A Victorian has the right to survive, unless preservationists agree that it is not worth saving.

A Victorian has the right to retain its original facade.

A Victorian interior has the right to survive without alteration except for the addition of such modern amenities as kitchen and bathroom fixtures, heating, electricity, and other changes that meet building-code requirements. Such changes will be made with minimum alterations to the building and with the goal of preserving the architectural integrity of the building.

A Victorian has the right not to be stripped of its original woodwork, stained glass, and fixtures. If original woodwork or fixtures are removed, the owner is obligated to document them and store them in the building in good condition and pass them on to new owners as part of the deed, to permit restoration in the future.

A Victorian has the right to complete documentation, illustrated when possible with photographs and video, of its history and the alterations done to the building. An owner is obligated to keep the history up to date. When the building is sold, the seller is obligated to give a copy of the documentation to the next owner as part of the deed to the building.

A Victorian has the right to be maintained inside and out with the same love and pride with which it was built.

A Victorian has the right to be used for whatever purpose will require the least alteration and enable it to be maintained in the best condition.

A Victorian has the right to remain on its original site. If a Victorian cannot remain on its original site, it has the right to be moved to a site as close in location and character as possible to its original site.

A Victorian has the right to retain its visual context. If a new building is to be added near a Victorian, the new
building must be appropriate in character and scale to fit its surroundings.

A Victorian has the right to have its value understood and appreciated by the community. This can be accomplished if individuals, business and nonprofit organizations, and all levels of government will strive to:

• create a preservation board with the power to protect Victorians and Victorian neighborhoods;
• give landmark status to deserving buildings and districts to help protect them;
• establish and carry out a master preservation plan for the community;
• encourage preservation and preservation groups;
• have the history of our architectural heritage and the value of preserving it taught in schools and text- books at all levels;
• give annual awards for restoration and preservation efforts;
• support the founding and maintaining of museums with paid staff or volunteers from preservation groups;
• commission a history and a photographic inventory of the buildings in the community;
• support tourism, including house tours, a walking map of Victorians, and a booklet or book about the community's Victorians;
• assist homeowners researching the history of their homes;
• establish interior and exterior maintenance standards and the means to enforce them;
• provide information and financial assistance on restoration and maintenance;
• buy the house and sell it to someone who will care for the Victorian, if the current owner can't or won't take care of it
• calculate periodically the economic value  Victorians have to the community through jobs, taxes, tourism, merchandise, the business generated through restoration and maintenance, changes in ownership, and appraised value;
• Discourage developers from destroying Victorians.

These rights are to be protected with a spirit of community, a sense of fairness, and a recognition of personal rights along with the need to balance them against the enduring value of the community's architectural heritage. Preservation is only possible with the continuing passionate assistance of those who care about making what is of enduring value from the past a gift from the present to the future.

The link above will take you directly to our exterior design section to help you design your home.