Renovating an older home in East Nashville

East of the Cumberland River, a lot of Nashville's oldest houses are still standing, and that shapes nearly every project here. Owners in Edgefield, Lockeland Springs, Eastwood, Cleveland Park and the streets around Five Points are usually working on houses with wood siding, tall windows, porches and crawl spaces. Some have been remodeled several times. Before you pick a contractor, find out whether your lot is under historic or conservation zoning, and whether the house still carries hidden damage from the 2020 tornado.

Three overlay types on the east side

The Metro Historic Zoning Commission (MHZC) administers several overlays east of the river. They are not the same.

Edgefield has history on its side: MHZC's handbook notes it was Nashville's first historic zoning district, designated in 1978. Conservation zoning, the lighter type, came in 1985. MHZC publishes separate design guidelines for each type, with district chapters on history and maps, plus supplements on metal roofing, replacement windows, cladding and additions. Read the supplement for your project before you meet with a designer.

Timing. MHZC says that projects meeting the design guidelines that staff can approve generally get a permit within four days of a complete application. Larger additions, infill houses and demolitions are likely to go to the full commission, which meets monthly and has filing deadlines. A pre-application review is optional, but MHZC encourages it for infill and for additions with footprints larger than 1,500 square feet. Most projects also need a separate building permit from Metro Codes, and you can apply for both at the same time.

What the 2020 tornado left behind

On March 3, 2020, the EF-3 tornado that crossed Davidson County hit East Nashville hard. The National Weather Service's survey describes EF-3 damage to businesses and other buildings in the Five Points area and EF-2 damage to homes in Lockeland Springs and along Barclay Drive. Many houses were rebuilt quickly, and some repairs were better than others. If you're buying or remodeling an east-side home that was in the path, ask:

• whether the roof framing and sheathing were replaced or just re-covered;
• whether chimneys were rebuilt or capped, and by whom;
• whether there are permit records for the repair work. Metro's permit search will show them.

Missing permits for structural or roofing work are worth sorting out before you add on to the house.

Typical problems in pre-war houses

Crawl spaces. Older houses here mostly sit on crawl spaces or low foundations. Humid summers and poor grading leave many of them damp, which leads to sagging floors, musty air and rot in sills and joists. Drainage improvements, a sealed vapor barrier and sometimes a dehumidifier are the usual fixes. See basements and crawl spaces.

Siding and paint. Original wood siding often survives under later vinyl or asbestos-cement shingles. In Edgefield, a siding change is an exterior alteration that MHZC reviews, and its cladding supplement explains what's acceptable. Everywhere in Metro, new siding needs a building permit whether or not you're in an overlay. Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint, so prep work should follow EPA lead-safe practices. See exterior painting and siding.

Windows. Old wood windows can be rebuilt and weather-stripped. In an HPZO, replacing original windows usually needs MHZC review, and the replacement windows supplement explains what's acceptable.

Electrical and plumbing. Gut remodels often turn up knob-and-tube wiring or galvanized supply lines. Budget a contingency for both.

Additions and DADUs

Deep lots and alleys on many east-side blocks make rear additions and detached accessory dwelling units popular. Being in the Urban Services District is one route to DADU eligibility, so confirm your parcel's district and zoning first. One of the two dwellings must be owner-occupied, and the DADU's footprint can't exceed the main house's. In an overlay, the DADU's design also goes through MHZC. See home additions.

Porches

Front porches matter to the streetscape here, and they're a common project. In Edgefield, porch changes are exterior alterations that MHZC reviews. In a conservation overlay, a porch that adds footprint can count as an addition. Ask MHZC staff early, because enclosing a front porch or changing its roofline is a bigger request than a like-for-like rebuild. Deck and porch replacements need a Metro permit. See decks and porches.

Energy upgrades that suit old houses

Most of East Nashville gets power from NES, which offers TVA EnergyRight programs. EnergyRight lists rebates for air sealing and home insulation, duct sealing and heat pumps. In a balloon-framed house with uninsulated walls, sealing the attic floor and the crawl space usually delivers more comfort per dollar than replacing windows. Check current rebate terms before you book the work.

Hiring for an east-side job

Contractors who work on old houses should be comfortable with lead-safe work practices, MHZC review and older framing. Ask for addresses of similar projects you can drive by, not just photos. For jobs from $3,000 to $24,999, Davidson County requires a state Home Improvement license; at $25,000 and up, a state contractor's license. The contractor also needs to be licensed and bonded with Metro Codes to pull the permit.