Cherish Your Home’s True Style Part Three

Choose your builder wisely - if you are using a main contractor, always go for a firm with an established reputation for historic building work. Find out who will be managing the project and taking responsibility for quality control. Request references and follow them up – visit previous projects and speak to past clients. Ask about the individual tradesmen – have they been with the company for long, are they fully qualified?

Keep a handle on finances - if you are working to a fixed price contract, make sure any changes to the original design are written down. Get them priced up before work starts, otherwise you risk being overcharged for bolt-on ‘extras’. Ask your builder for a monthly invoice for work completed up to that date. Check individual costs/items in detail. Don’t pay for goods that are not on site or for work that hasn’t been fully completed.

And finally - be prepared to compromise. Period property wasn’t designed for high octane modern living. Space and light enhance any living environment, but you may have to compromise if you want to savour the period splendours of a traditional home.