Can I Renovate My Period Home?

Renovating an old property can be one of the most rewarding ways to create an individual home packed with character – but before you start, you need to be sure the building can withstand the kind of scheme you want to undertake. Here are some key elements to consider prior to putting your cash into a project.

Construction materials

If your house was built before 1919, it’s likely to have been made using very different methods and materials to those that are available today. Pre-1919, popular construction products were stone, timber, lime, earth and clay, all of which are generally soft and permeable.

Unlike modern materials, which are designed to keep moisture out of the building envelope, these traditional components readily soak moisture up from their surroundings and facilitate its evaporation.

A good balance between absorption and evaporation prevents the building fabric from becoming damp. This is referred to as breathability.

This system works extremely well; hence many traditionally constructed buildings have survived for hundreds of years.

Unfortunately, it is very common for alterations and repairs to historic structures to incorporate modern materials, such as cement mortar and render or impermeable plaster and paint. These products will interfere with the equilibrium of water absorption and evaporation and the mixture of both can cause serious damp issues.

So, the first priority when you assess a heritage property should be to identify where inappropriate non-breathable materials have been used and consider what damage they might be causing.

Because most modern construction products are less flexible than the original materials underneath, they will tend to crack and let in water that is then trapped – a potential cause of damp.

Moisture and ventilation

Even in cases where the breathable performance of the building has not been compromised, its balance depends on it not being exposed to excessive levels of moisture. Issues are usually caused by rainwater.

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