Journal

Notes on old houses, and the work of bringing them back.

Why we work with period stock, how we judge it, and what the work actually involves — written from our projects across the East Midlands.

Why we prefer old houses

New-build is efficient to deliver and easy to warranty. We choose the harder path — and we think the reasons are worth explaining.

Not every terrace justifies the work. Here is what we look for before we commit — and what makes us walk away.

Floor area is what agents measure. Proportion is what you actually live in. The two are not the same thing.

The words are used interchangeably. They shouldn't be — they describe opposite instincts, and the difference shows in the finished house.

What 'unmodernised' really means, what it costs to put right, and why Nottingham's period stock is a particular opportunity.

Doors, skirtings, balustrades and architraves are the handwriting of a house. Once removed, they cannot truly be replaced.

Yes — but not by treating it like a new-build. The methods that work are different, and the order you do them in matters.

The label is everywhere and rarely explained. Here is what VOCs are, why they matter in a freshly finished home, and what we specify.

Furnishing is usually treated as an afterthought. Done properly, it is part of the product — and the market pays for it.

Buildings like Hine Hall and The Cedars hold some of the region's most extraordinary flats. They also hold particular challenges.