Thanks for the encouragement and advice

[DaveBrigg]

About six months ago I posted here asking advice before we bought an old farmhouse. After many hours of trawling through this forum, and thoughtful encouragement from members, we took the plunge, and are now owners of a grade II building believed to date in part from 1535. Everything you predicted has come true - the building society survey said totally gut it and start again, but an expert report was far more sympathetic and clenched the mortgage. The costs have increased, the time we can move in is further away than ever, and family patience is wearing a little thin.
The advice on damp here has been brilliant too - a quick check revealed that the leaks in the roof and broken guttering fortunately prevented all the rainwater from running down the cracked downpipes and discharging directly into the raised ground, from where it soaked into the cement render and got below the plastic covered floor tiles.
The conservation officer was involved from the outset, and has been very supportive, and we have resisted advice to add a chemical damp proof and paint the outside with something from ICI.
There were also many wonderful surprises: a huge and totally intact bread oven behind the hardboard, a 7ft inglenook and Georgian shelf unit under the plastic cladding in the kitchen, and a sealed room behind the stairs. Below the tar paper, lino and two layers of carpet the kitchen still had its limestone flags, while removal of polystyrene ceiling tiles revealed some badly fitting plasterboard which in turn covered Georgian beams and floorboards. Even the dead rat which dropped out looked like it predated the civil war. So thanks to all those who have added to this forum, and especially Biff who was so helpful at the start.

 

[biffvernon]

Ahh, warms the cockles o' yer heart, d'n it.

 

[Penners]

D'you know - I've never been sure whether or not my heart has any cockles. Is there any reliable way of finding out?

 

[phil]

not without damaging the original fabric.....

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

What a lovely story! You got the house and you found all those hidden extra's and you don't intend to take the copious advice to ruin the building that you have been given.

I think that's great. Enjoy it, it will reward you all the way.

Sue

 

[Lime]

I'm pleased that you are enjoying your house.
The "finds" in old houses are quite exciting and sometimes almost double the pleasure of a freshly purchased house.
Your finds are what many peoples' dreams are made of.
My house had a few.
The first find was that the old owners had taken the stained glass from the front door and the Edwardian letter box and door knocker!!!!!!!!!
However they left behind some nice cut glass, old books, an Art Nouveau gas light with decorated glass shade and very heavy guilded brass electric ceiling lights.
In the diningroom behind the gasfire (emblazoned by the manufacturers "Gay Glow") and the hardboard stuck on the white painted fireplace was an Edwardian Art Nouveau fire hearth with William Morris style decorated tile surround.
The painted fireplace revealed itself to be white marble.
It looks nice now.

After a few months of ownership I had started to remove some of the Artex that covered nearly all the walls (!) and ceilings. The stuff was so sharp it took the skin off our elbows quite easily.
Under several layers of paint and paper I discovered that none of the rooms had been ever stripped before.
In each room was a cartouche on a wall in pencil of the paperhanger's signature, name and address and undersigned by "The Builder" with his address and around the outside of it was the day and date.
He took about 4-5 days to decorate each room between July and September 1906.
(I've just realised that it is exactly 100 years ago)

 

[DaveBrigg]

Interesting story 'Lime'. We found some original wallpaper too, beneath the plaster in the lounge. I suspect that this technique is not widespread, although the paper had been scratched to provide a key. We also discovered that our water supply came via the barn conversion next door :x . In an upstairs bedroom was a cardboard box full of 1890's magazines serialising the works of Dickens, which might be collectable if they weren't so damp.
By the time the project has been finished I hopeto be able to answer some of the questions on the forum, but until then I'll continue to be grateful for those who are offering their expertise so generously.