MarketSeptember 4, 2026
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Rental for a New Orleans Double Shotgun
Compare the two strategies after normalizing vacancy, fees, utilities, furnishing, operations, regulation, insurance and capital reserves.
Field articles · market · place · property
Research you can use
Answer-first reporting on New Orleans shotgun homes: how the building type works, where it comes from and what it means for a real transaction.
Market
MarketSeptember 4, 2026
Are Double Shotgun Houses a Good Investment? A Numbers-First Guide
Underwrite one double from verified legal use, rent, vacancy, operating costs, capital work and financing—without relying on a universal yes or no.
Regulations
RegulationsSeptember 4, 2026
New Orleans Short-Term Rental Rules for Shotgun Doubles
A current-source workflow for verifying dwelling use, STR classification, zoning, permits and address records before counting short-term revenue.
Architecture
ArchitectureSeptember 4, 2026
Historic New Orleans House Colors: A Shotgun Paint Guide
Choose exterior body, trim and accent colors from material condition, building evidence and jurisdiction—not a universal New Orleans palette.
ArchitectureSeptember 4, 2026
Cajun Shotgun Houses: Louisiana Architecture Terms Explained
Learn what the phrase “Cajun shotgun house” means—and how shotgun, Acadian and Creole house forms differ in Louisiana architectural records.
ArchitectureSeptember 4, 2026
New Orleans House Styles: Shotguns, Creole Cottages, Townhouses & More
Identify common New Orleans house types, separate building form from decorative style and compare the features that distinguish them.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Modern Shotgun Houses: New-Construction Takes on a 19th-Century Form
How narrow-lot proportion and linear planning carry forward while structure, flood design and building systems change.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Why Shotgun Houses Have No Hallways — and How People Actually Live in Them
The logic behind room-to-room circulation, plus practical ways current layouts manage privacy and movement.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Shotgun House Floor Plans: 1-, 2- & 3-Bedroom Layouts
Compare single, double and camelback plans, explore conceptual one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts, and download the identification plan pack.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
How Big Is a Shotgun House? Dimensions, Width & Square Footage
A practical dimensions guide with illustrative footprints for single, double and camelback shotgun houses.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Victorian Shotgun Houses: Italianate and Eastlake Details Explained
How Italianate, Eastlake and Queen Anne details appear on the same narrow New Orleans house type.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Anatomy of a Shotgun House: Brackets, Gingerbread, Transoms & Galleries
A field guide to the form, openings, foundation and decorative woodwork of a New Orleans shotgun house.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Shotgun House vs. Railroad Apartment
Both put rooms in a line, but one names an apartment layout and the other a distinct house type.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Shotgun House vs. Row House: What's the Difference?
Shotgun describes a linear floor-plan type; row house describes attachment to neighboring houses in a continuous row.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Shotgun House vs. Creole Cottage: How to Tell Them Apart
Look first at depth and roof direction: a shotgun is long and narrow, while a Creole cottage is broader with a steep side-gabled roof.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
What Is a Double-Barrel Shotgun House?
Double-barrel is another name for a double shotgun: two linear units placed side by side under one roof.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
What Is a Sidehall Shotgun House?
A sidehall shotgun keeps the long, one-room-wide body but adds an interior passage along one side.
ArchitectureAugust 31, 2026
Shotgun Houses Across America: New Orleans vs. Louisville, Houston & Memphis
The same narrow building logic took on different materials, histories and neighborhood meanings across Southern cities.
Due diligence
Due diligenceSeptember 4, 2026
Insuring a Shotgun House in New Orleans: Roof, Wind, Flood & Quotes
Build a quote file around the actual roof, construction, systems, use, mitigation and flood evidence—then compare coverage, deductibles and exclusions.
Due diligenceSeptember 4, 2026
Formosan Termites and Shotgun Houses: Inspection, Damage & Prevention
Separate swarm evidence, active infestation and structural damage, then document the licensed inspection, treatment and repair scopes.
Due diligenceAugust 31, 2026
How to Check Flood Risk and Find an Elevation Certificate for a New Orleans Shotgun House
Search the effective FEMA map by exact address, request any certificate held by the City, and compare both records with the raised building, drainage evidence and a current insurance quote.
Due diligenceAugust 27, 2026
Does Renovating a Shotgun House Require HDLC Approval?
HDLC approval depends on the property's exact designation, the district's control level and the proposed work—not simply on the house being a shotgun.
Due diligenceAugust 25, 2026
Is a Double Shotgun Legally a Two-Family Home? How to Verify Its Current Use
A double-shotgun form suggests two original units, but only address-specific zoning, permit, use and municipal-address records can establish how a New Orleans property may lawfully operate today.
Due diligenceAugust 24, 2026
What Should You Inspect Before Buying a New Orleans Shotgun House?
Inspect the foundation and crawlspace, roof and drainage, moisture paths, wood structure, major systems and every significant alteration—then use specialists and records for what a standard inspection cannot prove.
Due diligenceAugust 24, 2026
How to Check the Permit History of a Shotgun House in New Orleans
Use the New Orleans One Stop App, related City records and the Property Viewer to compare a shotgun home's documented alterations with the building that exists today.
Renovation
RenovationSeptember 4, 2026
Converting a Shotgun House: Double-to-Single or Single-to-Double
One evidence-led guide to both conversion directions: legal use, center-wall changes, kitchens, utilities, addresses, permits and underwriting.
RenovationSeptember 4, 2026
Adding a Bathroom to a Shotgun House: Layout, Plumbing & Permits
Compare interior, rear and upper-level bathroom locations through circulation, plumbing, ventilation, structure and City review.
RenovationSeptember 4, 2026
How to Insulate and Cool an Old Shotgun House
An audit-first sequence for air sealing, attic and crawlspace work, original windows, moisture control and HVAC in a long wood-frame house.
RenovationSeptember 4, 2026
Shotgun House Foundation Repair: Piers, Settlement & Leveling
How to document a raised shotgun foundation, separate symptoms from causes and compare a scoped repair—not just a leveling price.
RenovationSeptember 4, 2026
Shotgun House Remodel Guide: Layout, Structure, Permits & Planning
A New Orleans-specific sequence for documenting an older shotgun, defining the remodel scope, coordinating reviews and comparing bids.
RenovationAugust 31, 2026
What It Costs to Renovate a Shotgun House in New Orleans
Planning allowances by scope, worked examples and a method for replacing broad ranges with a property-specific budget.
Living
LivingSeptember 4, 2026
Shotgun House Interiors: Layout, Furniture & Decorating Ideas
Make a long, connected shotgun interior work through clear circulation, scaled furniture, useful room zones, lighting and reversible storage.
Ownership
OwnershipAugust 31, 2026
Do Shotgun Houses Have Basements?
Most New Orleans shotguns use a crawlspace under a raised floor, but basements and lower enclosures require precise definitions.
OwnershipAugust 31, 2026
Why Are Shotgun Houses Raised Off the Ground?
Pier foundations separate wood framing from grade and create access below; later elevation can also be flood mitigation.
History
HistoryAugust 31, 2026
When Were Shotgun Houses Built? A Timeline of New Orleans' Shotgun Era
Known New Orleans examples date to at least the 1830s, with the greatest expansion in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
HistoryAugust 31, 2026
Famous Shotgun Houses: From Elvis's Birthplace to the French Quarter
The most instructive famous shotguns are landmarks because of the people, neighborhoods and preservation stories attached to them.
HistoryAugust 31, 2026
Shotgun Houses and African American Architectural Heritage
Shotgun houses are an important African American contribution to American vernacular architecture, shaped by migration, labor and community life.
HistoryAugust 31, 2026
Why Is It Called a Shotgun House? The Real Story Behind the Name
The straight-shot story is memorable, but the name's exact origin remains debated.
HistoryAugust 31, 2026
The History of the Shotgun House: From West Africa to New Orleans
The shotgun house is a New Orleans building type with a debated but well-documented African, Caribbean and Gulf South history.
Market research
Market researchSeptember 1, 2026
Shotgun House Statistics: How Many Survive in New Orleans, and What They're Worth
A source-audited study of New Orleans shotgun-house counts, current asking prices and the limits of the available public data.
House types
House typesAugust 17, 2026
What Is a Camelback Shotgun House?
A clear guide to the camelback shotgun house: its rear second story, relationship to single and double shotguns, construction history, visual clues and what the form means for a New Orleans property.
House typesAugust 17, 2026
What Is a Single Shotgun House?
A clear guide to the single shotgun house: its one-unit configuration, front-to-rear floor plan, street-facing form, relationship to doubles and camelbacks, and what renovations mean for a New Orleans property.
House typesAugust 17, 2026
What Is a Double Shotgun House?
A practical guide to the double shotgun house: its side-by-side layout, party wall, difference from a double-width shotgun, conversions, duplex use and what the form means for New Orleans real estate.
House typesAugust 17, 2026
What Is a Shotgun House?
A clear guide to the shotgun house as a New Orleans building type: its linear floor plan, history, main variations and what the form means for a property today.