Riegel Restoration
Consultation Services
Historic Preservation Consulting and Project Management
Why Use A Consultant?
Building and construction contractors typically do not understand the complex nuances of historic preservation. They may do good work with new construction, working with modern materials and using modern techniques. Historic preservation projects though require specialized skills and knowledge that is hard to come by and rare to find. Riegel Restoration can bring those important skills and knowledge to your project.
All too often Mr. Riegel will go into an ongoing or completed project for the first time and find improper work that has already been done. Work may have been performed not following appropriate practices or using inappropriate materials. Poorly thought-out work, inappropriate paint color choices, necessary work that has not been done or expensive work that was done but wasn’t necessary are seen all too often. Home and building owners often end up spending far more than necessary on restoration projects that could have had far better results.
Using a knowledgeable consultant to advise and manage projects at the beginning can save thousands of dollars on a project, while resulting in far better outcomes, with an historically appropriate end result. Riegel Restoration can be that consultant on your project.
Why Riegel Restoration?
Kurt Riegel has had a lifelong passion for local history, historic homes and structures and cemetery preservation. Even before high school he was saving historic artifacts and parts of homes that were about to be demolished.
He has held several jobs related to restoration where he gained much important experience on a broad range of related topics. While still in high school Mr. Riegel started a business restoring historic grave stones. He attended numerous classes and workshops where he learned correct techniques for gravestone conservation from nationally recognized experts in the field.
In 2017 Kurt received a Master’s Degree in Historic Preservation (Master of Science Architecture) from SUNY Buffalo. He continues to attend workshops and work with others in the field to further increase his knowledge.
Today he runs Riegel Restoration, a company specializing in historic window sash restoration, historic gravestone conservation, and consulting. He is nationally recognized for his knowledge and has served clients throughout New York State, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
His combination of passion, formal and informal education and decades of experience makes him uniquely qualified in the preservation field. He can discuss details such as period correct window sash muntin profiles, appropriate styles of windows, doors and other features for specific homes, historic glass manufacturing techniques, period appropriate color choices, historically accurate paints, best practice painting techniques, proper window glazing, siding and roofing materials, proper masonry techniques, industry standard restoration techniques and more. He can look at an historic home and tell when it was built to within just a few years. He can explain much about a building's past simply by "reading the building." These skills demonstrate his detailed knowledge of the subject.
Mr. Riegel also writes building condition assessment reports, specifications for proper restoration and advises home owners and building owners on how best to go about their restoration projects. He can manage restoration projects, working with contractors and tradesmen to ensure all work is performed in an appropriate manner.
Contact us to discuss your project before beginning any work.
Consulting can prevent many mistakes and potentially save you money
2023 PAST Award
Riegel Restoration was honored to have been chosen to be a recipient of the 2023 Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier (PAST) at their annual meeting. This award was for our work on the restoration of the Perch Pond Schoolhouse, in Nineveh, New York.
The Perch Pond Schoolhouse