The first, and most important work we needed to undertake when renovating this property was to install a French drain. Named not after the country, but after the person who came up with the system.

The house is built into an earth bank, with no protection, in an area known for an abundance of natural springs. This means that the walls absorb and wick moisture, leading to the normal problems associated with damp.

An apology in advance : halfway through this process I bought a new camera, and took a load of photos without really getting to grips with the settings, so the quality isn’t great.

Step 1: bring in the digger. A big one, for digging big holes. Continue reading →