PROSPECTIVE HOMEBUYERS INTERESTED in purchasing a City home may have passed the row home at 228 N. Reservoir St. without giving it a second look. The grass was uncut, the panel closing off the crawlspace under the porch wasn’t attached, and the porch itself needed some attention. If they hadn’t passed it by on the basis of the outside, the inside may have done it.

Luckily, there are people who are willing to put a bit more time and effort into truly making their house into a home, and a house with more work to be done on it—at a potentially lower asking price—may be the way to go.

This particular 107-year-old house was completely renovated by Ken Knouse, owner of Block Envy, a home renovating company. It is located directly across the street from one of the few supermarkets located within the City limits, has convenient access to Route 30 and other major highways—especially helpful for City residents commuting out of town for work—and is within walking distance to downtown, schools, parks, restaurants, and other City conveniences.

A home makeover is primarily limited only by budget and imagination, and if you’re a do-it-yourselfer, both of those factors can be helped along by visits to salvage supply resellers such as Habitat ReStore at Greenfield or Building Character in downtown Lancaster. ReStore sells remainders from building projects or goodcondition used items such as sinks, doors, or mirrors, with proceeds benefiting local Habitat for Humanity projects.

Knouse, who does not only simple home improvements but whole-house renovations, loves Working on City homes and bringing out their sometimes hidden character and beauty.

This three-story home has undergone a complete renovation, and the transformation is striking.

The sagging front porch has been replaced with a weather-resistant mahogany decking material and a beautiful wooden-spindled railing encloses the porch, restoring a more authentic look to the streetscape of the house. A bronze iron step railing adds stability and a new lattice-covered access panel now covers the crawlspace.

The living room needed a lot of work, and the effort put into it yielded stunning results. Although the original hardwood floorboards were still in place, they had been covered with linoleum and badly gouged; the best alternative was to install a new wood floor.

A large copper-edged mirror mounted on the wall across from the staircase was kept in place but better incorporated into the décor. The wall above and below it was painted dark green and the original piece of lumber used as a brace for the bottom of the mirror was replaced with a floating mantelpiece That draws more attention to it and creates a focal point within the room.

All of the woodwork in the room and the banister on the stairs to the second floor was stripped of any stain and paint and re-stained to coordinate with the rest of the woodwork on the first and second floors and to be more consistent with the age and style of the house.

The kitchen renovation started at the sub-floor and studs. It has a new ceramic-tile floor, new drywall, cabinets, appliances, back door, stonetile countertops, and a tile backsplash behind the sink.

The kitchen layout was reconfigured and, in addition to the bar-high island, there is space in the room for a dining table. New light fixtures complete the transformation of the space.

Up the stairs and on the second and third floors, the House sports new, neutral, wall-to-wall carpet, providing a uniform backdrop to all of the rooms. At the top of the steps, a small, copper-lined skylight has been preserved, providing an interesting architectural feature and an unexpected glimpse of natural light in an interior space.

The back room on the second floor has been repurposed as an upper-floor laundry room, with existing cabinets serving as storage space for laundry supplies directly above the washer and dryer. It is a pleasant and convenient alternative to a kitchen or basement laundry area, with enough space to potentially accommodate a folding station and other multifunction workspaces under plentiful windows.

The bathroom is adjacent to the laundry room, allowing for easily shared plumbing lines. The vanity cabinet was maintained, but was stripped and re-stained to match the rest of the woodwork in the house, and the old countertop was removed and replaced with large stone tiles. The original tub was re-glazed and the plastic surround was replaced with a tile surround, which coordinates with the laminate flooring.

A large three-pane bay window occupies most of the main bedroom’s front wall, allowing for ample morning light. The inside of the window alcove is painted the same forest green as the mirror wall in the living room, creating a greater sense of depth and making it the focal point of the room.

All of these changes have turned a “fixer-upper” into a cozy, livable home close to all sorts of City amenities.