How Do You Guys Figure Out Project Budgets Without Losing Your Mind?

"Eco-friendly upgrades are great, but sometimes they clash with historic preservation guidelines—have you run into that?"

Definitely been there. Tried installing energy-efficient windows on a Victorian once—historic board wasn't having it. Ended up creatively insulating behind original windows instead...saved energy and kept the charm intact. Structural surprises though...that's another beast entirely.

Totally relate to the struggle between eco-friendly and historic charm. We ran into something similar...wanted solar panels on our craftsman bungalow roof, but the historic commission gave us a hard no. Ended up going for ground-mounted panels hidden behind landscaping instead. Honestly, it forced us to get creative and now our garden looks even better than before. Sometimes restrictions spark the best ideas, right?