Kitchen Remodeling in Annville, PA

An old town with a lot left standing

Annville traces back to 1762, and its present township was formed in 1912 to take in the town itself, between North and South Annville townships. It's best known as the home of Lebanon Valley College and for a center of town that has stayed remarkably intact.

The Annville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It covers 275 buildings in the business district and the residential streets around it, roughly bounded by Quittapahilla Creek and Lebanon, Saylor and Marshall streets. The volunteer group Friends of Old Annville works to preserve that history, and it's a good place to learn about a particular building.

So a kitchen project here can look quite different from one in a newer subdivision. You may be dealing with stone or brick walls, deep window sills, wide old floorboards and additions from several periods stacked behind the original house.

What a historic listing does and doesn't mean

A National Register listing mainly recognizes a place's history. On its own, it generally doesn't stop a private owner from remodeling a kitchen, and kitchens are interiors anyway. Local rules are a separate matter, though, and exterior changes such as a new vent cap, window or door on a street-facing wall are the ones to ask about. Annville has debated local historic rules over the years, so check what applies today before you plan anything visible from the street.

Annville permits

Start with Annville Township at 36 N. Lancaster Street, 717-867-4476. Sources differ on whether zoning review runs through township staff or the county, so ask the office how your application should go. The Lebanon County Planning Department (717-228-4444) is the contracted code agency for North Annville and South Annville townships, which wrap around town. So an Annville mailing address can land you with a different office.

Working with thick walls and old floors

Stone and brick. Running pipes or wires through a solid wall isn't simple. Remodelers often route them through floors, soffits or a built-out section of wall instead. The same goes for a range hood duct, so raise it early.

Deep window sills. A deep sill can be the best feature in the room. Plan the counter and sink around it, and don't let uppers crowd the light.

Low ceilings and beams. Older rooms may not take standard tall cabinets. Wall cabinets may need custom heights, or open shelves can do the work. Measure first, and don't assume the ceiling is level.

Wide-plank floors. If old boards are hiding under vinyl or linoleum, they may be worth saving. They're also rarely flat. New cabinets will need shimming, and the floor may need careful protection throughout.

Lead and old finishes. Paint from before 1978 can contain lead, and older homes are more likely to have it. Ask how any trim and plaster work will be handled under the EPA's lead-safe rule.

Materials that sit well in these rooms

Cherry or painted wood cabinets with simple flat or framed doors tend to feel right in an Annville kitchen. Soapstone or honed stone looks calmer than a high-polish slab, and handmade-look tile suits a backsplash. None of this is a rule. Plenty of people put a clean modern kitchen in an old house, and it can work well when the old parts are left alone to speak for themselves.

Damp, cold and the creek

Lebanon County's seasons affect old houses the most. Stone walls hold the cold in winter and can feel damp in a humid summer. If your property sits low near Quittapahilla Creek, take a look at the cellar under the kitchen before laying new flooring, and fix any moisture first.

What to say when you call

Tell the remodeler if your house is in or near the historic district, what the walls are made of, and whether there's a cellar below the kitchen. Mention anything you'd like to protect, like a floor or window. Ask whether they've worked in homes of this age. A few real questions on that first call will tell you a lot.