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Here's an interesting article from the excellent www.bricksandbrass.co.uk - thanks guys!
You are the owner of a 'run of the mill' mid-Victorian house; not listed, no different from the others in the area. Should you be a purist or should you do what you like?
At Bricks & Brass we broadly support the principles espoused by SPAB and we caution against unthinking and careless changes which can be made to a house.
However, it is your house and you can do what you like with it. We all have budgets and personal preferences. We live in the 21st century; we are used to central heating, TVs and all the junk we have to find a home for. Some houses are already 'spoiled' but you are happy with how they look, or else you have to manage your personal priorities...
What areas should you consider when it comes to restoring your house? The things that you need to pay attention to include some of the following: the design of the front fence, garden design and planting, interior and exterior hardware and light fittings, windows, doors and other joinery, exterior decorative features such as cast ironwork or fretwork, exterior colour schemes and interior decoration, including colour schemes, stencilling and wall and ceiling papers, soft furnishings and fabrics. And, of course, you can furnish some or all of the house with the appropriate period furniture.
Not necessarily. It won't cost any more to use the appropriate materials in the appropriate way than it does to use the wrong materials in the wrong way. Sometimes second-hand materials, such as doors, windows and bathroom fittings are not only much cheaper than their new equivalents but are also of better quality and more suitable. Hiring tradespeople yourself and supervising them is another way to economise, although many people prefer to engage a builder or architect to take charge of the whole job.
The mortar is crumbling and falling out from between the stonework (or brickwork) of my old house. Is it OK to patch it up with cement?
No! If the mortar's crumbling it's because it's doing its job. It sounds crazy but that's what it's there for! Old houses were constructed with soft lime mortars which tend to crumble in time. Mortar should always be softer than the brick or stone of a wall in order to allow the building to absorb movement, and to carry away any moisture that finds its way into the walls. Damp will always follow the path of least resistance as it evaporates. Damp from the ground carries harmful salts which crystalise as they reach the air. These crystals expand as they form and can flake away the surface of brick or stonework. But they do very much less harm if they cause mortar to crumble. Replace it with soft lime mortar, using a traditional recipe, and your old house will be much better off than if you were to use a modern, hard cement mortar.
A large number of old houses, perhaps the majority, have been subject to changes which have altered their original form and character. In many cases, a significant number of minor changes have been made which dilute the original character of the building. Whoever said 'God is in the details' could have been speaking about old houses. The reinstatement of original details can make an enormous difference to a building. Some old houses have sustained very little alteration and require what might be called enlightened maintenance. There are an even smaller number of extremely rare buildings which are completely original - right down to the interior decoration, fabrics and furniture.
Not necessarily. It won't cost any more to use the appropriate materials in the appropriate way than it does to use the wrong materials in the wrong way. Sometimes second-hand materials, such as doors, windows and bathroom fittings are not only much cheaper than their new equivalents but are also of better quality and more suitable. Hiring tradespeople yourself and supervising them is another way to economise, although many people prefer to engage a builder or architect to take charge of the whole job.
Yes and no: it depends on what you're talking about. If it means replacing the original timber windows with modern metal-framed windows the answer is no. If it means crafting new parts for a timber window to carefully restore the damaged or decayed original the answer is yes. Keep as much of the original fabric of a building as possible.
Because they have so much to tell us about our past, social customs, interior and exterior decoration of their period, architecture and the history of building technology. Old houses are the antiques in which we live and should be cherished and appreciated for their very special qualities. Restoring an old house will not only give you a nice, warm inner glow but can also put a lot of money in your pocket. Houses that have been faithfully restored command premium prices in the real estate market.
This is the first of a series of tips taken from the quirky website www.oldhouses.com.au. It's well worth a visit!
If asked to name an 'historic building', most of us would think of a famous national landmark like the Tower of London or Buckingham Palace, or perhaps a great church like Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's. Few of us would think of our own house. Yet this article, taken from the excellent Bricks & Brass website, may help change your mind!
In most towns and cities however, the great majority of the buildings in which we live are now 'historic'. Most were built more than fifty years ago using traditional methods and materials, and together these streets and villages of older houses make up some of the most attractive and well-loved parts of today's urban areas.
Some of the very best and most rare examples of historic houses have been protected by 'listing' which means that demolition, extensions and both external and internal alterations are closely controlled. Listing, however, covers a very small percentage of all buildings. The architectural and historic qualities of a great many more buildings have been recognised by Local Authorities which have designated Conservation Areas. Conservation Area status helps to protect groups of buildings and whole areas which together have special character and interest. This is done not just by controlling demolition, but by promoting good design for new buildings, extensions and alterations.
For everyone in a traditional house, whether it is in a Conservation Area or not, the question of how to maintain, repair or alter a building can often be difficult. Of course it must keep us warm and dry, it should be easy to maintain and, it should also meet our requirements for modern living and may need modernisation, but it has to keep its resale value. At the same time it needs to retain its original character and charm, and to look as attractive as possible. We also expect our neighbours to maintain their properties to a similar standard so that our streets remain well kept, pleasant environments in which to live.
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