, the charm buyers pay for, without the problems that scare them off.

What to Expect Working With APS

Assessment

We look at what's failing, what's original, and what each area needs.

Match & Source

We match the brick, stone, and mortar to the original before any work goes up.

Restoration

We restore with soft, matched, period-appropriate materials, and keep a clean jobsite.

Protection

We finish with breathable weather protection so the restored masonry stays sound.

Why Philadelphia Homeowners Choose APS

We're a local, family-run crew, licensed, and we've restored historic masonry across Philadelphia since 2017 out of our shop in Huntingdon Valley.

• Licensed and insured, PA #139378
• Home Advisor Top Rated, Screened & Approved
• 5.0-star rated on Google
• Period-matched materials and historic methods, no hard-cement shortcuts
• Free, written estimates with a clear scope

Before you call, see the work. Browse recent restorations in our gallery and read our Google reviews. We'd rather you hire us because you've seen what we do.

Areas We Serve

We renovate historic homes across Philadelphia, Bucks County, and Montgomery County, including Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, Manayunk, Roxborough, Germantown, South Philly, Society Hill, Glenside, Jenkintown, Cheltenham, Gladwyne, and Huntingdon Valley.

Historical Home Renovation FAQs

• What does historic home renovation include?

  For us, it's the masonry and structural side of an old house, facade and brick and stone restoration, repointing with historic mortar, brownstone repair, stucco and stone restoration, chimney rebuilding, and foundation stabilization.

• How much does historic renovation cost in Philadelphia?

  It depends entirely on the condition of the house and how much needs restoring. We assess the home and give you a written estimate that matches the actual scope, phased where it makes sense.

• Do you match the original brick, stone, and mortar?

  Yes, and it's the heart of the job. We match the material, color, and mortar to the original, using soft lime-based mortar on old masonry so the repair reads as original and doesn't damage the surrounding stone.

• Do I need approval to renovate a historic home in Philadelphia?

  If the home is individually designated or in a historic district, exterior changes can require review by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. We work within those requirements with appropriate materials and methods.

• Why can't I use regular mortar or cement on an old house?

  Because old brick is soft. Hard modern Portland-cement mortar is stronger than the brick around it, so it traps moisture and pops the faces off the brick. Soft, lime-based mortar flexes and breathes the way the wall was built to.

• Can you modernize while keeping the historic look?

  Yes. We preserve the exterior character and restore what's failing, so the home keeps its history and gains durability at the same time.