Somerset's older housing stock is unusually varied - & the county's building traditions shape what a sensitive renovation should look like.
What we work on locally
From our base near Taunton we work on farmhouses, rectories, stable blocks, cottages, country houses & former agricultural buildings across Somerset & the wider South West.
Our projects include Thurloxton Manor near Taunton, Widcombe in the Blackdown Hills, The Rectory & The Old Bakery, alongside barn conversions & new homes elsewhere in the county.
Common problems in older Somerset homes
Damp caused by cement render or pointing, decayed timber at wall plates & joist ends, failed or altered roof structures, & poorly executed twentieth-century alterations come up repeatedly.
None of them are unusual, & all are resolvable - but they should be understood before the design is fixed rather than discovered afterwards.
Sequencing a renovation
Structure & weathertightness first, then services & fabric, then finishes. It sounds obvious, but the temptation to start with the kitchen is what leads to good work being torn out later.
On larger projects this sequencing is also what keeps a building safe & dry while it is being worked on.
Period does not always mean listed
Plenty of Somerset's most characterful houses are not listed, & can be renovated with more freedom - but they still deserve materials & detailing appropriate to their construction.
We only describe a building as listed where that status is confirmed; of the projects above, Thurloxton Manor is a confirmed Grade II listed property.
Benjamin Henry Ltd provides heritage & listed building services across Somerset & the South West, from traditional masonry & structural repair to bespoke joinery made in our own workshop.