Need info

[Jesseblues89]

I have recently acquired a amazingly beautiful doll house for FREE, hard to believe, but it's true. There are a few cosmetic issues on the exterior that need replaced and/or fixed: The entire porch railing. Most of the clear plastic window backings are missing. Doors need it be replaced. Trim work needs to be replaced, and from what I can tell, a balcony/walkway of some sort existed above thw3rd floor window and wrapped around  both sides of the house. I want to restore & repair it to prime condition & do it correctly.

I was never lucky enough as a child to have one of my own. So this is a very special project for me to say the least, lol.

I have no information on it what so ever & would really like to figure a few things out about it, if possible:

¹What particular kind of doll house it? ²How old is it? ³What can be DIY/hand-made instead of buying expensive pre-made kits, like porch railing, banisters ect? ⁴Is it possible to add a balcony to the 2nd or 3rd floor? ⁵Is it possible to modify an existing window into a doorway? ⁶Is it possible to add/remove interior walls to make rooms/areas bigger/smaller? ⁷Can a door be added to an existing interior wall? ⁸Can a 2nd door leading to the porch be added on the side of the house? 

I have no clue and figured the best thing to do was ask. 

ANY tips & advice on the best way to go about any of this would be greatly appreciated!

My ultimate goal is to completely restore & repair the entire doll house top to bottom.

[KathieB]

5 hours ago, Jesseblues89 said:

³What can be DIY/hand-made instead of buying expensive pre-made kits, like porch railing, banisters ect? ⁴Is it possible to add a balcony to the 2nd or 3rd floor? ⁵Is it possible to modify an existing window into a doorway? ⁶Is it possible to add/remove interior walls to make rooms/areas bigger/smaller? ⁷Can a door be added to an existing interior wall? ⁸Can a 2nd door leading to the porch be added on the side of the house? 

Hi, Jessica, and welcome to the forum. As to your questions, the answer is yes. Taken together they may seem overwhelming, but taken one step at a time, it is all do-able. Our administrator Tracy (Minis on the Edge) has a mantra: It is hard by the yard but a cinch by the inch. Feel free to ask for advice on specific parts of the renovation. 

[havanaholly]

Welcome to the little family, Jessica.  I have requested that this topic be moved to the Newcomers' Forum, since this one is primarily for technical questions about the website.  What a gorgeous house!  One of our more knowledgeable members (Kelly!) most likely can better answer your first two questions.

5 hours ago, Jesseblues89 said:

...¹What particular kind of doll house it? ²How old is it? ³What can be DIY/hand-made instead of buying expensive pre-made kits, like porch railing, banisters ect? ⁴Is it possible to add a balcony to the 2nd or 3rd floor? ⁵Is it possible to modify an existing window into a doorway? ⁶Is it possible to add/remove interior walls to make rooms/areas bigger/smaller? ⁷Can a door be added to an existing interior wall? ⁸Can a 2nd door leading to the porch be added on the side of the house?...

#3  Anything and everything can be handmade with patience and a few simple tools & supplies.  Big box craft stores like Hobby Lobby have a section that carries basswood in sheets and strip wood.  A Stanley box cutter with retractable blades will cut basswood up to 1/4" thick, invest in lots of new, sharp blades.  The plastic from report covers or flat packaging (like the clear acetate boxes that Pepperskins long johns comes in)make excellent replacement window panes.  Take a look at the album where I received a Greenleaf Laurel that was falling apart and I had to finish disassembling it, rebuild it, make a new wrap-around porch (I didn't bother with the railing, I made it to donate) along with doors, windows and furniture.  I used strips of chamois (detailing rag from the auto parts store) to hinge the doors and one working window.  Now when I build kits I make stripwood boxes to fit inside the door and window openings and pin-hinge the doors with dressmakers' steel pins:  http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=browse&album=7565

#4  Of course you can add a balcony, a conservatory with a roof garden, or anything you can imagine.

#5  On an already built house it's tricky, but of course you can make doors out of windows.  It's easier if you can remove the wall, which should also answer questions #6, 7 & 8.

If the interior is decorated you will want to strip out the old wallpaper, since wall removal & repositioning will probably damage what's there; ditto floors, baseboards, etc.  BTW, this is what we refer to as "bashing" when we're discussing dollhouse renos.  Invest in a good carpenters' wood glue and a cork-backed steel ruler (for cutting straight lines with your box cutter utility knife) and enjoy the ride.  IMO this forum exists to assist in answering questions about building/ bashing dollhouses. and other mini-related topics.

[Mid-life madness]

It reminds me this Hofco....https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hofco-Victorian-farmhouse/184114385960?hash=item2ade129428:g:daUAAOSwMY9d9E6N