Mike Mitchell wrote:

Okay, here's the story. I am now considering a property in
Lincolnshire. This is a very, very old cottage, at least 150 years,

Thats not very very old. Thats not evn old.

the house across thwa ment9ned in teh domesday book is very old.

Skara brae is very very old.

I
reckon. The setting is isolated and idyllic. But I made some enquiries
from the agent, who told me that the building had been underpinned at
the rear some years ago. I have not yet visited the property.

Some questions:

Buildings of that era had no foundations, true?

Depends. Irs stood for 150 years already...

Does underpinning cure, or postpone, a problem?

Cure.

What is the cost of errecting a new traditionally built bog-standard
detached house with two to three bedrooms?

About 60 quid a square foot for basic shell. Budget double that by the
time its habitable the way you want it. YMMV. A lot depends on hwo
interesting you want it to be.

I'm talking ball-park here.
Absolutely bog-standard, but well constructed, with cavity walls,
solid internal walls, at least downstairs, lots of insulation, quality
windows and doors, floorboards instead of chipboard. In effect, what
would the building cost be for a slighlty better than "council house"
design? £60,000? £80,000? This has to be for the finished habitable,
product.

If house has stood anyway for 150 years, it's likely to remain for a
good few years yet, true?

Not necessarily. If its timber and teh rot has set in, its gone already.

MM