The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)

Product Description Thinking of buying a Victorian or Edwardian house? Or maybe you already own one? Either way, this clearly written manual explains all you need to know about the care and repair of these classic properties. Today, many houses of this age are in need of extensive updating and maintenance, having suffered years of neglect. Some have been damaged by misguided home improvements or botched repairs using the wrong materials. Even newly refurbished properties can sometimes conceal dangerous structural alterations and shoddy build-quality. This unique manual provides detailed, expert advice, backed up with clear how to colour photographs, describing where to check for the critical danger signs and how to fix all common defects. Each chapter is devoted to a key part of the house in the style of a professional home survey, guiding you safely through the whole building. The author also investigates potential dangers from subsidence, damp, beetle infestation, fungal decay, lead paint, lead pipes, asbestos and toxic mould . Every old house has a story to tell, and one of the joys of owning a valuable antique building is discovering its history stripping back modern finishes to reveal long lost original features. So the manual also includes a wealth of fascinating information about 19th & early 20th century houses everything from the immeasurable contribution made by Victorian toilet pioneers such as the legendary Thomas Crapper, to why horse hair and dung were common ingredients in building materials. Coming right up to date, the book shows the best ways to upgrade and extend your home for 21st century lifestyles, and reveals which improvements add real value and the ones to avoid. * Discover how your house was built its age, materials and history, also where Victorian building work was sometimes skimped. *The DEFECT / CAUSE / SOLUTION format helps you quickly identify and solve all common defects *Step-by-step photo features show the correct way to carry out repairs and maintenance *Common sense solutions to damp and timber problems *Assessing cracking when to start worrying *How to avoid expensive mistakes and quick fix scams *How to boost thermal efficiency to make your home warm with lower energy bills About the Author An experienced Chartered Surveyor, Ian Rock has refurbished numerous older properties as well as designing and developing new houses. He has contributed articles on residential property issues to The Observer, and was formerly a Publisher with EMAP magazines and Associate with Countrywide Surveyors. He has previously written several Haynes books:1930s House Manual, Home Extension Manual, Loft Conversion Manual, Period Property Manual, Build Your Own House and Home Buying and Selling Manual as well as the first edition of the Victorial House Manual.