Original-Features Inventory for a Fire-Damaged Older House

Why do this now

A typical contents inventory after a fire lists furniture, clothing and electronics. The building itself gets described in an adjuster's estimate, usually in generic terms. In an older house, the details that matter most, such as door hardware, original light fixtures, built-in cabinets and tile, can vanish into a dumpster in an afternoon of demolition without ever being written down.

This inventory fills that gap. Walk the house room by room, ideally before mitigation work starts and certainly before anything is torn out. Photograph each item, give it a short description, and note its condition. If it is removed, record where it went.

You do not need to be an expert in architectural history. Write what you see: five-panel fir door, glass knob, brass hinges, painted; or hexagon white floor tile with black border. Specifics help a millwork shop, a tile supplier or an adjuster understand what is needed.

Features to look for in each room

Doors: style, wood, panel count, glass, and original hardware such as knobs, hinges and plates.
Trim: baseboard height and profile, window and door casings, picture rail, crown, plate rail.
Built-ins: buffets, bookcases, window seats, linen cabinets, ironing board cabinets, telephone niches.
Floors: wood species and width, borders or inlays, original tile.
Walls and ceilings: plaster finish, coves, beams, medallions, wainscot.
Windows: wood sash, art or leaded glass, original hardware and pulleys.
Fixtures: light fixtures, sconces, radiators and their covers, registers and grilles.
Fireplaces: surround tile, mantel, hearth, and any original screen or andirons.
Bathrooms and kitchen: original tile, pedestal sinks, cast iron tubs, cabinetry.

Sample worksheet layout

Room and item: Dining room, buffet
Description: Built-in oak buffet, leaded glass doors, original pulls
Condition after fire: Soot on glass and top, finish intact
Plan: Clean in place
Where it went: Stays

Room and item: Front hall, door
Description: Fir five-panel door with glass knob
Condition after fire: Heat blistered paint one side
Plan: Remove, strip, refinish
Where it went: Garage, labeled H1

Room and item: Living room, fireplace
Description: Tile surround, wood mantel
Condition after fire: Heavy soot, cracked hearth tile
Plan: Clean, replace hearth tiles
Where it went: Mantel stays; tiles sampled

Room and item: Upstairs bath, floor
Description: Small white hexagon tile with border
Condition after fire: Water stained grout
Plan: Clean and regrout
Where it went: Stays

Copy this layout into a spreadsheet or notebook and add a row for every feature.

General information for Park Hill, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.