The Novotny House is a circa 1750 farmhouse located on Chestnut Lane in Horsham, PA. Curt Kaller, president of CD Kaller, purchased the farmhouse through a public bid to save it from demolition and did a complete rehab/restoration. The house was, by all rights, a teardown. Plumbing, electrical, heat, and nearly everything else had to be replaced, except for the stone walls and the framing.
The Novotny House nearly fell to the wrecking ball in the early 2000s. Not much is known about the specific history of the home, but it does feature a number of interesting examples of early colonial architecture such as winder staircases, exposed beams, and corner fireplaces in the interior of the building. The home stands on the Blunston Tract, one of the original land grants made by William Penn. The Blunston Tract has some significance since the grant was made to a woman, Mary Blunston, which was very unusual for the time.
The home was sold to a local developer following the deaths of its former owners. HPHA, recognizing that this home was one of the last remaining homes on the Blunston Tract dating back to colonial times, worked with the developer – David Cutler Group, Horsham Township, and others, to save the structure with Cutler eventually donating the home to HPHA to be restored. HPHA then sold the home through a public bid to Curt Kaller. Proceeds of the sale went toward the restoration of the Penrose Strawbridge House.
The following displays some of the work that CD Kaller Inc did.
The home probably had had a pent roof at some point, but it had been long since removed by the time we began our restoration. CD Kaller Inc added a new metal pent roof across the front facade featuring a standing seam metal roof by Harvey Building Products, plus new copper gutters and flashing. The Colonial Red Kynar Paint Finish on the roof has a 35-year non-prorated limited warranty.
The masonry and stucco were repaired. The entire exterior was also painted, but a few stone quoins were left exposed. A new cedar shake roof was added.
New historically accurate energy-efficient wood windows by Marvin, traditional wood construction, and authentic, single-glazed divided-lite options were added. Custom sizing, casing, and glass options were added as well.
The old attached garage and a patio off the kitchen had to be removed to allow a right-of-way for a road back to Kohler Farm, so we built a new 2 car garage on the opposite side of the house.
The Novotny House is now a private residence.
The ca. 1850’s Novonty House was a complete restoration and Curt’s (Kaller) company did a great job – new cedar shake roof, new pent roof, new doors, historically accurate windows, new garage building and new interior.
Curt – and CD Kaller Inc – have a great appreciation of older and historically significant buildings. This shows through in the work that they do. They repair what needs to be repaired and replace what needs to be replaced without disturbing the character of what has been there for 200 years.
– Pete Choate, Executive Director HPHA