The New York State Barn Coalition encourages all of those who work on historic buildings to pursue preservation-oriented maintenance strategies and repair techniques. This doesn't mean that every repair needs to be executed as if it were part of a museum-quality restoration or that one must have specialized education and training to play an active role in barn preservation. On the contrary, with a little research and planning some of the most effective projects can be undertaken on a modest budget by those who are qualified only by virtue of their energy to get a job done and their passion for the building. The topical preservation briefs assembled on the "Barn Preservation" page of this web site may provide a useful starting point for those who want to learn more about historic construction techniques, understand the causes of material deterioration, or begin planning their own rehabilitation effort.
Whether you're working on a barn as a restoration specialist or an owner, the Barn Coalition recommends following a few important preservation principles known as the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Often referred to as the "Standards" for short, they were developed by the National Park Service (NPS) as an underlying philosophy to guide preservation planning. The Standards recommend maintaining distinctive features, repairing rather than replacing and, when deteriorated beyond repair, replacing historic building fabric with in-kind materials.
Secretary of the Interior's Standards
The property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.
The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.
Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.
Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.
Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a historic property shall be preserved.
Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.
Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.
Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.
New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.
New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
For those projects that are beyond the capabilities of the average barn owner, the Barn Coalition has assembled a list of professionals organized geographically by county. Some people on this list are specialists in barn restoration; others are general contractors who are capable and willing to work on barns. An individual's presence on this list does not constitute the Barn Coalition's endorsement of their experience or skill. Before contacting anyone on the list for help, or beginning a project on your own, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the Standards by reading the NPS's Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. Any consultant or contractor hired should be familiar with the Standards, or at least be willing to employ them. Your own knowledge of the Standards will enable you to interview the contractor and then work with him or her to achieve preservation-oriented results. Barn owners should also note that most state or federal preservation incentives require your project to meet the Standards.
Select a county from the pulldown menu to find the barn contractor nearest to you. If no contractors are listed in your county, try neighboring counties. The Barn Coalition will periodically add new contractors to this list as they become known to us.
Albany
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Minuteman Construction
James Matulewicz
PO Box 183 James Lane Guilderland Ctr., NY 12085
fax
(518) 834-9225
voice
(518) 861-5363
Allegany
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Terry L. Palmiter Design / Build
6127 Hamilton Hill Rd Alfred Station, NY 14803
voice
607-587-8032
Broome
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Rick Smith
Box 139A, RD #1 Hancock, NY 13783
voice
(607) 467-3104
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Denny Smith Construction
Lisle, NY 13797
voice
607-692-4211
Cattaraugus
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Leon Buckwalter
PO Box 232 Hinsdale, NY 14743
voice
(716) 557-8391
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
M.T. Ellman Construction Company
521 Pine Street, Suite 10 Olean, NY 14760
voice
716-372-6972
Cayuga
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Fred Tanner
28 King St Port Byron, NY 13140
voice
315-776-4697
Chautauqua
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Dennis LaBarte Construction
1327 South Main Street Jamestown, NY 14701
voice
716-664-5221
Chemung
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
John Decker
voice
607-733-6845
Chenango
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Bob Mahardy
Box 348, Casey Road Sherburne, NY 13460
voice
(607) 674-2017
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
John Lucchese
399 Blakesley Nurse Hollow Rd Afton, NY 13730
voice
607-693-1829
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Trask Contracting
314 Kendricks Rd Sherburne, NY 13460 314 Kendricks Rd Sherburne, NY 13460
Preforming structural repair and restorations of colonial homes, barns, and log cabins for the past 35 years. We travel nation wide to perform such repairs. Consulting also available.
Monroe
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
J.W.R. Stone Art, Inc
Joseph Rauber
202 Huffer Rd Hilton, NY 14468
voice
585-392-3081
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Matthews Building Movers
Peter Matthews
275 Weidner Rd Rochester, NY 14624
voice
585-328-2443
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Stillbrook Company, Inc
East Rochester, NY 14445
East Rochester, NY 14445
voice
585-248-9667
Montgomery
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Gerard A. Cheney General Contracting
272 County Highway 108 St. Johnsville, NY 13452
voice
518-568-7628
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
Windy Hill Restorations
Rich Strunk
PO Box 160 Palatine Bridge, NY 13428
voice
(518) 673-4444
Niagara
Company / Contact
Address
Phone
PRC Pro Construction Inc.
Newfane, New York 14108
voice
716-778-3154
We restore Barns and have been in the construction business for 40+ years
