Builder or other tradesmen who understands old Buildings

[Hoyle23]

Hello all,


I am looking for some reliable builders, surveyors or other tradesmen who understand old buildings and how they work. I have an old back to back house that was built in roughly 1905 with solid walls. However when anything goes wrong with the house I always get the same response from whoever comes to "diagnose" the problem and how to "resolve"...... A damp proof course. This is just a cover up of the problem imo and regardless of it is or isn't doesn't work with old buildings as they are designed to "breathe".


I live in Leeds and I am looking for any builders, tradesmen or general maintenance companies who have good experience when working with old properties and cover Leeds.


Any suggestions or advice with this would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,

Andrew.

 

[footprints]

I take your point but worth considering that if you wish to leave the building as it was first built to breath naturally.
You need to use all breathable paints like distemper having stripped any emulsion, remove central heating, open up fire places as the sole means of heating.
Remove fitted carpets and rely on rugs as floor covering.
Open up any blocked air vents, remove loft insulation and double glazing.
The howling gales that old houses had where huddling around a fire with your knees burning and your back freezing from the draught caused by the pull on the chimney allowed the house to breath.
I am not being sarcastic, just trying to point out that the way we live in houses now causes problems and a damp proof course is a solution to some of the problems modern living causes.

 

[vinn]

Hoyle23,

Can you be more exact and say what particular difficulties, if any, you are now experiencing with your house?

FWIW: damp proof courses have no effect on the " breathability" of a building.

IMO, injected DPC's are usually ineffective, and do much to disfigure the fabric of any building. Not to mention that injected chemicals are sometimes pumped into the place where you live.

Having said that, you have good reason to be suspicious of the knowledge and skill levels of many of those who claim to do Remedial work or have sympathetic knowledge of older buildings.