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BOOKS TO BUY ONLINE
Click covers for info
A FEAST OF FEATURES...
THE FIXTURES AND
FITTINGS
OF PERIOD HOUSES
1714-1939
by
Janet Collings
Crowood Press
2011
Hardback RRPŁ25
"A big compendium
of period styles, details and features."
COTTAGE KNOWLEDGE...
COUNTRY COTTAGE
CONSERVATION
A Guide to
Maintenance and Repair
by
Bevis Claxton
Crowood Press
2010
Hardback RRPŁ16.99
"Keep your
cottage's period appeal and avoid those damaging twentieth century
mistakes."
VICTORIAN
& EDWARDIAN...
VICTORIAN AND
EDWARDIAN HOUSES
A Guide to
Care and Maintenance
by
Janet Collings
Crowood Press
2008
Hardback RRPŁ16.99
"An indispensable guide to appreciation and
care."
ALL ROUND ECONOMICAL CARE AND
SUSTAINABILITY...
MAINTAINING AND REPAIRING
OLD HOUSES
A Guide to
Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
by
Bevis Claxton
Crowood Press
2008
Hardback RRPŁ16.99
"...anyone thinking of 'doing up' a house
should have to read this first, like learning the Highway Code before
getting behind the wheel of a car..."
SPAB Cornerstone magazine, 2009
"This
book does exactly what its title proclaims...Highly
recommended..."
Building Design:
bdonline 2010
AN INTRODUCTION TO
CONSERVATION...
OLD HOUSE CARE
AND REPAIR
by
Janet Collings
Donhead
2002
Paperback RRPŁ22
"Whether you are
planning extensive repairs and alterations to your house, or simply want
to know more about it and how to look after it more knowledgeably, this
book is a good place to start."
From a
review by the SPAB
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OLDHOUSE.INFO WAS FOUNDED IN 2002 BY CONSERVATIONISTS TO
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PERSPECTIVES ON BUILDING CARE FOR OLD HOUSES IN THE UK
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A different approach for old houses
oldhouse info
aims to explain why old houses need
a different approach to modern buildings when repairing and decorating.
Many ordinary modern repair techniques
and materials can actually harm old buildings: The right knowledge could
not only help save buildings but also money and time.
Conservation is linked with
sustainability through the long life, adaptability and reparability of
old houses - many of which were built and used for centuries without
needing fossil fuels.
 Information about old houses
oldhouse info offers information on a
variety of
issues that affect old houses in the UK - such as movement, damp and decay, adapting an
old house for modern living and period decoration materials.
Owners of old houses really need to have
their buildings professionally assessed on site by a
conservation-accredited professional such as an architect,
surveyor or engineer - as no two houses can be the same. But, as a first
step, the generic information available through this site can help
owners understand many of the important issues.
Different approach?
After hundreds of years of use and
experience, there was a thorough understanding of how traditional building
materials could be used and how they interacted. Twentieth century industrial progress saw a rapid departure from well-tried
methods and threw new products into the mix. Old lessons and skills were
forgotten.
Just about everyone thought that all the
new innovations were good for old houses too. Sadly, not always so, as some of them
could seriously upset the balance that had enabled old houses to survive for hundreds of
years. Some of the most commonly used repair and decoration materials
might actually shorten the life of an old house and cause unseen decay.
We look at what happens, whether the balance can be
reinstated and explore kinder alternative methods and materials.
Good news
Since old buildings originally used relatively simple technology it is often possible to replicate
their original mortars, renders, plasters, paints and finishes that may
still help to preserve the fabric
and the appearance of old houses.
Old house owners may even be able
to undo some of the inappropriate work carried out to their houses during the last century
and may also be able to help arrest decay that could be eating away at their
home and their investment.
Adopting a low-tech and a minimum-intervention
approach can sometimes even cost less than a modern response to a
problem. And these sorts of approaches can also be 'greener' solutions
too. Especially those that use natural and renewable materials.
How does your old house look?
Many old houses were straightened up and
modernised in the middle of the twentieth century. As a result they can
look not so much 'period' as 'last century'. Looking at an old house
like an antique, it makes no sense to try to turn it into something
modern: more and more people are now recognising the value and charm of a
genuine old property.
Not everyone wants to go so far as to live in
all the
conditions of the past of course, but many people would like their old houses to at
least reflect many of the original qualities of finish and appearance.
That is usually perfectly possible and we include information on traditional
and modern materials and
finishes.
How this site can help
We have a range of information from short
general free-to-view items and
FAQs to some lengthier technical
downloads on a range of subjects
- including
paint stripping or the
benefits of lime - that may be causing immediate
concern or simply need explaining. The interaction of
traditional construction and appearance
is examined. There are also links to purchase our books that we feel will help
old house owners get a good basic understanding of the types of problems
and solutions they may be faced with, as well as exploring the visual
attraction of old properties.
The information comes from the first hand
experiences of UK building conservationists and covers topics such as:-
-
why
old houses need special care
-
why
repairs may involve unfamiliar techniques
-
why
some 'problems' may be normal behaviour
-
why
some well-meant repairs can be damaging
©
Old House Info Ltd 2002 - 2011
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oldhouse.info aims to provide old house owners with relevant
conservation information
oldhouse.info
does not offer advice on individual buildings or specific problems
because individual site conditions cannot always be taken into
consideration
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What works where you are?
This site is about the UK but we welcome information about
conservation from other parts of the world
SITE SUMMARY
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Current articles:
Old
houses deal with damp by 'breathing'
Insulating
old houses and cottages
Old
house essentials
Recognising
& preserving the character of an old house
Movement
in old houses
Lime
& old house repairs
Paints
& paint removal
Home
maintenance checklist
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Village Design Statements
Villages up and down the UK are being asked to prepare documents to
assist the official planning process for the future of their locality.
The oldhouse info article
Recognising and preserving the character of an old house
may be useful in helping participants to interpret
historic building detail during the assessment process.
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