Godloves Home Improvements works on homes throughout Princeton. We’re based in Hamilton, a short drive down the road, and owner Charles Godlove has been doing this work since 2005. Princeton asks more of a contractor than most towns: older houses, historic districts and design review are part of the job here, not exceptions.
Princeton’s Neighborhoods
Today’s Princeton is the result of the 2013 merger of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township. It covers about 18 square miles and is home to about 30,000 people. Its neighborhoods range from the streets around Nassau Street and the university to the Western Section, the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, Jugtown, Mountain Avenue and the areas near Lake Carnegie and Kingston. We work in all of them, on homes from the 1700s to recent builds.
If you’re researching your home’s history, keep the merger in mind. Older permits and records may be filed under the former borough or the former township.
Working in a Historic District
Princeton has 21 locally designated historic districts. In general, any exterior change to a building in one of them must be reviewed by the town’s Office of Historic Preservation, which checks that the change fits the house and its surroundings. That can cover additions, windows and doors, siding, porches and other exterior work. The town has also been drafting new design guidelines for these districts.
What this means for your project:
- Plan for review time. Exterior work in a district may need approval before a building permit, so the schedule should allow for it.
- Materials and details matter. Replacement trim, windows and siding often need to match the original in style and profile.
- The work has to blend in. An addition or porch should look like it belongs to the house.
We’ve worked on century-old homes that needed Historical Society approval, and we’re comfortable working within those guidelines. Because interior work generally isn’t part of historic review, many kitchen, bath and interior projects go more quickly.
Older Homes Need a Careful Hand
In an older Princeton house, what you can’t see matters most. Framing may not be square. Plaster, original trim and old wiring and plumbing all take care when a wall is opened up. We build beyond code minimums rather than just aiming to pass inspection, and we treat original molding and trim as something to keep or match, not throw away. In newer homes, the same attention turns builder-grade finishes into work that looks custom.
A “Princeton” Address Outside Princeton
Many homes with a Princeton mailing address are actually in nearby towns, and Princeton Junction is part of West Windsor. That matters for permits and historic review, which go through your actual municipality. We work in Princeton and the surrounding towns, so we can help either way. See our Mercer County page for the full area we cover.
Getting Started in Princeton
Godloves Home Improvements is fully licensed (NJ HIC #13VH01205600) and insured, and we accept cash, check and all major credit cards. Call (609) 468-3863 between 7 AM and 8 PM, or use the form below to tell us about your Princeton home. We’ll set up a free estimate and talk through any review your project may need.
