Buckhead Estate Restoration
1920s Single-Family Residence — Slate, Copper & Period-Accurate Exterior Craftsmanship
A 100-Year-Old Estate, Restored for Another Century
A prominent 1920s Tudor Revival estate in Buckhead had weathered nearly a century of Georgia summers, and recent storm activity had pushed several deferred exterior concerns into active leaks. The original Vermont slate roof had lost tiles, copper valley flashings had corroded, and ornamental wood detail at the gables had suffered from water intrusion.
The homeowners wanted restoration—not replacement. Every detail that defines the home's historic character had to be preserved: slate course heights, copper profiles, cedar trim carvings, and the proprietary mortar color on the chimneys. The project also required coordination with the Atlanta Urban Design Commission.
Client Type
Private homeowner
Location
Buckhead, Atlanta GA
Timeline
22 weeks across 3 phases
Result
Historic character preserved, 75-year expected life
Progress Through the Project
Phase 1 — Roof Tear-Off
Phase 2 — Slate & Copper
Phase 3 — Completed
Craftsmanship, Materials & Challenges
- Original Vermont graduated slate salvaged and reinstalled where sound
- Replacement slate hand-matched from the same historic quarry
- Copper nails, ice-and-water shield at all valleys and eaves
- Ridge cap rebuilt with hand-trimmed graduated slate
- 16 oz copper valley and step flashings hand-formed on site
- Half-round copper gutters matching original profile
- Round copper downspouts with decorative straps
- Period-correct copper conductor heads at key locations
- Gable bargeboards, brackets, and finials replicated in western red cedar
- Carved detail traced from originals and milled in-house
- Original paint colors matched via on-site chip analysis
- Atlanta Urban Design Commission submission and approval
- Temporary weather-tight protection between each phase
- Family stayed in-residence throughout; daily site walkthroughs
"This house has been in our family for three generations. They treated it like it was theirs. The salvaged slate, the copper, the carved cedar detail—every corner of the house feels original, but nothing leaks anymore."
Estate Homeowner
Buckhead, Atlanta GA
Services Used on This Project
Planning a Historic Home Restoration?
Our Atlanta preservation specialists handle slate, copper, cedar, and historic review from start to finish. Schedule a consultation.