Period properties are stunning buildings that make beautiful and very impressive homes, especially in Harrogate. We’re lucky to have such a variety of these striking period buildings in our town, however there are certain things to watch out for when buying or maintaining a period property.

1. Watch out for any worn areas or features of a period property as they can be quite complicated to fix. 

When it comes to period homes, the majority of owners want to maintain the period features in their property. You wouldn’t replace the original wooden floor boards with laminate flooring, as it would look out of place and de value your home. But, period property owners, can’t just replace features with just anything, but the real thing can be difficult to replicate and can be expensive to get made.

 The key is to find experts that have experience of replicating these stunning period features at a fair price. Chase joinery and Metal Products have successfully taken on heritage projects which has involved replicating traditional sash windows to period mouldings. All their work is to a high standard and of the highest quality.

2. Colder weather can also be a challenge when it comes to heating the entire house, due to the fact that stunning original period features such as windows, rapidly lose heat from lack of insulation and double glazing. Watch out for draughty windows - if the property loses heat, your energy bills will be bigger than expected.  It’s always a good idea to visit a property on a windy day to stress test the insulation of your potential period home.

If the original windows and doors are letting the heat out, you ideally need to replace new windows and doors that look a beautiful as the original but have the benefits of modern technology when it comes to insulation. Derry Construction are experienced builders when it comes to period restoration. Derry Construction can provide your period home with bespoke double glazed windows, and good quality timber doors that replicate the original features. They will fit them to a high standard with the minimum about of disruption to the household.

 3. For anyone that has a large period home they will know cleaning can be a mammoth task! Dust and dirt constantly gets blown in through the drafty floor boards and through the gaps under and around the doors.

A quick solution would be to lay a carpet over the floor boards, but the original floor boards are usually a beautiful feature in period property. Instead of covering them up, get an expert like Chase Joinery and Metal Products to take up the original floor boards and install insulation underneath. The insulation you put under your floor boards will keep your property warm and stop dust getting in through those gaps.

4. Watch out for drainage issues. A lot of older period properties are likely to have old clay pipes which can be damaged due to factors such as ages or subsidence of the property. If clay pipes in your period home crack, it will be a big job replacing them. Make sure you have a drainage survey before purchasing any period home.

Make sure any external drainage such as guttering and rainwater hoppers are clear. If drains outside get blocked, rain can run down the side of your period home. Then there becomes a risk of damp developing. Why is this you ask? Period properties usually have solid walls meaning there aren’t cavities between the different layers of the wall. This then means water will be absorbed straight through the wall causing damp to develop.

 5. Watch out for untreated timber. Due to the high amount of structural work in period homes that is made from timber, it is important to make sure any structural work made of timber has been treated. When timber or any wood for that matter goes untreated, over time the wood will turn soft and start to crumble and then you have a big problem on your hands!

If you think the timber in your period property could be a potential problem, call upon the experts at Derry Construction. Derry Construction are local Harrogate builders who are specialist damp and timber treatment contractors. Derry Construction can advise you on what is the best way for you to maintain the timber in your home and can also treat it for you so the timber will last a life time.