Once you have bought the period property of your dreams, the real work begins. Some jobs will need professional help. Thatching is a traditional craft requiring high levels of skill and expertise. Similarly, stained glass in leaded lights in need of cleaning or repair to the leaded lights itself – such as re-leading – are jobs best left to specialists. But plenty of work remains for the DIY property renovator to carry out.
As with all major DIY projects plan your renovation. Renovate one room at a time, and be prepared for the property to look much worse than when you first bought it, before it begins to look better.
The work involved in renovating a period building will vary considerable depending on its condition and there are quite simply too many jobs to describe here. Remember, restoring a property is more about using the original features as much as possible rather than replacing them with modern day imitations.
Salvage what you can from the property. When replacements are necessary search for period originals at reclamation yards. Advice on period property and renovation is available from numerous sources including the websites listed below:
Period Property - www.periodproperty.co.uk
Period Features - www.periodfeatures.net
The National Trust - www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings - www.spab.org.uk
Institute of Historic Building Conversation - www.ihbc.org.uk
The Chartered Institute of Building Heritage Group - www.ciob.org.uk
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors - www.rics.org
The United Kingdom Institute of Conservation - www.ukic.org.uk
The British Building Limes Forum - www.buildingconservation.com
The British Woodworking Federation - www.bwf.org.uk
The Glass and Glazing Federation - www.ggf.org.uk
The World of Architectural Salvage and Antiques - www.salvo.co.uk