The Ellicott Mills side of Catonsville, running down toward the Patapsco and Oella, has some of the most characterful housing in the area — Victorians and colonials with period detail that nobody builds any more, on a slope that makes every below-grade decision interesting.
Working on these houses is a different discipline from working on a 1990s colonial. There is limited chase space, the walls are plaster and lath rather than drywall, the drainage layouts predate modern venting standards, and the fixture roughs are frequently non-standard. Speed is the enemy.
What we bring is forty years of doing exactly this, and the patience not to force a modern solution into a space that will not take one. Flexible PEX routing is usually what makes a genuine upgrade possible here without damaging the building.
What we find in Ellicott Mills homes
Period construction, modern expectations
Victorian and colonial framing offers very little in the way of chase space. Routing new supply is a design problem before it is a mechanical one, and every opening avoided is a plaster repair you do not pay for.
Slope toward the Patapsco
The grade down toward the river valley means drainage runs at unusual angles and storm water moves through properties quickly. Foundation drainage and sump discharge routing are worth understanding before any exterior work.
Layers of previous restoration
Most of these houses have been renovated more than once during their life. We map what earlier work did before adding to it, because assumptions are expensive in a building this old.
Neighborhoods and landmarks we work around
We work throughout Ellicott Mills and the rest of Catonsville, including 21228. Streets and landmarks we are around regularly:
- Ellicott Mills Drive
- Oella Avenue
- Frederick Road
- Patapsco Valley State Park
- Trolley Line #9 Trail
- Westchester Avenue
What Ellicott Mills customers tell us
People who buy a house like this want a plumber who will not damage it to save an hour. That has always been how we work.
I had an outstanding experience with Collins & Sons LLC. Daniel has done several projects at my home over the last 4 years. He has helped me with small projects (replacing a garbage disposal), large projects (renovating my patio) and random projects. No mat…
Needed a water heater and my upstairs plumbing replaced. After contacting them they were very flexible to my schedule, also explaining in detail costs and procedures. Who doesn't like an honest family owned professional? I would use them again any time and…
Danny is a very professional and friendly person to work with. His work as a plumber and contractor is outstanding. He receives a high rating as he cleans up after he finishes working. I highly recommend this company and Danny to work on any project for you…
Plumbing questions from Ellicott Mills
Can you upgrade the plumbing without damaging period detail?
That is the goal on every historic job. We plan routes to minimise openings, mark every one before cutting, and work carefully around original material. We cannot promise zero openings on a full repipe, but we can promise the fewest possible in the easiest places to repair.
Can I keep my original fixtures?
Often, and we like it when people do. Original cast iron tubs and pedestal sinks are frequently better made than what would replace them. We can adapt supply and drainage to work with them and source or rebuild period trim where it makes sense.
Why does my bathroom smell even though it is clean?
Almost always a venting problem, and very common in bathrooms added into former closets or upper floors of old houses. Without an adequate vent, draining water siphons the trap dry and sewer gas comes up. It is fixable and it has to be fixed to pass inspection on any permitted work.