Natural Disaster Recovery Advisory

For Owners and Managers of Historic Buildings in Virginia

Trades & Consultants Directory

Need a tradesman or expert in historic repairs? See this DHR Historic Trades & Consultants Directory (Updated regularly)

Please Note: This directory is provided by DHR as a service to property owners, local governments, and state and federal sponsors in Virginia seeking the assistance of trades people or professionals with expertise in historic preservation. The directory is not all inclusive; however, all craftsmen, artisans, contractors, consultants and other professsionals with historic building experience who request inclusion will be listed.
    The inclusion of an individual or firm in this directory is not an endorsement by the department or a demonstration of professional competence. As a government agency, the department cannot recommend the services of an individual consultant and does not accept responsibility for the performance of any consultant.
     The directory should not be construed as an “approved” list. Determining the suitability of the providers is the responsibility of the list owners. It is also the responsibility of the property owner to obtain all appropriate permits and to ascertain that contractors have the appropriate licenses. Licensing requirements and status may be checked at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulations.
      If you are a tradesmen or expert in historic repairs or a preservation consultant and you would like to be included in the directory, please contact Megan Melinat.

If you have an historic home, commercial building, or other historic property damaged by a recent natural disaster, DHR is available to assist you. WE have expert staff to assist in assessing damage to buildings and options available for repairing or saving historic materials and architectural features. Contact Randy Jones.

Helpful Links for Recovery after Flooding:

Tips and guides for actions to take after floods / hurricanes (these links go to other websites):

Treatment of Flood-Damaged Older and Historic Buildings (National Trust for Historic Preservation)
Tips for Drying Out a Water-Damaged Building (North Carolina Division of Cultural Resources)
As the Floodwaters Recede--A Checklist of Things to Do (North Carolina Division of Cultural Resources)
Tips For Handling Insurance Claims For Historic Properties Following A Disaster (North Carolina Division of Cultural Resources)
Mobile App: ERS: Emergency Response and Salvage (National Center for Preservation Technology and Training). About the app (from the NCPTT website): The Emergency Response and Salvage app outlines critical stages of disaster response, such as stabilizing the environment and assessing damage. It also provides practical salvage tips for nine types of collections: photographs, books and documents, paintings, electronic records, textiles, furniture, ceramics/stone/metal, organic materials, and natural history specimens. This app will help users protect precious collections and significant records, access reliable information instantly, and save damaged objects.
National Center for Preservation Technology and Training also has information on post-disaster recover.

Links for Addressing Moisture in Old Buildings:

Preservation Brief 39: Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings
(NPS/Technical Preservation Services)
Managing Moisture in Your Historic House (NPS/Technical Preservation Services)

General Information for Property Owners:

Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Preservation Briefs and Technical Guidance (NPS/search by topic)

Want to Contact DHR About Your Damaged Property?:

There are alternatives to demolition, many damaged historic buildings can be saved and repaired.

Please let DHR know if your historic property has been damaged as a result of a natural disaster; DHR is here to offer advice or additional assistance.

For more information, contact Randy Jones (randy.jones@dhr.virginia.gov) or by phone at (540) 578-3031. When contacting the department to request assistance, be prepared to provide

the property owner’s name,
phone and email, and
the property's address.

If available, a low-res digital image of the property is helpful and can be emailed to Randy Jones.

Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grant Program for Virginia:

The Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grant Program for Virginia is administered for the National Park Service by DHR. The program provides funding for technical assistance and emergency repairs to historic and archaeological resources listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The funding can be used for the preservation, stabilization, rehabilitation, and repair of historic properties damaged by Hurricane Sandy in federally declared disaster areas in Virginia. Survey and identification work in impacted areas is allowed provided it supports disaster planning and furthers an understanding of storm-related damage and/or leads to the identification and evaluation of individual properties and districts for National Register of Historic Places eligibility for future planning efforts.

To learn more about the Programmatic Agreement between the NPS and DHR (Virginia) for this grant program, follow this link to a National Park Service Webpage.

Updated: 1.27.16