- Thread starter DERYN
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Hi Deryn,
Welcome to the forum. I can't answer all your questions sorry.
1) Generally I would have thought that you could get a small mortgage based on the value of the land but as it is listed you can't demolish and the cost of repair maybe more than it is worth. You may therefore have problems. I'm not an expert though so suggest you contact a few mortgage companies that deal with renovations and see what they say.
2) Don't know. People here have commented that grants are very difficult to get hold of and aren't commonly given out to people renovating there own homes.
3) Everything (as long as it is done correctly). Many people here are doing their own properties up.
4) Don't know. I would have thought so.
Before you buy work out your budgets carefully. Very carefully. Then double or triple the number you came up with. Then add some more on for luck....
A chat with the local CO before you buy is probably time well spent too.
Welcome to the forum. I can't answer all your questions sorry.
1) Generally I would have thought that you could get a small mortgage based on the value of the land but as it is listed you can't demolish and the cost of repair maybe more than it is worth. You may therefore have problems. I'm not an expert though so suggest you contact a few mortgage companies that deal with renovations and see what they say.
2) Don't know. People here have commented that grants are very difficult to get hold of and aren't commonly given out to people renovating there own homes.
3) Everything (as long as it is done correctly). Many people here are doing their own properties up.
4) Don't know. I would have thought so.
Before you buy work out your budgets carefully. Very carefully. Then double or triple the number you came up with. Then add some more on for luck....
A chat with the local CO before you buy is probably time well spent too.
Flyfisher
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Hi DERYN and welcome to the forum.
As you probably already know, listed buildings require Listed Building Consent for alterations and this is usually administered through the local council planning department under the guidance of a Conservation Officer (CO) or Historic Buildings Officer. I don't know if the process differs slightly in Wales compared to England, but I'd be surprised if it is radically different. Anyway, there are others on here who will definitely know. My point is that it will be well worth your while to contact the relevant person as soon as possible to discuss your plans for the property. Assuming you wish to restore the property in a sensitive manner then you'll probably find them to be very helpful - after all, they want to see the property is well looked after as much as you. That's certainly my experience.
To answer your specific questions:
1. I don't believe being listed has much influence on being able to obtain a mortgage. A lender probably doesn't really care much about the state of the property as such, but it will of course affect the amount they are prepared to lend and if it is very dilapidated they may not offer very much. I've read about "self-build" mortgages where the lender agrees an overall amount based on the likely final value of the project but only releases the money in stages. This is so that they never lend out more than they could recover if the project goes wrong and they have to recover their loan. One thing to be wary about is the mortage company specifying certain works to the property that may not be appropriate for a listed building due to their, often, lack of specialised knowledge. Damp-proofing is a common issue raised here. The CO should be able to help in such cases.
2. Grants: my experience is that, while they may be available, they will probably be quite small and probably come with all sorts of stipulations that are unhelpful for a DIY project, i.e. you may be required to only use approved companies. Your CO should be able to advise on possible sources and you'll have to discuss directly with them.
3. You should be aby to DIY the entire project, if you wish, providing you are capable of doing the work to an adequate standard. If the property was grade 1 there might be more regulation, but I've done most of the repairs and alterations on our G2+ house with no problems - although I've taken advice and had help from specialists where necessary. Again, your CO is the person to guide you on this, together with an honest assessment of your own abilities.
4. I would think so, indeed the planning consent might still be valid, depending on when it was originally issued. Again, your CO should be able to advise.
You'll have no doubt detected a theme to all these answers: talk to the relevant CO. Basically they are responsible for the well-being of the listed property - its 'guardian' if you like - and will probably be the most important person you deal with regarding your plans for the property. An early discussion with the CO is, in my experience, the best thing you can do before taking on a listed building project.
Good luck with everything - please keep in touch and let us know how things proceed.
As you probably already know, listed buildings require Listed Building Consent for alterations and this is usually administered through the local council planning department under the guidance of a Conservation Officer (CO) or Historic Buildings Officer. I don't know if the process differs slightly in Wales compared to England, but I'd be surprised if it is radically different. Anyway, there are others on here who will definitely know. My point is that it will be well worth your while to contact the relevant person as soon as possible to discuss your plans for the property. Assuming you wish to restore the property in a sensitive manner then you'll probably find them to be very helpful - after all, they want to see the property is well looked after as much as you. That's certainly my experience.
To answer your specific questions:
1. I don't believe being listed has much influence on being able to obtain a mortgage. A lender probably doesn't really care much about the state of the property as such, but it will of course affect the amount they are prepared to lend and if it is very dilapidated they may not offer very much. I've read about "self-build" mortgages where the lender agrees an overall amount based on the likely final value of the project but only releases the money in stages. This is so that they never lend out more than they could recover if the project goes wrong and they have to recover their loan. One thing to be wary about is the mortage company specifying certain works to the property that may not be appropriate for a listed building due to their, often, lack of specialised knowledge. Damp-proofing is a common issue raised here. The CO should be able to help in such cases.
2. Grants: my experience is that, while they may be available, they will probably be quite small and probably come with all sorts of stipulations that are unhelpful for a DIY project, i.e. you may be required to only use approved companies. Your CO should be able to advise on possible sources and you'll have to discuss directly with them.
3. You should be aby to DIY the entire project, if you wish, providing you are capable of doing the work to an adequate standard. If the property was grade 1 there might be more regulation, but I've done most of the repairs and alterations on our G2+ house with no problems - although I've taken advice and had help from specialists where necessary. Again, your CO is the person to guide you on this, together with an honest assessment of your own abilities.
4. I would think so, indeed the planning consent might still be valid, depending on when it was originally issued. Again, your CO should be able to advise.
You'll have no doubt detected a theme to all these answers: talk to the relevant CO. Basically they are responsible for the well-being of the listed property - its 'guardian' if you like - and will probably be the most important person you deal with regarding your plans for the property. An early discussion with the CO is, in my experience, the best thing you can do before taking on a listed building project.
Good luck with everything - please keep in touch and let us know how things proceed.
Welcome to the forum
Just on the subject of grants, it is usual that grants are not available to buildings in the first 2-3 years following purchase. The reasoning being that the sale/purchase price should have accounted for work required....this is to prevent grants funding inflated sale prices rather than much needed repairs/conservation.
A though that may be echoed by others here...I would never approach the renovation of a listed building as a financial investment opportunity. There are many other rewards to renovating a listed building, but your finances are unlikely to benefit. If you are looking for an investment, then I would suggest steering clear of listed buildings.
Just on the subject of grants, it is usual that grants are not available to buildings in the first 2-3 years following purchase. The reasoning being that the sale/purchase price should have accounted for work required....this is to prevent grants funding inflated sale prices rather than much needed repairs/conservation.
A though that may be echoed by others here...I would never approach the renovation of a listed building as a financial investment opportunity. There are many other rewards to renovating a listed building, but your finances are unlikely to benefit. If you are looking for an investment, then I would suggest steering clear of listed buildings.
philpjuk100
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I think you can get v.a.t. refunds on aproved alterations but not repairs/maintenance on listed buildings(crazy!)
Well, brilliant, a response that has encouraged me.
It seems a mortgage is a possibility then. A chat to a couple of brokers will clarify things.
I hear what you are saying about grants. I can see the logic behind stipulating certain tradesmen and groups to carry out certain work but that would defeat my DIY ambitions.
I am quite good with DIY and modernizing our house has certainly kept me busy, but I'm almost finished, and hey, I probably have every type of tool available now! The internet has been a fantastic source of info that's for sure. I'm sure I could handle most if not all the work needed on a renovation and it's good to hear that others do the same.
An extension would be a must, with this cottage anyway, as it lacks living space. The good thing about the cottage is it a long cottage which has a lovely perspective from the front. Any extention put on the back would be almost out of view and the character of the cottage would be kept.
An investment ? I am convinced that this cottage would certainly not be a good investment. This project would involve living in a static caravan, and the renovation would be long term and would probably provide us with our final home. So making a profit isn't our thinking. It has more to do with bringing an important and characterful cottage back to life.
NOW, I have a viewing in a couple of days, but so do quite a few others if what the estate agent said is true ! As far as the asking price goes, an offer just £5000 under has already been offered. The asking price will be reached, no problem. I would certainly offer the asking price. How do sellers choose a buyer if there are a few offering the asking price ?
The problem so far with properties I have looked at is that they sit on acres of land. Okay, I would like a little bit of land but not too many acres. Most of what I have seen would just sit empty. And what the land does is UP the asking price ! Most of the land is only good for grazing 30 or so sheep and a few cattle.
I shall go along to the viewing but only to have a look at the inside the cottage and ask a few questions. I'm sure someone who doesn't need to sell will be interested so . . .
thanks again for the encouragement,
DERYN
It seems a mortgage is a possibility then. A chat to a couple of brokers will clarify things.
I hear what you are saying about grants. I can see the logic behind stipulating certain tradesmen and groups to carry out certain work but that would defeat my DIY ambitions.
I am quite good with DIY and modernizing our house has certainly kept me busy, but I'm almost finished, and hey, I probably have every type of tool available now! The internet has been a fantastic source of info that's for sure. I'm sure I could handle most if not all the work needed on a renovation and it's good to hear that others do the same.
An extension would be a must, with this cottage anyway, as it lacks living space. The good thing about the cottage is it a long cottage which has a lovely perspective from the front. Any extention put on the back would be almost out of view and the character of the cottage would be kept.
An investment ? I am convinced that this cottage would certainly not be a good investment. This project would involve living in a static caravan, and the renovation would be long term and would probably provide us with our final home. So making a profit isn't our thinking. It has more to do with bringing an important and characterful cottage back to life.
NOW, I have a viewing in a couple of days, but so do quite a few others if what the estate agent said is true ! As far as the asking price goes, an offer just £5000 under has already been offered. The asking price will be reached, no problem. I would certainly offer the asking price. How do sellers choose a buyer if there are a few offering the asking price ?
The problem so far with properties I have looked at is that they sit on acres of land. Okay, I would like a little bit of land but not too many acres. Most of what I have seen would just sit empty. And what the land does is UP the asking price ! Most of the land is only good for grazing 30 or so sheep and a few cattle.
I shall go along to the viewing but only to have a look at the inside the cottage and ask a few questions. I'm sure someone who doesn't need to sell will be interested so . . .
thanks again for the encouragement,
DERYN
JoceAndChris
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Hi Deryn and welcome to the forum.
I hope this doesn't sound too pompous but I would imagine that most people selling a property they cared about would want to see it going to safe hands, to someone who loved it and who wanted to enjoy what it is, not change it beyond all recognition into something that it isn't.
When the previous owner of my house came back last summer and viewed some of the changes we'd made he was not a bit pleased. That pine tree that we thought so unnecessary he'd planted and watched grow -etc.
So, with that in mind, please take it easy with expressions like "modernisation" "renovation" " bring back to former glory" "investment" if you get to meet the owners. I wouldn't sell my house to anyone who used those terms - I'd want to hear "sensitive repair", maybe "restoration". I'd want the buyer to feel that he would be the next guardian of the precious history I'd worked hard to conserve. Most of all I wouldn't want to hear any plans for change but just a lot of gushing about what's already here. Even the whole extension thing, sorry, I think you're on shaky ground. Why buy a house to extend it? Why not just buy a bigger house? Why buy a house to modernise it? Why not just buy a modern house?
DERYN said:
I hope this doesn't sound too pompous but I would imagine that most people selling a property they cared about would want to see it going to safe hands, to someone who loved it and who wanted to enjoy what it is, not change it beyond all recognition into something that it isn't.
When the previous owner of my house came back last summer and viewed some of the changes we'd made he was not a bit pleased. That pine tree that we thought so unnecessary he'd planted and watched grow -etc.
So, with that in mind, please take it easy with expressions like "modernisation" "renovation" " bring back to former glory" "investment" if you get to meet the owners. I wouldn't sell my house to anyone who used those terms - I'd want to hear "sensitive repair", maybe "restoration". I'd want the buyer to feel that he would be the next guardian of the precious history I'd worked hard to conserve. Most of all I wouldn't want to hear any plans for change but just a lot of gushing about what's already here. Even the whole extension thing, sorry, I think you're on shaky ground. Why buy a house to extend it? Why not just buy a bigger house? Why buy a house to modernise it? Why not just buy a modern house?
The choose the one with the smallest chain, the one with finance in place, the cash buyer and / or the one that offers over the asking price...DERYN said:
Note also that you will have to learn new skills to correctly do up an old building compared to what you have learnt with a modern property. They are not hard or complicated, just different and generally more time consuming. If you buy the property, outline your plans here before you start anything as this could save you time, money and grief.
And speak to the CO today if you are thinking of placing an offer.
Penners
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Hi Deryn - I hope we'll be able to be of help to you with your listed building project (assuming you make the purchase).philpjuk100 said:
Phil is correct that alterations (but not repairs) to a listed building can be zero-rated for VAT. But you cannot get refunds. The only way to benefit from this scheme is to get a VAT-registered builder to carry out the work, and not to charge you VAT for doing so.
So DIY works can never benefit from VAT zero-rating, and you can't get a VAT refund on your material purchases.
Reverting back to your questions, I broadly agree with everything that MdB and Flyfisher have said. On Q3, I should perhaps add that there are considerable limitations on what you can DIY on your electrics. You're not forbidden from carrying out the work yourself, but if you do so you must get it checked and certified by a qualified electrician or your local Building Inspector. That's a legal requirement.
If you have gas, there are even tighter restrictions. Only a Corgi-registered installer is permitted to work on gas installtions.
I expect you're aware that you must get Listed Building Consent for any changes that you intyend to carry out to the building. Only strictly like-for-like repairs can be carried out with this consent.
Welcome to the forum!
>How do sellers choose a buyer if there are a few offering the asking price ?
It depends on the seller. Some will choose based on the ability of the buyer(s) to come up with the funds, exchange and complete quickly OR if the seller is moving but hasn't bought their ability to wait until the seller is ready. If there are several asking price offers some buyers will move to sealed bids where you (unsurprisingly) have to bid what you're prepared to pay above the current asking price by a certain day then the seller will pick a winner - usually the highest offer but not always.
Be very careful using terms like restoration, renovation and modernisation. Many of us have spent a lot of time and money trying to unpick unsympathetic 'modernisation' of our period properties. I'm not a fan of what I call "restoration" in my home - I consider indoor plumbing, electric lighting and central heating to be essential in a 21st Century home
. I haven't "modernised" my house either as I think laminate floors, flat white walls would be offensive in the Georgian/Victorian living rooms. What I've been trying to do is "renovate" my house by retaining and refurbishing what I can of the original structure to last a(nother) lifetime, doing the conversion work to a high standard using materials that are designed to last and making the difference clear for the next person who needs to give the house a 50 year service. Obviously in any project you have to make some compromises but that's what I've been trying to do so far.
The cottage sounds interesting and I hope you get the opportunity to make it a home. There is plenty of useful and free advice here so do keep coming back to share your experience and ask others for theirs.
>How do sellers choose a buyer if there are a few offering the asking price ?
It depends on the seller. Some will choose based on the ability of the buyer(s) to come up with the funds, exchange and complete quickly OR if the seller is moving but hasn't bought their ability to wait until the seller is ready. If there are several asking price offers some buyers will move to sealed bids where you (unsurprisingly) have to bid what you're prepared to pay above the current asking price by a certain day then the seller will pick a winner - usually the highest offer but not always.
Be very careful using terms like restoration, renovation and modernisation. Many of us have spent a lot of time and money trying to unpick unsympathetic 'modernisation' of our period properties. I'm not a fan of what I call "restoration" in my home - I consider indoor plumbing, electric lighting and central heating to be essential in a 21st Century home
. I haven't "modernised" my house either as I think laminate floors, flat white walls would be offensive in the Georgian/Victorian living rooms. What I've been trying to do is "renovate" my house by retaining and refurbishing what I can of the original structure to last a(nother) lifetime, doing the conversion work to a high standard using materials that are designed to last and making the difference clear for the next person who needs to give the house a 50 year service. Obviously in any project you have to make some compromises but that's what I've been trying to do so far.The cottage sounds interesting and I hope you get the opportunity to make it a home. There is plenty of useful and free advice here so do keep coming back to share your experience and ask others for theirs.
Penners
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The straight answer to your question is probably - they don't! They wait until someone pushes the price higher. But, as AMc has said, the agents will also look carefully at the potential buyers' ability to pay up promptly and without any problems.DERYN said:
Is the house for sale purely on the basis of inviting offers? Or is the agent inviting informal tenders? If the latter, then it's worth including in your bid envelope some sort of proof that you have the full funds available. A letter to this effect from your solicitor is a good plan.
We bought a house on an informal tender basis some years ago, and we were successful for the above reason.
The offer principle is the same, however you buy:-
* Decide how much money you have available in total.
* Decide what you think the repairs and renovations will cost.
* Add a good margin for unseen problems - 30% as a minimum, I suggest.
* Based on these figures, decide how much you can afford to offer. If others have already offered the asking price, then - if you can afford it - offer a higher figure.
By the way, this is probably obvious, but if you're planning to make any changes to the house do make sure that you talk them over with the Conservation Officer before you make your offer. You don't want to buy the house with grand plans in your mind, and then discover that you are prevented from carrying them out.
And if you're planning to live on site in a caravan, remember that this will require planning permission.
JoceAndChris
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AMc said:
I admire the marvellous spirit with which you're undertaking your massive project AMc but allow me just to pay a little tribute to the long-dead plasterers of 1714-1901, who I'm sure tried damn hard to make it as flat and smooth as possible and, if we're talking about simple cottages, frequently white-washed over the top. The wonkiness and character of age is to be loved and preserved, but let's not fool ourselves that our houses started life as charmingly lumpy, cracked, dinted and bashed as they currently are.
When I do my lime-plastering I'll go on a course, and try to make it as perfect as possible.
You're of course right that the decorative schemes of the Victorians didn't favour much plain white,(!) http://www.bradbury.com/victorian/centennial.html
but "off-white" was a Georgian favourite.
Sorry, I'll shut up now!
Penners
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I suspect that AMc was using the word "flat" to mean matt, rather than the opposite of lumpy.
Joseandchris, hi, thanks for the reply, I can't put text into boxes yet !
'Even the whole extension thing, sorry, I think you're on shaky ground. Why buy a house to extend it? Why not just buy a bigger house? Why buy a house to modernise it? Why not just buy a modern house?'
I talked with the agents today and they tell me plans for an extension were accepted a while back. This was good news for me, although I do understand the point you are making. But here in North Wales there are a lot of long cottages that are running into disrepair and then becoming vandalized and ruins because we live in age of inside toilets and bathrooms and these cottages just don't have room for them. The cottage I am looking at has an outside toilet and no bathroom at all. How practical it is to live without a bathroom I'm not sure. But I do remember practically sticking to an outside toilet once in a big freeze when I was younger ! I would say that most old cottages that have been restored in my little area of Wales have some sort of extension to accommodate modern living. I do know of a couple that have remained as they were but these cottages look uncared for and run down. Like I said, I do see where you are coming from. At least with my renovation plans for this cottage the extension would be almost out of view from every angle at the rear of the property. The whole frontage would retain it's character and charm.
The cottage in question has a historical place in the village it is situated in and is even included as part of the local school syllabus so I'm sure that any drastic and ugly alterations will just not be allowed. But I do feel that some cottages wouldn't mind a little bit added on with loving care rather than run ruin.
thanks again,
DERYN
'Even the whole extension thing, sorry, I think you're on shaky ground. Why buy a house to extend it? Why not just buy a bigger house? Why buy a house to modernise it? Why not just buy a modern house?'
I talked with the agents today and they tell me plans for an extension were accepted a while back. This was good news for me, although I do understand the point you are making. But here in North Wales there are a lot of long cottages that are running into disrepair and then becoming vandalized and ruins because we live in age of inside toilets and bathrooms and these cottages just don't have room for them. The cottage I am looking at has an outside toilet and no bathroom at all. How practical it is to live without a bathroom I'm not sure. But I do remember practically sticking to an outside toilet once in a big freeze when I was younger ! I would say that most old cottages that have been restored in my little area of Wales have some sort of extension to accommodate modern living. I do know of a couple that have remained as they were but these cottages look uncared for and run down. Like I said, I do see where you are coming from. At least with my renovation plans for this cottage the extension would be almost out of view from every angle at the rear of the property. The whole frontage would retain it's character and charm.
The cottage in question has a historical place in the village it is situated in and is even included as part of the local school syllabus so I'm sure that any drastic and ugly alterations will just not be allowed. But I do feel that some cottages wouldn't mind a little bit added on with loving care rather than run ruin.
thanks again,
DERYN
JoceAndChris
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Fair enough! I'm very nosey and like to know specifically what everyone's up to. (not that it's really any of my business) Just checking you weren't planning this sort of thing:
!!
I'm pretty purist and prefer ruins to modernised monstrosities but even I concede that you may be granted the luxury of weeing indoors. Good luck with it; it sounds absolutely lovely and we'd love to hear all about it.
!!
I'm pretty purist and prefer ruins to modernised monstrosities but even I concede that you may be granted the luxury of weeing indoors. Good luck with it; it sounds absolutely lovely and we'd love to hear all about it.
JoceAndChris
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PS To include our quotations click quote in the top right hand corner of the post you'd like to refer to. It'll quote the whole thing, you'll have to delete out the bits you don't want. If you're already typing your reply, you can scroll down the page, highlight the bit you want, and then click quote, and you'll only get the sentence you need.
JoceAndChris
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Penners said:
Apologies to AMc if that's the case and I'm telling him a load of old baloney he already knows!
I'm not sure I deserve such praiseJoceAndChris said:
In truth much of the old girl left to preserve - the windows were replaced bar 7 of which we have refurbished 5. There were numerous new windows & doors cut in, chimneys were stripped out, walls knocked out etc. While lots of that breaks my heart it does allow a certain amount of freedom in changing what's here now into what suits us. The conversion of the argricultural stores and vinery also gives us free reign to make larger more practical rooms without damaging the context of the older residential part of the house - or making it look like it's been rodgered by a barrat home al a that picture 
I completely agree that my walls would once have been perfectly true and even, but they aren't any more and to face them all with plasterboard to acheive a 'modern' interior would be out of keeping with the age of the place. Some of the original ceilings have been replaced with plasterboard for reasons unknown and it really jars with the rest of the house which (like the rest of us) has developed sags and bulges with age. That was what I was trying to get at.
I hope in DERYN's case there is scope for a quality extension that adds to the building and allows it to function as a 21C home without the 'need' to knock the hell out of the original structure as was done here.
Hey Joseandchris, I know exactly what you mean. I've spotted a few cottages with hideous extensions. I'm just baffled sometimes when I see an extension to what was a lovely cottage with character. Plastic this, plastic that . . . drives covered in stones of all colours ! I think sometimes it might be down to tight budgets but I think I would rather wait until I had the money to replace things correctly.
But you have got me thinking. The cottage started as many do as a double windowed front. Then at some stage the cottage got longer and a stable and a barn were added onto the existing cottage. Being made from the same materials as the main cottage the stable and barn match nicely. Perhaps the stable and barn could provide room for a bathroom etc.
This does raise a question - can the existing cottage be knocked through into the stable and then the barn ? Would this be classed as an internal modification or a structural modification ?
DERYN
But you have got me thinking. The cottage started as many do as a double windowed front. Then at some stage the cottage got longer and a stable and a barn were added onto the existing cottage. Being made from the same materials as the main cottage the stable and barn match nicely. Perhaps the stable and barn could provide room for a bathroom etc.
This does raise a question - can the existing cottage be knocked through into the stable and then the barn ? Would this be classed as an internal modification or a structural modification ?
DERYN
Hi Deryn
we have just bought at auction an old, pretty derelict, farmhouse in SE Wales and didn't have a problem getting a mortgage but we are possibly longer in the tooth than you and therefore have many years of credit rating on our old property. But they seemed quite keen to lend actually. The house was only listed 4yrs ago and the conservation officer is so pleased that we are going to 'restore to former glory' that she has been very accommodating so far. She did say that the planning panel always want to change something you propose .
We checked out whether to try for a CADW grant but you have to have conservation planning consent before you even apply - then they promise to get back to within 18 weeks (!). I have also heard that they are running out of funding so it may depend on how historically valuable they consider the property. So it may depend on how long you are prepared to wait and whether, after what has already taken us 6 months, you are prepared to wait 18 further weeks before you know if you have a grant or not. The CADW site is quite helpful on all this. We may still try (should get our consent shortly) but I am increasingly keen to just get on with it, really. I have also checked out other grants but losing the will to live on all that.
Good luck though if you did decide to go ahead. It's the BEST fun I've had for years - though I might not be so enthusiastic once the real building works start.
we have just bought at auction an old, pretty derelict, farmhouse in SE Wales and didn't have a problem getting a mortgage but we are possibly longer in the tooth than you and therefore have many years of credit rating on our old property. But they seemed quite keen to lend actually. The house was only listed 4yrs ago and the conservation officer is so pleased that we are going to 'restore to former glory' that she has been very accommodating so far. She did say that the planning panel always want to change something you propose .
We checked out whether to try for a CADW grant but you have to have conservation planning consent before you even apply - then they promise to get back to within 18 weeks (!). I have also heard that they are running out of funding so it may depend on how historically valuable they consider the property. So it may depend on how long you are prepared to wait and whether, after what has already taken us 6 months, you are prepared to wait 18 further weeks before you know if you have a grant or not. The CADW site is quite helpful on all this. We may still try (should get our consent shortly) but I am increasingly keen to just get on with it, really. I have also checked out other grants but losing the will to live on all that.
Good luck though if you did decide to go ahead. It's the BEST fun I've had for years - though I might not be so enthusiastic once the real building works start.