IF you buy an old property and are keen to keep it in its original style, or return it to its former glory, then your building work is likely to be slightly different from the norm.
It may be necessary to get up to speed on working with timber frames, or how to mix your own bees wax, so some reading beforehand may be called for.
The UK based Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) was formed by William Morris in 1877, to protect properties from the architects of Victorian Britain.
Today they provide a range of useful booklets and pamphlets that may prove useful if you buy an older property in France.
Unfortunately you can not buy and pay for them online through the website, you have to print off an order form and send in a cheque.
But they cover a wide range of subjects from repointing stone and brick walling, to the importance of letting older properties ‘breath’.
There are also some interesting articles on the site, although aimed at the UK buyer of older buildings, they provide commonsense advice that can easily be applied to France.
Naturally techniques are likely to be different between the two countries but if you at least have a grounding then you will feel a lot more comfortable when taking with local artisans.
Related article:
Building support from CAUE
Building tips from the past