The San Francisco Treat

As San Francisco as cable cars, Karl the Fog and the $1.7 million Noe Valley toilet years in the making (and it’s still not done), Victorian homes and their layouts are a main fixture of the many parts of the city. Even in newer areas you may come across a scant Victorian. There are areas like the Western Addition where Victorians were razed en masse after WWII or areas like Diamond Heights and other areas where there were none ever built, but there is a chance that you’ll either come across a variant of the Sunset Junior 5 or a Victorian/Edwardian. Here are some common features we may counter out there:

What You May Encounter with A San Francisco Victorian

Features and Context

Most Victorians date from the 1880s through the early 1900s (it’s common to see a “1900” construction year, but this is the default placeholder year indicating original building records were destroyed by the 1906 earthquake; look at water connection records if we really want to know). Some gross generalizations:

• Victorian people were shorter (hence their lower stair handrails)
• Victorians didn’t have that may clothes (closet size reveals this)
• Tall ceilings worked together with transom awning windows and cross breezes to provide air circulation (11 feet to 12 feet)
• Yes, many of these homes were built in 3s and at the same time
• Deep down, there’s probably lead paint. Over time there was probably asbestos and a good chance there was nob and tube
• Those tall ceiling light canopies may have been gas-powered lamps
• Lath and plaster walls throughout (which is why you will use WiFi mesh networks)
• Like Downtown Abbey, many homes added electricity after construction
• Brick foundations were common and may have been encapsulated with concrete, replaced or are relatively untouched
• Coved ceilings can be replicated but it can be expensive

Praises for Queen Victoria

Yes, updating a Victorian home can be as terrifying as you think. But it is more likely to be manageable because San Francisco’s architecture builds upon a heritage that can be traced back to the East Coast as many of the early notions of status and the sheer fact that people do what they know meaning that craftsman and developers of the time would have likely hailed from the East Coast anyway. The quality of the build but, perhaps, moreso the redwood internal strucutures these homes have cannot be understated. Combine that base with modern upgrades like shear walls, moment frames, updated foundations, drainage improvements and steel along with engineered lumber make any renovated Victorian that much better and valuable. A lot of effort goes into it; whcih means that absent a major, studs-out renovation, having to do that type of work is something every owner should consider as it is going to be a high-ticket item; cutting costs on upgrading Victorians can lead to some shocking results that lose ill-informed developers money.

Pitfalls of a Victorian Home (an unfixed one)

Assume you’re looking at a largely original Victorian house or flat. You may wonder what lays under the lath and plaster walls. Here’s our survey (which is in no way complete).

Our Evaluation Philosophy

We readily concede that we’re not engineers, contractors, architects, or licensed inspectors. What we are, however, is highly experienced in seeing—and understanding—homes. Over the past 15 years (and even before we officially started in real estate), we’ve walked through countless houses. Many of these we’ve revisited over time as they re-entered the market, received facelifts, or underwent complete transformations.

During this time, we’ve read, analyzed, questioned, defended, critiqued, and praised nearly every type of inspection report you can imagine. We’ve walked properties with developers at every stage—before, during, and after projects—and seen what’s behind the walls when they’re opened up. We’ve witnessed the great, the exceptional, and the downright terrifying (including homes where liability waivers were a must before stepping inside).

It’s from the wealth of experience—and as unabashed real estate enthusiasts—that we offer a qualified yet informed perspective. While we’re not licensed for structural evaluations, nor are we licensed contractors, architects, we can provide you with thoughtful insights rooted in years of observation, analysis, and passion for homes.