At the end of 2011 we completed a 14 month project involving repairs and alterations to a 16th century Shropshire farmhouse. Our clients moved into their new home and are delighted with the end result, saying “thank you for all your hard work over the last year restoring our home. We love living here and it’s wonderful to know it was restored with such care”

Our main project for 2012 is the repair and extension of a Shropshire cottage.

Shropshire Cottage – see photos

The cottage probably originates from the late eighteenth century and is constructed of local random rubble stone with a clay tile roof. As originally built, the cottage was a typical ‘two up, two down’ with a large chimney on the west gable. It was extended to the east, by one room on each floor with a chimney breast at the east end, probably in the mid-19C. It was later extended by a stone lean-to on the east gable and later again by a timber lean-to above a stone flag plinth on the south elevation. This cottage needs much repair including underpinning and rebuilding of one section of the north elevation wall. The cottage will be re-roofed using natural insulations and the overhang to all four elevations will be increased to throw rainwater off the walls to help protect them.

The main features of the project are:

• Re-roof with the incorporation of sheepswool insulation both between the rafters and beneath the rafters
• Repairs to existing lime plaster throughout
• New insulated limecrete floors throughout
• Removal of cement mortar and re-pointing in lime mortar to external walls and chimney stacks
• Bespoke joinery to include windows and doors throughout, with slim double glazed units. This means that our clients can have new traditional-style timber windows that provide excellent u values and look like single glazing to most untrained eyes
• Underpinning to one section of wall and re-build of another section of stone wall
• French drain to prevent surface water from penetrating the building and accelerating decay
• The incorporation of solar panels (pv)
• New plumbing and electric systems throughout

Later in the year we will extend the cottage to provide extra bedrooms and living space.

Herefordshire farmhouse

The timber frame to the East elevation of this 15th century house has been repaired and a softwood structural frame inserted internally for extra stability. The panels will be re-built with the original bricks and the whole wall will receive a protective coat of limewash.

Work is also continuing inside this house: a “missing” section of timber frame is being reinstated in the ground floor utility room and the massive 17th century fireplace has been opened up and the stonework has been pointed in lime mortar. A new wood burner has also been fitted – see photo

Herefordshire house

When the warmer weather arrives we will return to the former vicarage that we re-roofed a few years ago to apply lime render to the external walls. We are also supplying and fitting 11 new oak windows, all with high-performing slim double glazed units and new oak doors with bespoke ironmongery made by a blacksmith local to Leominster.