The Allure of The San Francisco Victorian Home

San Francisco might be the greatest city in America, Paris of the United States, or Baghdad by the Bay as famed local columnist Herb Caen once put it (a long time ago).

But there are the downsides to residing in San Francisco, from a high cost of living to seemingly inscrutable traffic and parking. The famous Victorian houses always attract a lot of attention. Mostly because of the Tanner family and their "Full House". It could also be due to their iconic architecture. There are even full walking tours of a number of famous Victorian houses throughout San Francisco. It could be an interesting tour if you are into architecture, but personally I like to take cab tours of all the restaurants in San Francisco. So because many of these Victorians are landmarks they require a special level of detail in their renovations. Strict regulations have to be upheld in order for them to keep their landmark status.
Here are some of the special requirements for remodeling a house in San Francisco:

Windows: Bay Area contractors know only so well. Dual pane vinyl windows are a staple of remodels most everywhere may as well not exist in certain parts of San Francisco. One of the famous trademarks of a Victorian house is the large Bay windows they feature. These windows are amazing from the outside; but from the inside of the house they are even better. They let in tremendous amounts of light and usually offer full 180 degree views. Not to mention the ornate framing that surrounds them from the outside. Historic preservation codes through much of the city call for wood frame windows of course. Install otherwise and you will face repercussions.

Painting: Hiring a house painter most place simply means getting a crew in with a sprayer and other means to work quickly. They're generally good with stucco, nothing too tough to paint. San Francisco painters, however, must be well-versed in painting wood, and as opposed to the knights of monochromatic stucco, Victorian painters might have to apply six or eight different colors to a house. This is another huge component of the Victorian style. There is usually a general theme that is followed for each house, and color scheme is a big part of that theme, with primary and accent colors being abundant and striking. The amount of work that goes into these homes is exactly what makes them so famous the world over.

Roofing: With windows and paint as intricate as they are here, it's no surprise that San Francisco roofing can also be an art in itself. It's certainly not always the simple array of wood and shingles found elsewhere. Roofs in San Francisco might be thatched, interwoven, or boast some other interesting design. Because these homes are so old the roofing needs to be replaced more than a fed times over the course of its life. Again these homes have themes and color schemes, so when you are re-doing a roof on a Victorian house this theme has to be considered. Anything less might not befit a house in the City by the Bay.