My house is in the historic district. Can you still work on it?

Yes. Inside work doesn't need the county's historic review, and neither do ordinary repairs with matching materials. Exterior changes, like replacing windows, doors or porch parts, usually need a Historic Area Work Permit first. Once that's sorted, I'll work to what's approved.

Can you repair old wood trim instead of replacing it?

Often, yes. I repair rotted or damaged trim and porch parts where the wood can be saved, and replace the pieces that can't.

Kensington, MD · About 30 min from Germantown

Handyman in Kensington, MD

From the Victorian houses near Antique Row to the 1950s homes around them, I take care with Kensington's older houses.

Call 240-706-5269 Text Alex a photo

worth the drive

This form needs JavaScript. Please call or text 240-706-5269, or text me photos.

Working in Kensington

Kensington grew up around a B&O railroad stop in the 1890s and was incorporated as a town in 1894. The historic core near the train station and Antique Row on Howard Avenue still has large Victorian-era houses, many with wraparound porches. It's about 30 minutes from my base in Germantown.

Most of the 20895 ZIP is newer than that, but not by much. Close to half the homes were built in the 1950s, and more than eight in ten were built before 1980. Older houses need careful repairs, like doors and windows that stick or leak air, worn trim and porch parts, and walls that need patching before paint.

If your house is in the Kensington Historic District, exterior changes such as new windows, doors or a fence usually need a Historic Area Work Permit from the county first. Work inside the house and ordinary repairs with matching materials don't. Check with the county's historic preservation office before I change anything outside, and I'll work to what they approve.