Anna Kettle wrote:

On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 03:16:33 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:


(ii) only about 1% of buildings of that age survive if that. The rest
all burnt down or rotted away.


Which is a good argument for building regulations. Its the Grand
Designs of the past which are still standing today. Joe Public lived
in the most basic accommodation that his (land)lord could get away
with providing. At least nowadays Wimpey & Barrett have some
restraints on their build quality


this is a bit of a popular misconception. Victorian houses do not
suffer from damp when properly maintained. The common occurrence of
damp is precisely because so many have been subject to inappropriate
works and failure to do basic maintenance. Damp is not a problem
inherent in their design in any way.

Actaully, having lived in them they do


The most basic Victorian houses were crappily built, but houses built
for artisans and clerks were generally reasonably good construction
quality in Victorian times and any damp is your own problem. You
didn't happen to have emulsion paint and wallpaper on all of the walls
perchance?


No, but 'most basic' probably applies to most of the victorian houses I
have inhabited. Single brick, no damp course, rooting suspended pine
floors due to rising damp, '2 up. 2 downer's' with usually an extension
kitchen and bathroom tacked on the back.

Anna

~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
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