We are taking on a total renovation project of a cottage which has got to be stripped back to the brick. Our builder suggested dry lining (basically plasterboard stuck to the wall) rather than the traditional "wet" way of a base layer followed by surface plaster finish. My concern is that using plasterboard will make a 200 year old cottage look like a new build. Has anyone any experience of using plasterboard in older cottages and the difference in cost between plasterboard and wet plaster?

Insulate then drywall. You will loose the period old world look. But it will be warm. Grants may be available At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Been in the building trade 35 years now.dry lining is the way forward far better than wet plaster and it has insulating value's to. Freelander2 GS TD4 Manual in Lago Grey .Roof Mount DVD 9.2''Screen~Window Tints~Parrot CK3100 Bluetooth~Retro Fit Sony Satnav~iPhone Dashmount~Side Steps~Woodco Armrest~Mudflaps~Land Rover Sunglass Holder~LED Interior Lights~Private Plate.Evoque Collected 17th Sept 2012.


Also Audi TT Roadster.

Not a builder but be careful - lot of old cottages do not have damp proof courses and so the walls need to breathe hence the reason why lime based plaster is often used. I would get it checked out by someone who knows which maybe your builder.

Make sure to use timber windows - nothing worse than plastic windows on old cottages unless they are the latest foil covered heritage variety like Residence 9. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

bear this in mind if you intend to rent it out
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/201...-homes-ban At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Cheers for the replies-the energy rating one is a little scary. We intend to live in it initially and then possibly rent it out if I have to move for work again. I agree with the principle of saving energy but the reality is it will just drive up rents. Why won't they allow people to make up their own minds? If you want soulless but energy efficient, rent a new build. If you want rural cottage charm but a little drafty, rent a cottage and pay the extra heating it.

The R9 windows suggestion may of solved a problem. I to hate upvc and we had decided to go down the hardwood route. These, however, appear to offer the traditional looks we are after without the problems that come with wood. Do they look as good in real life as the pictures suggest?

I just got free cavity wall insulation on a rental property, but its a 1950's house and had a good cavity. I doubt your cottage would have such a thing.

The house scored 23/100 on the EPC despite having D- glazing, the main issue is the tenants refusal to accept central heating, he doesnt want any oil bills prefering to stoke the coal fire/back boiler

cavity wall should have brought the score up to an E At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Labradorslave wrote:

Cheers for the replies-the energy rating one is a little scary. We intend to live in it initially and then possibly rent it out if I have to move for work again. I agree with the principle of saving energy but the reality is it will just drive up rents. Why won't they allow people to make up their own minds? If you want soulless but energy efficient, rent a new build. If you want rural cottage charm but a little drafty, rent a cottage and pay the extra heating it.

The R9 windows suggestion may of solved a problem. I to hate upvc and we had decided to go down the hardwood route. These, however, appear to offer the traditional looks we are after without the problems that come with wood. Do they look as good in real life as the pictures suggest?

Cheaper than hardwood but more expensive than normal upvc. They certainly look the part but would suggest viewing at a dealers. The colour choice is good with the cream being the best imo. We actually went for hardwood for our cotswold cottage and am very pleased with the result notwithstanding nearly a grand a window with 15 fitted.

Everest sell R9 under their own name at probably twice the price of a local installer.

As an aside todays telegraph has a piece on lime plaster for older properties with solid walls - as I said you need to talk to someone who knows about old buildings. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I would check out the building regulations as I seem to remember if you are replastering more than 25% of a wall then you have to upgrade the thermal efficiency of that wall, assuming it is an external wall of course:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/syst...dments.pdf

If you intend to sell it later on you don't want to get caught out, if it were me I would speak to your local building control, they are usually very helpful.

Thanks for that Rich P-I didn't know that but I'm sure my builder did. I can see I am going to have to read up on the regulations prior to starting. I'd checked on the electrical installation regs but not thermal efficiency. CG suggested insulation prior to dry lining so that is probably why.

I have upvc sash windows in white,not ideal but my ex-landlord (the crown estates) who upto that point firmly resisted plastic got a quote for wood, and deferred to plastic.

I think they look good, slim frames and a proper sliding sash not faked hinge openers, and at the end of the day wooden ones a pretty poor shrinking/swelling rattling, needing painting etc etc. Ok im comparing the old windows to much more modern wood ones but still wood.

mine are single panes per sash, when you get Georgian windows etc the plastic starts to show out more, but saying that they copied the wooden door in plastic and it looks pretty good, one sheet of glass with plastic grids front and back, metal grid in the window ' gap'.

traditional materials are of course nice, but sometimes its better to modernise.

 At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Each to their own cg - sapele hard wood or engineered wood of today lasts and lasts but does need a recoating of water based paint every 5 years or so. The wood to go for is accoya https://www.accoya.com/ which is very very stable and the paint finish lasts considerably longer.

Upvc is okay but when it starts to fade it looks horrible. The new foil coated stuff gets over some of these problems but whatever colour you choose at the outset you are stuck with it. Some new painting techniques coming on stream but at a price. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

Dont get me wrong I prefer wood but the cost isnt realistic for me in a big old farmhouse. We have a composite door at other side of house looks way better than pvc. But if your fully glazing a door then there isnt enough frame left to make a difference either way.

Sash design makes a huge difference, My old windows has strings and weights and there was no design in them to deflect water from the base of the weight box. I modified a few to let water away but at the expense of slightly increased draft, but that was like drilling an extra hole in a collender.

By the time the upvc frames get in a terrible state, the glass will be old fashioned anyway, probably to replace with photo voltaic or super insulating quad glazing with built in tv and wifi? At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

"By the time the upvc frames get in a terrible state, the glass will be old fashioned anyway, probably to replace with photo voltaic or super insulating quad glazing with built in tv and wifi? "


You may well be right  MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

"By the time the upvc frames get in a terrible state, the glass will be old fashioned anyway, probably to replace with photo voltaic or super insulating quad glazing with built in tv and wifi? "

What your still waiting ....????, we had that end of Last Century In Wales even the sheep have their own I-Pods Soooooo Faaar behind in yorkshire ...

28 deg c Wales
Were the mud is thicker, and the ruts are deeper.
(And we have the water to wash it off, and more on the way..! )
Sd4 and chrome Ar*e piece, Auto box for best fun
09 Xs Gone
12 xs Gone
HSE with Leather seats and 4 years warrenty.. staying for now !