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Standard #6 in Practice: Repair, Replace, and What “Like for Like” Really Means

When preserving a historic building, deciding whether to repair or replace deteriorated features can be one of the most critical—and often most debated—choices. Standard #6 of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation sets clear expectations: repair whenever possible, and replace only when necessary—using materials and methods that match the original in design, color, texture, and, when feasible, material.

This three-hour training provides a structured, practical approach to applying Standard #6 with confidence. Participants will explore the repair-first philosophy, evaluate the threshold of deterioration, and understand when replacement is justified. The program will also take an in-depth look at what “like for like” really means—clarifying when visual similarity is enough, when exact materials are required, and how to weigh technical feasibility, cost, sustainability, and modern techniques.

Other key topics include how to substantiate replacement through documentary or physical evidence, navigating material substitutions, and balancing code compliance with preservation priorities. Case studies, discussion, and Q&A will give participants real-world examples of both successful and challenging applications, and provide tools for making defensible decisions in their own work.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to interpret Standard #6 in context, explain its purpose, priorities, and relationship to related standards, and describe how it supports long-term preservation.
• Participants will be able to evaluate repair feasibility by assessing historic materials to determine the threshold of deterioration, factoring in cost, technical skill, and the gentlest means of repair.
• Participants will be able to apply “like for like” principles by defining what qualifies as “like for like” replacement, evaluating when visual similarity is acceptable, and determining when exact materials or modern substitutions meet preservation and sustainability goals.
• Participants will be able to balance preservation priorities with other demands by substantiating replacement decisions through appropriate documentation and weighing these against code compliance, safety, and resilience requirements such as fire, flood, and seismic.

Speakers

Michael Garavaglia, AIA & LEED BD+C
Principal in Charge  - Garavaglia Architecture, Inc.
With over 44 years of experience in the architectural profession and 39 as principal, Mike leads his firm with preservation planning and architectural services that respond to the specific needs of cultural resources and their environment. As a licensed architect, he has long understood the sustainability of historical rehabilitation, its merit in economic development, and its significance to communities. He seeks opportunities for creative teaming in his staff and consultants to create the most responsive team for each unique project and client. He directs his firm to constantly evolve its preservation services and work products to improve the efficacy of the firm’s work, including quality control. Mike's work with the preservation community has focused on educational programs, organizational involvement, and stewardship development. His commitment to historic preservation includes current memberships with the California Preservation Foundation (past board member and Vice President of Programs). Mike received his professional Bachelor of Architecture degree from California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo.

Kathleen McDonald, MHP
Architectural Historian / Condition Assessment Specialist - Garavaglia Architecture, Inc.
Kathleen has 7 years of experience in the field of historic preservation, and she has completed a wide variety of projects ranging from large-scale surveys down to historic structure reports for individual buildings. As an Architectural Historian / Condition Assessment Specialist for Garavaglia Architecture, Inc., she has contributed expertise in survey work, historic and archival research, identification and documentation of historic resources, existing condition analysis and treatment recommendations, compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, public outreach, and preparation of design guidelines for historic resources. She is dedicated to the preservation and documentation of historic resources for future generations. Kathleen is an active member of the California Preservation Foundation and has participated in presentations for the Foundation in the past. She received her Master of Historic Preservation and Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida, where she began her career in preservation as a research assistant. From there, she worked as a preservation planner in the public sector and assisted in the creation of and revisions to historic preservation design guidelines and ordinances for the City of Key West, Florida, in addition to evaluating proposed projects for compliance with local guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.

More speakers to be announced.

 

Posted in: Adaptive Reuse, Code Compliance, Historic Integrity, Preservation Basics, Secretary of Interior Standards, Webinars, Workshops