Owners of old houses are often baffled by the confusing advice they receive from their builders, architects or surveyors who may be more familiar with repairing modern buildings than dealing with the issues associated with traditional houses. Old houses generally require a different approach, one, for instance, which takes account of their need to 'breathe'. Modern solutions do not always recognise that need. This book will help owners, builders and all construction professionals make the decisions that are right for old buildings. It illustrates the long term benefits of using more traditional solutions on older houses rather than modern materials like cement based mortars, sealants or impervious paints. It offers practical guidance on: How to get the right professional advice; Legal requirements for listed buildings; Problems with damp and rot; Use of lime mortars, plasters and renders; Why old buildings need to breathe; Planning applications; and, Trees, outbuildings and gardens.

About the Author
Richard Barnes Eaton was born in 1864 and attended the British School in Poole. He trained as a joiner and in 1901 joined Poole Borough Council as a Clerk of Works. He joined the part time teaching staff at Poole School of Art and Technology, teaching building construction. His philosophy was to pass on his expertise to his pupils in a way that could be understood by all members of the building team - by using specifications and drawings for each project, rather than descriptive text.

Reviews
Donhead have established a remarkable reputation for their publication of building construction and repair. In addition to new books, they have produced numerous reprints of carefully chosen classic old ones. These have included Rivington's text books of the 1980s, and recently the three volumes of McKay published between 1938 and 1944. Now we have Richard Eaton's Building Construction Drawing, originally issued by Spon's in six parts from 1914-1921. cumulatively, these reprints form an excellent reference for traditional construction details from the Victorian period to the point where the modernists 'knew better'. ASCHB This book is an essential reference work for all those involved in the repair and maintenance of modest late Victorian and Edwardian domestic buildings, and here I include the builder, carpenter/joiner, architect, building surveyor and not least, the home owner - at a time when people are more an more wishing to retain original features, or to replicate those that have been ripped out in the past, this will be an extremely valuable reference book. [Eaton] wrote the book to assist students while he was a part-time teacher of building construction at the Poole School of Art and Technology. Present-day 'students' of such construction - those responsible for its care and re-use - will appreciate the detailed information to be found here, which will provide the understanding that is such an essential prerequisite for informed and sympathetic repairs and alterations. Even for those not engaged in present-day work on the type of construction illustrated and specified in Eaton, pleasure (and learning) can be had from studying the detailed drawings and the comprehensive specification clauses, dating from what was probably the last generation of craft-based building. Institute of Structural Engineers This book would be a highly valuable resource to add to the book collection of any building professional charged with the conservation, restoration and management of buildings taken from this period of building in Britain (from late Victorian to pre-war). Building Engineer



Book Information
ISBN 9781873394717
Author Richard Eaton
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Donhead Publishing
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 1133g