If, like me, you've survived renovating a listed building, you'll perhaps understand the use of the word survival. As dramatic as it might sound, taking on any house renovation can be challenging. Deciding to renovate a listed building adds in a whole other level of skill and determination, not just from you, but from your professional team too.
Whether it's the mysteries you uncover, the damage you find, or the planning constraints that can make design and purchasing more time consuming and costly, it's not a journey to take without gaining some understanding of just what's involved.
Along with the help of a listed building expert, we're here to explain the unofficial rules to follow to make sure you get the best result you can when renovating a listed building.
Where to start
Before you start on any listed building project, whether it's extending a listed building or renovating one, it's essential that you speak to experts – advice that Douglas Kent, technical and research director at The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) agrees with.
Although undertaking a cosmetic house renovation is possible without needing too many skilled tradespeople if you have excellent DIY skills and an eye for interior design, renovating a listed building is not something you can take on without the involvement and guidance of experts.
Without their knowledge and experience, it can be easy to fall into the trap of assuming you can apply modern construction methods to an older property – but the reality is, you often can't.
While you can of embrace modern architectural design in terms of adding contemporary extensions to old properties, or using current interior design trends, fixtures and fittings inside your home, it's the fabric of the building where you need a more delicate and informed touch.
When I started my listed building renovation, it began with choosing an architect who had experience of renovating and extending in this field, something that was relatively easy to establish using the find an architect function on the RIBA website.
In turn, they were able to recommend other experts such as structural engineers, quantity surveyors and the like, all of whom had a better understanding of what would be required. Likewise when going out to tender, I only considered building contractors who had experience with old properties.
Even if the renovation is on the smaller scale, "consult SPAB, Historic England (or local equivalents), or experienced craftspeople before removing or altering features," says Douglas.
"What looks like grime may in fact be historic decoration, for example, so use experts to be sure about what you’re working with and how it needs to be treated."
But, once you've built your specialist team and received the official rules and regulations regarding planning permission and listed building consent, I asked Douglas what are the unofficial rules you should follow to get the best end result?
Douglas Kent is a chartered building surveyor specialising in building conservation. He has worked in the public and private sectors, offering advice on historic buildings to a range of organisations such as the Ministry of Defence and English Heritage. His technical knowledge is underpinned by formal qualifications, including an MSc in the Conservation of Buildings, and the practical experience he has gained from leading volunteers' old building working parties as well as the renovation of his own grade I-listed, medieval, timber-framed house.
He publishes and lectures regularly on building conservation and has contributed to various radio and television programmes. He also serves on many committees for organisations devoted to the historic built environment. In 2013, he became Chairman of the Hundred Parishes Society.
Rule 1: Let old walls breathe
Renovating a listed building is about adding life to its bones, preserving it for future generations so that it lasts. It's why one of the most important jobs you can do is to ensure you treat the structure in particular the walls in the right way, advises Douglas Kent.
"Solid walls aren’t like modern cavity walls," explains Douglas. "They need to breathe or be 'moisture-open,' allowing the easy passage of moisture.
"Use materials that absorb and release moisture naturally, such as lime plaster and lime-based paints, or other appropriate paints made with natural ingredients to ensure breathability and prevent moisture buildup," he recommends.
Building products to steer clear of? "Avoid modern gypsum plaster or paints with poor breathability," says Douglas, "as they trap moisture and can lead to dampness and mould problems in older structures."
Research products such as the Dryzone Hi-Lime Finishing Plaster from B&Q to find the best option for your walls.
Rule 2: Respect original materials: Repair, don't replace
Douglas' next piece of advice is one that could save you money in the long run by helping to reduce your renovation costs.
"The SPAB approach to renovating listed buildings is 'as much as necessary, as little as possible'," shares Douglas. "The trick to a successful renovation is to maintain historic layers rather than creating a carbon-copy new version. So, don’t rip out old timber, stone floors, or plaster unnecessarily," he advises.
"These are often higher quality and more durable than modern replacements," he adds, meaning you could not only get the same end result, but one that lasts even longer.
Rule 3: Think carefully about what you upgrade
While adding energy efficient heating upgrades such as air source heat pumps can be possible when renovating a listed building, Douglas suggests that you don't need to assume you have to install new of everything. In fact, taking a step back and assessing what's best for the building is essential before you start gutting it.
"Before installing underfloor heating or ripping out windows, consider lighter-touch alternatives like secondary glazing or other heating options," says Douglas. "These can be more effective while preserving a building’s character."
In the case of windows, Douglas also notes that, "any single-glazed sash or timber windows can often be repaired and improved with secondary glazing, which may also provide better soundproofing than standard double glazing anyway."
But — be prepared to 'downgrade' too
Depending on the listed grade of the building, you may also find that you aren't granted permission to upgrade certain elements. And, while it can seem counter-intuitive to downgrade a home's energy efficiency, it was something I was told I had to do in order to protect the integrity of the original building.
Prior to the property being listed, it had been renovated and extended once before, and the previous owner had taken full advantage of the lack of protection to rip out some of the existing windows.
Rather than match what was there, he replaced them with brown uPVC double glazing. While it may have been a more energy efficient choice, the windows were totally at odds with the rest of the building's exterior.
It didn't go unnoticed by the local planning authority and as a result I was required to replace the double glazed windows with new single glazed bespoke windows that matched the remainder of the property.
Secondary glazing was also forbidden, which was frustrating, but one of the potential downsides you might encounter when renovating a listed building.
Rule 4: Take responsibility and expand your own knowledge too
Although the experts are on hand to advise you, it's important to do your own research too when renovating a listed building. Not to replace them, but to understand why certain measures and processes need to be used. These will often increase your budget, so knowing why can make the extra costs more palatable.
Knowledge is power after all, and it can also help ensure you employ the right experts and don't get fall foul of tradesmen who claim to know more than they actually do.
"Learn as much about your building as possible and then choose the approach that’s best-suited," says Douglas. "For example, don’t agree to inject damp-proof courses or use cement mortar on old walls. This will exacerbate any problems you may already have."
And, if you really want to have a hands on role in renovating your listed building, and prepare yourself for being its custodian for year to come, why not look at expanding your own skill set, suggests Douglas.
"Short lime mortar or plastering courses are widely available, for example," he says, "and can empower you to tackle small patch repairs yourself in the future."
Rule 5: Make on going maintenance a priority
The final rule for renovating a listed building is a lifetime one, as while you will hopefully have some time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour, old buildings rarely come without an ongoing commitment.
"Regular upkeep is key," says Douglas. "Small, timely repairs are cheaper and more effective than large interventions, and can often prolong the life of the better-quality, original features in older homes."
The main thing I learnt from renovating a listed building
Although I'd renovated a number of different properties prior to taking on a listed building, in hindsight I'd confess to being naive to what I was actually taking on. Firmly telling myself it couldn't be that different to renovating an old house, it was a case of diving feet first into the purchase and worrying about the logistics later.
Pretty quickly it became clear that whether it was finding architects, getting planning, sourcing materials or slowly uncovering what secrets the building held, there was only one entity in charge, and it wasn't me. It was the building itself.
I quickly discovered that the trick to renovating a listed building is to accept you will need to find different ways that will let you achieve the aesthetic results you want, while still respecting the way in which it was built and needs to be restored. It will never be a one size fits all approach and out of the box thinking will be key.
Giving in gracefully to the demands of the building was a learning curve, and not easy when I wanted to be in control of everything. But, once I accepted this was the way ahead, so the process became smoother.
The reality is, fighting a listed building is not the way to tackle such a project. Leaning in, respecting the history and taking all the advice you can get from experts is, and always will be, the best way forward.
Keen to learn more about listed buildings before you take the plunge? Find out what experienced renovator, Sarah Warwick wishes she knew before she bought a listed building and discover exactly what the different listed building grades mean and how they might affect your home renovation plans.
