How much does it cost?

House History Mid-Atlantic carries out research in Northern Virginia , DC, Maryland , southern Delaware , and southern Pennsylvania . We are happy to research properties located outside these areas but additional charges will apply. Please see out Charges section for more information

These charges apply to House Histories in northern Virginia, DC, Maryland, southern Delaware, and southern Pennsylvania. We are happy to research properties located outside these areas but will need to charge for travel and room and board costs, over and above the package cost.

House History Questions: Rate = $30 / hour

This package is for owners seeking the answer to a particular question about their house, such as when it was built; when a previous resident lived there; or the livelihood of a previous occupant. The information will be typed up and can include copies of relevant documents depending on the question researched. The report will be provided in a card folder.

'Just the Facts' History package: Rate = $300

This package will involve research of all surviving documents and deeds to give the date when the current building was constructed and a history of owners and residents. The date of the building will be researched through maps or tax records and can usually be narrowed down to within 5 years. If the building is of colonial date records may not however survive to present day.

The history will list all previous owners, dates of ownership, the price paid for the property when mentioned in deeds, and the location of each deed. It will also include copies of supporting maps or tax records and a brief evaluation of the architectural style of the house. The report will be coil bound with a card cover.

Architectural History package: Rate = $500

This package provides inked plans drawn to scale of each floor and elevation of the property as well as digital photographs of each elevation and all datable features (architectural decorations, mantles, floorboards, etc.). The drawings will be shaded to show different periods of construction. As no documents will be researched, the drawings will show only the sequence of construction, not the dates of construction. The report includes accompanying text describing each phase of construction, and an architectural description. Black and white photographs of each elevation can be included in this package for an additional $5 per photograph.

This package may be useful for people seeking to make alterations to their house or wishing to have planning permission for alterations.

'The Story of Your Home' package: Rate = $600

This package will research the date when your house was built and a history of owners and residents - and will take it a step further. Using resources found in local historical societies, libraries and state archives, a professional architectural historian will delve into the lives of the previous occupants. Information uncovered will include the occupations of previous owners and their families, their age and background, and their roles in the local community. This package will also include an exploration of the development of your home using maps, tax records, and other documents and local sources to explore any changes in the size, shape or use of the property over the years. All this information will be set into the local context of the history of the area, and you will learn of the challenges and rewards enjoyed in the daily lives of the previous occupants of your home.

An evaluation of the architectural style of your house, and an exploration of why your home looks the way it does, will be included in the report. The history will also include scanned copies of historic photographs, maps, and any other archival material illustrating the story of your home. The history will be a prized possession to share with family and friends and will be bound in a hard-cover faux leather book and embossed with gold foil. It will also make a wonderful present for a spouse/partner, family member or friend.

Complete House History and plaque: Rate = $1000

This package is a combination of The Story of your Home package and the Architectural History package with the addition of a custom made Historic House bronze plaque.

This package will provide you with everything you ever wanted to know about your home. We will research the date when your house was built and the history of its owners, as well as complete in-depth research into the lives of the previous occupants, including their occupations, their age and background, and their roles in the local community. This package will also include an exploration of the development of your home using maps, tax records, and other documents and local sources to explore any changes in size, shape or use of the property over the years. All this information will be set into the local context of the history of the area, and you will learn of the challenges and rewards enjoyed in the daily lives of the previous occupants of your home. Scanned images of historic maps, photographs, and any other archival material will illustrate the report.

In addition to learning about the lives of the previous occupants, this package will also explore in-depth the development of your home. An architectural historian will measure and create scaled plans and elevations of your home. These hand-drawn plans will be colored to illustrate separate phases of construction and each phase of construction will be put into its historical context and explained in the history of your home. Archival black and white photographs of the exterior elevation of your home, as well as of datable features will be included with this package.

The final report will be bound in a faux leather hard-cover book with gold foil title. Drawings will be bound in a card cover.

As an added bonus, this package includes a custom made historic house plaque marker. The cast bronze oval marker will feature either the name or address of your home and the date of construction. These markers would be an elegant addition to any home, and will proudly declare your house as a historic property. These plaques, which can cost up to $200, will be yours free with the Complete House History package.