Heritage House Surveys

Everything you ever wanted to know about old houses - under one roof...

Thinking of buying an old house or living in one?  We've experienced almost everything that can go wrong with one.  We work on properties from early medieval stone cottages to Edwardian townhouses. This website is dedicated to helping understand your home, and get the most from it. Our main office is in Shropshire, run by the lovely Sarah. 

Pete started Heritage House Surveys - he was a member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation until they failed to comprehend that damp proofing was fraudulent! He's a geochemist and geologist. Heritage House, and Heritage Consulting are very much a part of Pete's professional life. 

The Team are members of the RICS, or the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), and share a variety of conservation qualifications. We have the best team of Conservation surveyors in the country. We are THE leaders in damp and moisture problems in old houses. Peter is one of the authors of the new RICS 'Investigation of Moisture and its effects in Traditional Buildings'. The team are proud of their unique knowledge of damp and timber problems in buildings. We bring understanding and simple solutions to people's 'damp' problems.

Our business is Heritage Survey - helping you with every aspect of working with Heritage buildings. 

We conduct Building Surveys on any old house - whether Listed Grade 1, Grade 2* or Grade 2, or an old Victorian town house.  We are the scourge of the Timber and Damp industry (or the Property Care Association, home of the damp wally) - our Timber and Damp surveys turn the myth of rising damp on its head.  We'll tell you if your house really IS damp, and why. How to deal with it, how to maintain it, and what it'll cost.

The definition of an old house: an 'old house' is a structure built with solid walls (stone, brick, timber frame) using breathable materials. Most problems with old houses result from inappropriate use of modern building materials which prevent your house from 'breathing' - things like cement and gypsum plaster, emulsion paints and waterproofing.  Where does the moisture come from?  Mostly you - cooking, breathing, living.

Everything on this site relates to old buildings.  The techniques and materials are essential to old houses, but they equally can be applied to new ones. You cannot apply new house techniques to old houses!  The Golden Mantra - BREATHABILITY and VENTILATION!

If you don't believe me - have a look at the Historic Scotland climate change blog: Traditional Buildings are Cool

Is damp a problem? Flaking plaster, hollow render, paint bubbling and flaking off walls, mouldy wallpaper, leaky or rotting timber frame, stonework deteriorating? These are typical problems with old houses. We help with sensible solutions, and show you WHY the problem is happening, and how to prevent it in future, often with subtle changes in lifestyle. 

Need a survey?  We have more experience, qualifications and technical expertise than most other Chartered Surveyors in the country - our team works in most counties.  Historic Building surveys, Listed Building surveys, Structural surveys, Pre-Purchase building surveys, Timber and Damp surveys - We work with you to explain how the property is built, how to overcome problems, what things can cost. We make sure Listed Buildings are legal! If you want a Heritage Consultant, Period Property Surveyor, damp survey, or just help in general with maintenance - you just found one..