THE RENOVATION FILES CASE #7: THE OLD HOUSE AND THE DAMP PATCH

As I was taking an early evening walk along a farm track at the edge of our village, the retired couple who live in one of the more eclectic houses in the locality popped out for a chat. Their property, incongruously named after a harbour (it’s located as far from any sea port in the UK as you could possibly imagine), has a somewhat convoluted history. The original oak-framed part of the house dates back to the 18th century but numerous subsequent additions and a shallow concrete tiled roof give it an overall appearance of a 1970s-style ‘executive home’. Like many older buildings that have been extensively remodelled and extended over the years, the amalgamation of different styles and materials can pose technical challenges, because what’s