Restoring Period Features ‘Great Way To Add Value’

Homeowners who are looking for ways to boost the value of their residence should consider restoring its original features, as property experts have stated this will be a worthwhile return on investment.

The Express reported the latest from the Property Workshop, revealing some of the simple, but effective, tricks to boost a home’s appeal to potential buyers, as well as its price.

They said: “Bringing floorboards back to life in an older period property is a great way to add value without spending a fortune.”

According to the experts, natural stone, such as limestone, is particularly important to keep well-maintained, as it “is the only type of flooring that gets better as it ages”.

Therefore, those lucky enough to have this type of beautiful flooring in their properties should look after it well, as it can “last a lifetime”, while it also “adds a pinch of character”.

Homeowners with original wooden floors, such as in Victorian and Edwardian properties, should also consider sanding and re-staining their floorboards, as these remain very popular among homebuyers.

The property experts noted that giving floorboards a new lease of life will attract buyers, saying: “Even if your floor hasn’t worn out, it may be outdated in style.”

Houses built in these periods, between 1837 and 1910, have other beautiful features that are incredibly popular to homebuyers looking for old-fashioned homes, including cornices, ceiling roses and dado rails.

Therefore, it is worthwhile considering cornice restoration in London to enhance the original features of your home and be able to demand a higher price from buyers.

Ceiling of Liverpool’s St George’s Hall Undergoes Restoration

A historic restoration project is set to begin on the beautiful ceiling of Liverpool’s St George’s Hall. Museums and Heritage Advisor reports that for the first time in over 70 years, the ornate ceiling will be inspected and restored. A team of experts will assess the condition of the plasterwork, remove flaking paint, and carry out necessary repair work.

The interior barrel-vaulted ceiling is at a height of 82ft, and measures 72ft in width. The restoration scheme is expected to take around two months, and cost £250,000. The funding is provided by Liverpool City Council.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Councillor Harry Doyle commented: “With any building of this age, it’s inevitable areas are going to need a facelift or renovation work, and it’s imperative we take action as soon as possible to remedy the issues and ensure the Hall is in impeccable condition.”

Head of Heritage, Development and Preservation, Alan Smith, said: “I’ve spent a huge amount of time over the past decade transforming St George’s Hall into a major event space and wedding venue – and quite simply, people come to the venue because of how it looks.”

He added: “I’m biased, but there really isn’t anything out there that compares to what we have on offer, and as a result we can’t ignore it when restoration work needs to take place.”

The BBC reports that the Grade I listed building was opened in 1854, and is now a key cultural venue for Liverpool. It has also been featured in several TV shows and films over the years, most recently in the latest Batman film as Gotham City Hall. Previously, episodes of Peaky Blinders and scenes from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them have filmed there.

If you would like some information about lath & plaster, please talk to us today.

Plans To Turn Grade I Listed Castle Into Hotel Criticised By Local Council

A controversial plan to convert an 18th Century castle on the Isle of Wight into a five-star luxury hotel has faced considerable opposition, with claims that the development would harm the potential chance of an extensive listed building restoration.

Norris Castle, a Grade I listed castle on the Isle of Wight, has been owned by the Norris Castle Estate Group (NCEG) since 2016, with the intention of renovating the castle, abandoned since the death of previous owner Major Digby Coventry in 2014 into a luxury hotel.

The planning applications would convert the castle into 120 homes and a 74 room hotel, the former to be offered to local residents first before being sold on the open market, and the total cost of the conversion has been estimated to total over £107m, over £16m in repairs alone.

Amongst the many proposals are plans to convert farmhouse buildings into a spa and wellness centre, building dozens of luxury suites on the grounds itself to avoid the risk of landslip, as well as building 120 homes on Springhill Estate to mitigate the cost of the entire project.

Nearly every aspect of the proposal has been criticised, with detailed objections provided by the local East Cowes Town Council, who unanimously voted in opposition to the scheme and published a 12-page objection outlining their reasons why.

Their primary objections include, but are far from limited to the harm it would cause to Grade I and II listed buildings and structures, concerns about traffic in the area, issues with over-development, and objects to claims by NCEG that the development is necessary given the state of the building.

Other comments strongly criticised the proposals as creating a “millionaires’ playground” that had been justified by the Group as being necessary to minimise the number of new properties to be constructed and the overall harm to the estate.

The Isle of Wight council, the Local Planning Authority for the castle, is expected to make a decision in May 2022.

Historic Chapel Restoration Project Awarded £36k

A restoration project on a historic chapel in Kent has been awarded a grant of £36,000. The former 15th-century chapel is no longer in use and had been converted into a house early in its history, but has long been unoccupied and now in urgent need of repair.

BBC News reports that St Andrews Chapel in Boxley, Kent, is on the Heritage at Risk Register and was bought by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) in 2018. The former chapel once formed part of Boxley Abbey, and have been unoccupied since 1970.

The Grade II-listed chapel, which has been constructed using Kentish ragstone, has had many varied uses throughout its history, once being home to Tudor poet Thomas Wyatt, and was the Boxley village post office between the 1930s and 1960s.

The grant, awarded by Historic England, will help fund the design of an engineering solution to reinforce the west corner of the chapel, as well; as investigations into the causes of structural movement, which the building has experienced over the last 500 years.

Marion Brinton, from Historic England, said the organisation was ‘delighted’ to support the SPAB with the sensitive repair of the historic building.

“The many layers of history are evident in every room and by properly investigating the best way to support and repair the structural issues identified, we can ensure the correct solution is found to allow this building to live on,” he said.

If you’re looking for experts in listed building restoration, talk to us today.

When To Repair Plaster

There are many reasons plaster is a popular building material. It is easy to produce, malleable and suited to being used both indoors and out. But its durability is also crucial.

All this has helped influence is widespread use in London, not least because it is a key element of the Regency architecture seen in central and west London, with a few more isolated examples in Croydon.

As these buildings date back centuries, one may ask just how often that plaster has needed repairing. The answer will, of course, vary: anything from house fires to the Luftwaffe could account for damage to plasterwork in London down the years.

Nonetheless, over time plaster does suffer wear and tear, whether inside or out, just like any other material. While it should last indefinitely, it can crack, be stained, flake or be damaged by machinery or accidental damage.

Two key factors determine how long plaster lasts. Firstly, the quality of work and the kind of plaster used is critical. The second is the environment it will be exposed to. Outdoors, plaster will be subject to weathering, while inside it may be prone to human influences. For instance, staining is more likely if someone in the house smokes.

When it comes to repairs, it is important not to opt for cheap choices like plasterboard when repairing older, period piece plaster. It will be flat and stand out as a bland, dull patch amid a lot of delicately crafted and ornamental plaster, thus diminishing the aesthetic quality residents and visitors will have enjoyed and admired up to this point.

The other thing to bear in mind is that a high quality job will mean your plaster lasts longer, barring accidents. That means you will be able to enjoy the results of repaired cornices, coving and other features for many years to come without needing further work on it.

UK House Hunters Looking For Period Features

A recent survey has revealed that a fifth of UK homebuyers are seeking out properties with ‘originality’, and quirky characters and period features are now a must-have.

The Sun reports that the survey of 2,000 people in the UK aged between 25 and 65-years-old, and currently on the hunt for a new home, found that 12 per cent of respondents are looking out for untraditional properties with unique offerings, such as stables, churches, and even windmills.

Ten per cent of respondents want a concealed room or a herb garden, or a home with a sizeable basement. A further 17 per cent are looking for a garden office room. A total of 58 per cent of homebuyers are looking for a living space that reflects their style and personality.

The survey was commissioned by internet service provider TalkTalk, who teams up with TV interior designer Anna Richardson, who said: “When it comes to interior design, I’ve always loved the extraordinary – it’s the bold, unconventional and unique features that make a home individual to me.”

“While the aesthetic is important, I’m often using multiple devices while my home flexes between being a workspace, hangout for friends and family and a cosy den to catch up on my favourite shows.”

The study also revealed that the pandemic has impacted what 20 per cent of property hunters are looking for in a new home. A total of 65 per cent are looking for more space, and two-fifths are looking for a home close to work, while 45 per cent said that a fast and reliable internet connection is vital.

Jonathan Kini, managing director of TalkTalk Consumer and Direct Business, said: "Many of us are looking to extend our home or make use of more unconventional living spaces.”

If you’re looking for experts in listed building restoration, talk to us today.

How Old Is My Period Property?

Period homes continue to be hugely popular for Brits, and the large, roomy houses have been even more in demand as people seek out larger homes and properties with gardens following the lockdowns of the last couple of years.

But do you know how old your home is, or what era it belongs to? There may be times when you will need to know this, such as renewing your home insurance or looking for a better deal. We have a look at how to find out!

There can be a few different ways to find out the age of your home. Firstly, you should go and check any documentation from when you purchased the property. If you have the title deeds or title register that you will have received when you bought your home, then the construction date will be listed.

If you can’t find your title deeds, you can obtain new copies for £3 from the government website. Alternatively, you can get in touch with your local authority and ask when planning permission was granted for your property.

If this doesn’t give you any answers, then you should contact the company or person from whom you bought the property, as they would have had to fill out a TA6 property information form, which will include the date it was built.

Another idea would be to ask neighbours, as their homes may be built at or around the same period, and they may already know.

However, for much older properties, you may need to don a Deerstalker and start a little detective work to pin down the era in which it was built. The features of your home can indicate the era and style it belongs to, such as the flat, symmetrical eateries or Georgian era properties, or the geometric tiling and says windows of a Victorian home.

If you’re lucky, you may even be able to find a date stone on your property telling you when it was completed.

Another option you could try is searching the 2,000 properties listed on the government’s website or going through your local record office archives.

If you’re looking for experts in listed building restoration, talk to us today.

Where Is The Best Place To Buy A Period Home?

We all have a checklist when looking for a new home, maybe it has to be close to a network hub or local amenities, perhaps you want a larger garden, or ideally a house in the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of the city. But for many people, it is the draw of a period property.

But if you’re looking for historic beams, decorative cornicing, sash windows and glorious fireplaces, you may want to consider where is the best chance to find period features? We have a look at the best places to buy a period home, from the gorgeous period mansions of London to the beauty of Argyle and Bute in Scotland.

Property portal Zoopla has compiled a list of the best places in the UK with period properties for sale, all listed as either Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, or Tudor.

It may be of little surprise to anyone, but the number one spot was grabbed by London, as it is the region with the most period properties for sale, with 19 per cent of homes listed boasting period features.

In terms of boroughs, Haringey comes out on top, with more Edwardian, Victorian, Georgian and Tudor era properties than anywhere else in London. The city dominates the ranking, with seven London boroughs making it into the top ten, including Waltham Forest and Fulham.

Outside of the Capital, Brighton and Hove found itself in fifth place, with 24 per cent of properties being marketed as having period features.

Elsewhere, Argyll and Bute in Scotland is one of the rural areas with 15 per cent of properties for sale with character, and also one of the top five places to live in Scotland, surrounded by outstanding beauty, mountains, sea lochs, and 3,000 miles of coastline.

You can view the full top 10 below:

Haringey, London - 30 per cent

Waltham Forest, London - 28 per cent

Hammersmith and Fulham, London - 26 per cent

Richmond upon Thames, London - 26 per cent

Brighton and Hove, South East - 24 per cent

Merton, London - 23 per cent

Bristol, South West - 23 per cent

Kingston upon Thames, London - 22 per cent

Hastings, South East - 22 per cent

Lewisham, London - 22 per cent

If you’re looking for experts in listed building restoration, talk to us today