Hello all! I'm a newboy to the forum. I am about to undertake the renovation/restoration of a grade II listed farmhouse near Oxford. I'll attach some photos, if anyone can tell me how to do it, as I know you all like them! This house was owned by the council for the last 100 years or so and was divided into two in the 1930s, in the line of the main chimney stack (front to back). No work of any quality has been done on it for a long time, and all the work that was done was using modern materials and the cheapest available. I have been granted listed building consent and planning permission, the paperwork and drawings for which nearly killed me! We have a wonderful C.O. with whom I've had numerous conversations and meetings, and I have recently have a site visit with the building regs officer to try to get a feel for which of our works will involve him and the best way to satisfy his requirements. He is not used to old buildings but seems to be a resonable man, with whom I can do business! So far, so good.
Like many of you on this forum, I am trying to do as much of the work myself as possible but there are certain jobs which are beyond my abilities. I would like all work to be in traditional materials using traditional methods, if possible and I hoped that I might call upon your collective wisdom for advice on sourcing the following workmen, as I have no idea where to start:
1). A carpenter or joiner (ideally local) who could make matching windows to those on the front face of the property. There are quite a few windows to be made, not all identiaclly matching these.
2). A carpenter (not necessarily the same as for no.1) who can evaluate, reface/replace, and create lintels for exisiting and future windows and doors, as well as reinstate internal beams and joists, some of which have been brutally cut through by the previous owners (council!). In addition, there is an area of the house (red brick at the moment) which is timber framed (under concrete currently) which we would like to reinstate with wattle and daub infill panels. Ideally this carpenter would also be able to assess the current structual soundness of the frame and advise with it reinstatement.
3). A builder well used to working in lime mortar who can install the new windows as well as myriad other small jobs externally, before turning to the inside (which we hope to start work on in a year's time)
If you have any recommendations I would be thrilled, but otherwise simply a pointer as to where to start looking would be most welcome. I'm intending to do all the external repointing myself (after carefully chipping off the concrete with which they kindly covered it all of late) in lime mortar and I will repaint the woodwork myself. I think that I'll keep the stonework as it is, although it has had limewash in its past (still faintly present in places). I am also inclined to keep the lintels au natural, although many others around have painted theirs. Once the timber frame is reinstated we might limewash this wood, though, so we could do all woodwork to match. Any thoughts?
I've had so much pleasure taking out all the non-breathing additions to the inside and the house feels so much happier. I've got a huge job on my hands though, and quite a tight budget, and I'm already sensing that there will be a number of low points to face yet before I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully the general good cheer of this forum will see me through in the years ahead. Good to be on board!
Like many of you on this forum, I am trying to do as much of the work myself as possible but there are certain jobs which are beyond my abilities. I would like all work to be in traditional materials using traditional methods, if possible and I hoped that I might call upon your collective wisdom for advice on sourcing the following workmen, as I have no idea where to start:
1). A carpenter or joiner (ideally local) who could make matching windows to those on the front face of the property. There are quite a few windows to be made, not all identiaclly matching these.
2). A carpenter (not necessarily the same as for no.1) who can evaluate, reface/replace, and create lintels for exisiting and future windows and doors, as well as reinstate internal beams and joists, some of which have been brutally cut through by the previous owners (council!). In addition, there is an area of the house (red brick at the moment) which is timber framed (under concrete currently) which we would like to reinstate with wattle and daub infill panels. Ideally this carpenter would also be able to assess the current structual soundness of the frame and advise with it reinstatement.
3). A builder well used to working in lime mortar who can install the new windows as well as myriad other small jobs externally, before turning to the inside (which we hope to start work on in a year's time)
If you have any recommendations I would be thrilled, but otherwise simply a pointer as to where to start looking would be most welcome. I'm intending to do all the external repointing myself (after carefully chipping off the concrete with which they kindly covered it all of late) in lime mortar and I will repaint the woodwork myself. I think that I'll keep the stonework as it is, although it has had limewash in its past (still faintly present in places). I am also inclined to keep the lintels au natural, although many others around have painted theirs. Once the timber frame is reinstated we might limewash this wood, though, so we could do all woodwork to match. Any thoughts?
I've had so much pleasure taking out all the non-breathing additions to the inside and the house feels so much happier. I've got a huge job on my hands though, and quite a tight budget, and I'm already sensing that there will be a number of low points to face yet before I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully the general good cheer of this forum will see me through in the years ahead. Good to be on board!
