South Devon Construction

Steve here from Quoin and Oak Construction. I need to have a frank conversation with you about something I see far too often – people trying to save money on heritage restoration by going with the cheapest estimate, only to end up spending far more down the line fixing problems that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

I get it, I really do. When you’re faced with three or four estimates for work on your old Devon cottage or listed building, and one of them is significantly cheaper than the others, it’s tempting to go with the lower price. Money doesn’t grow on trees, and restoration work isn’t cheap. But here’s the thing – when it comes to heritage buildings, cheap often turns out to be very expensive indeed.

Let me explain why specialist knowledge, even when it costs a bit more upfront, will almost always save you money in the long run.

The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been called to a property to fix work that’s been done badly by someone who didn’t understand traditional building methods. And I’m not talking about cowboy builders here – often it’s perfectly well-meaning contractors who simply don’t have the specialist knowledge needed to work on heritage properties.

A few years back, I was called to a beautiful old cob cottage just outside Totnes. The owners had paid someone to repair some cracks in the external walls a couple of years previously. The estimate had been reasonable, the work had been done quickly, and at first everything looked fine. But two winters later, the cracks were back, worse than before, and now there was damp coming through as well.

When I investigated, I found that the previous contractor had used cement render over the cob walls. Now, to someone without specialist knowledge, that might seem logical – cement is strong and waterproof, so surely it’s ideal for protecting walls? But cob needs to breathe. Sealing it with cement traps moisture inside the wall, which then causes all sorts of problems. The walls can’t dry out naturally, the freeze-thaw cycle damages the cob from the inside, and you end up with structural problems.

We had to remove all that cement render – which was a job in itself – let the walls dry out properly, repair the damaged cob, and then apply proper lime render that allows the walls to breathe. The cost? Nearly three times what the original “repair” had cost. The owners had tried to save money and ended up spending far more, plus they’d had two years of stress worrying about their cottage.

That’s just one example, but I could give you dozens more. Inappropriate pointing on stone walls causing the stone to crack. Modern insulation installed incorrectly causing condensation and rot. Roof repairs using materials that don’t allow moisture to escape. The list goes on.

Understanding Traditional Building Materials

One of the biggest areas where specialist knowledge makes a difference is in understanding traditional building materials. Heritage buildings weren’t constructed using modern materials, and you can’t maintain them properly using modern materials either – at least, not without understanding the differences.

Take lime mortar, for instance. Most traditional buildings in Devon were constructed using lime mortar rather than cement. Lime mortar is softer and more flexible than cement, which is actually a good thing. It allows the building to move slightly without cracking, and it’s breathable, which helps moisture escape from the walls.

When you need to repoint stonework or repair masonry on a heritage building, you need to use lime mortar that’s appropriate for the building. But there are different types of lime – hydraulic lime, non-hydraulic lime, different strengths and mixes. Getting this right requires knowledge and experience. Use the wrong mix and you can cause problems. Use cement instead of lime and you’ll definitely cause problems.

A general builder might not know the difference. They might use what they’re familiar with – cement mortar – because that’s what they use on modern buildings. It looks fine at first, but a few years down the line, you’ll start seeing problems. That’s when you call someone like me, and that’s when you discover that fixing the problem is going to cost significantly more than doing it right in the first place.

The same applies to plaster. Traditional buildings need lime plaster, not modern gypsum plaster. Lime plaster is breathable, flexible, and compatible with old walls. Gypsum plaster isn’t. I’ve seen so many situations where someone has replastered an old cottage using modern plaster, and within a few years, there’s damp showing through, the plaster is coming away from the walls, and the whole job needs redoing.

A specialist knows which materials to use and why. That knowledge is built on years of experience and training. It’s not something you can pick up from a quick internet search or a weekend course.

The Importance of Proper Assessment

Another area where specialist knowledge saves money is in properly assessing what work actually needs doing. This might seem counterintuitive – surely a specialist is going to find more problems and therefore cost more? But actually, the opposite is often true.

A specialist can distinguish between cosmetic issues that don’t need urgent attention and genuine problems that need addressing. They can identify the root cause of a problem rather than just treating the symptoms. They can spot potential issues before they become major problems.

I remember looking at a property in Ashburton where the owners had been estimated for extensive underpinning work. They’d been told they had serious subsidence and that it was going to cost tens of thousands to fix. They asked me to come and have a look before they committed to the work.

What I found was that yes, there was some cracking in the walls, but it wasn’t active subsidence. The building was old – over 200 years – and it had settled over time, as old buildings do. The cracks were historic, not recent. What the building actually needed was some careful repointing of the stonework and repair of a few areas where water was getting in. The total cost? A few thousand, not tens of thousands.

The previous contractor wasn’t trying to rip them off – they just didn’t have the experience with old buildings to recognize the difference between historic settlement and active subsidence. That lack of specialist knowledge could have cost the owners a huge amount of money on unnecessary work.

Conversely, a specialist can also identify problems that a general contractor might miss. Hidden structural issues, inappropriate previous repairs that are storing up trouble, or building defects that need addressing before they cause serious damage. Catching these things early, before they become major problems, can save a fortune.

The Value of Doing Things Once

Here’s a simple truth about building work – doing something properly once is almost always cheaper than doing it badly once and then having to do it properly anyway after the first attempt fails.

Let’s say you need to have your roof re-slated. A general roofer might estimate you £8,000 for the job. A specialist who understands heritage roofing might estimate you £10,000. That £2,000 difference might make you lean towards the cheaper estimate.

But if that cheaper roofer doesn’t understand traditional roof construction, uses modern roofing felt that doesn’t breathe, or doesn’t properly detail around chimneys and valleys, you might find yourself with problems in a few years’ time. Leaks, rot in the timbers, damage to interior plasterwork. Fixing those problems and then having the roof done properly could easily cost you £15,000 or more in total.

Pay the extra £2,000 upfront for someone who knows what they’re doing, and you get a roof that’s done right, will last for decades, and won’t give you any nasty surprises. That’s value for money.

The same principle applies to every aspect of heritage restoration. Windows, doors, plastering, stonework, timber repairs – all of it benefits from being done properly the first time by someone who understands traditional construction methods.

Understanding Building Regulations and Planning

Working on heritage properties often involves navigating building regulations and planning requirements, particularly if the property is listed. This is another area where specialist knowledge can save you money.

A specialist will know what’s required in terms of permissions and approvals. They’ll understand what conservation officers are likely to want to see and can design solutions that are more likely to gain approval first time. They’ll know how to present proposals in a way that demonstrates understanding of the building’s significance.

I’ve worked with enough conservation officers over the years that I’ve got a good sense of what they’re looking for. I can often guide clients away from proposals that are likely to be rejected and towards alternatives that achieve the same goals while being more sympathetic to the building’s character.

This saves time and money. Every time a planning application or listed building consent application is rejected and has to be resubmitted, that costs money in fees and delays. It might also mean work that’s already been started has to be undone. A specialist can help you avoid these costly setbacks.

Similarly, understanding building regulations and how they apply to heritage properties takes experience. There are often exceptions and special provisions for older buildings, but you need to know what they are and how to apply them. A specialist contractor will navigate these requirements efficiently, while someone without that experience might end up doing more work than necessary or, worse, doing work that doesn’t comply and has to be rectified.

The Cost of Delays and Problems

When restoration work goes wrong, it’s not just the cost of fixing the problems that hurts – it’s also the delays, the stress, and the knock-on effects.

If you’re living in the property while work is being done, problems and delays mean disruption to your life for longer. If you’re not living in the property yet, delays might mean paying rent elsewhere for longer, or delaying the sale of your previous property.

Problems discovered partway through a project can bring work to a halt while they’re sorted out. Materials might be wasted. Other trades might have to be rescheduled. The whole project timeline gets thrown off.

A specialist is less likely to encounter unexpected problems because they’ll have anticipated potential issues during their initial assessment. They’re less likely to make mistakes that cause delays. They’re more likely to have relationships with suppliers who can provide the right materials when needed.

All of this adds up to a smoother project that stays closer to budget and schedule. That reliability has real value, even if it’s harder to put a precise figure on it.

Quality Materials and Appropriate Sources

Another way specialist knowledge saves money is in sourcing appropriate materials. Traditional buildings need traditional materials, and knowing where to get them at reasonable prices is valuable.

We’ve built up relationships with suppliers over the years – people who stock proper Devon slate, reclaimed materials that match old buildings, lime mortars and plasters, traditional roofing materials, and so on. We know what to look for when sourcing materials and how to assess quality.

A contractor without those relationships might end up paying more for materials, or they might use cheaper alternatives that aren’t appropriate. Reclaimed materials, in particular, require a good eye – you need to be able to spot genuine reclaimed materials that are suitable, rather than just anything old.

There’s also the question of how much material you need. A specialist can estimate more accurately, which means less waste and therefore lower costs. They’ll also know when it’s worth paying a bit more for quality materials that will last, versus when a less expensive option is perfectly adequate.

The Long-term Performance of Heritage Buildings

Perhaps the most important way that specialist knowledge saves money is in ensuring that your heritage building continues to perform well over the long term. Traditional buildings, when maintained properly using appropriate methods, can last for centuries. We’ve got buildings all over Devon that are 300, 400, even 500 years old and still going strong.

But they can only do that if they’re looked after correctly. Use inappropriate materials or methods, and you shorten the building’s lifespan. You create problems that become more serious over time. You set up situations where increasingly expensive interventions become necessary.

A specialist understands how traditional buildings work. They know that these buildings need to breathe, that they move slightly with seasonal changes, that they need appropriate maintenance. They design repairs and modifications that work with the building’s character rather than against it.

This means that work done by a specialist will continue to perform well for decades. You won’t be having to redo it in five years. You won’t be dealing with unexpected problems caused by inappropriate repairs. The building will continue to be healthy and structurally sound.

That long-term performance is where the real value lies. It’s easy to see the initial cost difference between estimates, but it’s much harder to calculate the cost of work that fails prematurely or creates problems down the line. Yet that’s where the true costs often lie.

The Intangible Value of Peace of Mind

There’s another benefit to working with a specialist that’s hard to put a price on but is nonetheless valuable – peace of mind. When you know that your heritage property is being looked after by someone who genuinely understands these buildings, you can relax.

You’re not lying awake at night worrying whether the work is being done properly. You’re not constantly second-guessing decisions or wondering if problems are going to emerge later. You trust that the work is being done right, and that trust is worth something.

I’ve had clients tell me that one of the things they valued most about working with us was being able to stop worrying about their property. They knew we’d identify problems, explain options clearly, and do the work to a high standard. That allowed them to get on with their lives rather than being consumed by stress about their building project.

Real Examples from Our Work

Let me give you some concrete examples from projects we’ve worked on where specialist knowledge made a real difference to costs.

We worked on a barn conversion near Dartmoor where the owners had initially gotestimatess from several general builders. The estimates were all in a similar range, and they were planning to go with the cheapest. Then they had a conversation with someone who suggested they talk to a specialist in traditional buildings before committing.

When I looked at the plans and the estimates, I spotted several issues. The proposed insulation method would have caused condensation problems in a stone building. The window specifications weren’t appropriate for a barn conversion. The drainage design didn’t account for the site’s specific conditions. Fixing these problems after the fact would have added thousands to the project.

We redesigned the approach, using breathable insulation, appropriate windows, and better drainage. Our estimate was about 10% higher than the lowest estimate they’d received, but when you factored in that we were actually solving problems rather than creating them, we were significantly cheaper overall. The project came in on time and on budget, and the owners have had no problems in the years since.

Another example was a listed cottage in Totnes where previous owners had had extensive work done by a contractor who didn’t specialize in heritage buildings. The work had looked fine initially, but problems started emerging after a couple of years. The new owners called us in to investigate.

We found inappropriate cement pointing that was causing the stone to crack, modern plaster that was trapping moisture, and a damp-proof course that had been installed in a way that wasn’t appropriate for a cob-based building. The cost of rectifying all these problems was substantial – nearly as much as the original work had cost.

Had the original owners used a specialist in the first place, they probably would have paid 20-30% more initially, but they’d have saved the cost of all the remedial work. As it was, between the two sets of work, they ended up paying nearly double what it should have cost to do the job properly once.

How to Assess Specialist Knowledge

So how do you know if a contractor has genuine specialist knowledge in heritage buildings? Here are some things to look for:

Experience specifically with traditional buildings – not just general building experience but specific work on period properties using traditional methods. Ask about their experience with lime mortar, cob construction, traditional roofing, and other heritage-specific skills.

Understanding of different building types and periods. Heritage buildings aren’t all the same. Someone who understands the difference between a cob cottage, a stone farmhouse, and a Georgian townhouse is demonstrating real knowledge.

Membership of relevant professional bodies. Organizations like the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) offer training in traditional building conservation, and membership or certification indicates commitment to proper conservation practice.

References from similar projects. Ask to speak to previous clients who’ve had heritage restoration work done, particularly on buildings similar to yours.

The way they talk about your building. A specialist will take time to understand your specific property, its construction, its history, and its particular needs. They won’t just give you a one-size-fits-all solution.

Their approach to materials. They should be specifying appropriate traditional materials and be able to explain why they’re using what they’re using.

How they handle your questions. A genuine specialist will be happy to explain things, to help you understand the building and the work that’s needed. They’re not trying to blind you with jargon but to help you make informed decisions.

The False Economy of Cheap Estimates

I understand the appeal of a lower estimate. Building work is expensive, and it’s natural to want to keep costs down. But when it comes to heritage buildings, the cheapest estimate is very often a false economy.

A contractor who gives a significantly lower estimate than everyone else is either using inappropriate materials, planning to cut corners, not fully understanding what’s involved, or underestimating the work required. None of these outcomes is good for you.

If they’re using inappropriate materials, you’ll have problems down the line. If they’re cutting corners, the work won’t last. If they don’t understand what’s involved, you’ll face delays and additional costs as problems emerge. If they’ve underestimated the work, they’ll either try to rush the job or come back asking for more money.

I’ve seen all of these scenarios play out, and they all end up costing more than hiring the right person for the right price in the first place.

What You’re Actually Paying For

When you hire a specialist in heritage building, here’s what you’re actually paying for:

Years of training and experience. The knowledge of how traditional buildings work, what materials to use, what techniques to apply. This doesn’t come cheap because it’s taken years to acquire.

Appropriate materials. Lime mortars, breathable insulation, proper slates, reclaimed materials – these often cost more than modern alternatives, but they’re what your building needs.

Proper assessment and planning. The time to properly survey your building, understand its needs, and plan work that will be effective and appropriate.

Quality workmanship. Traditional building methods often take longer than modern methods. Lime plaster needs time to cure between coats. Pointing needs to be done carefully. Traditional joinery is time-consuming. You’re paying for work that’s done properly, not rushed.

Problem-solving expertise. When unexpected issues arise – and they often do with old buildings – a specialist has the knowledge to solve them appropriately.

Compliance and permissions. The ability to navigate planning requirements, work with conservation officers, and ensure all necessary approvals are in place.

Long-term performance. Work that will last for decades rather than years, saving you money over the building’s lifetime.

Peace of mind. The confidence that your heritage property is being looked after properly.

When you look at it this way, specialist knowledge doesn’t seem expensive – it seems like essential value.

Making the Right Decision

If you’re getting estimates for work on a heritage property, here’s my advice:

Get multiple estimates, but don’t just focus on the bottom-line price. Look at what’s included, what materials are being specified, what approach is being proposed.

Ask questions. A good contractor will be happy to explain their approach and why they’re recommending what they’re recommending.

Check experience and credentials specifically related to heritage buildings.

Ask to see examples of previous work on similar properties.

Be wary of estimates that are significantly lower than others without clear reasons why.

Consider the long-term costs, not just the immediate price.

Factor in the value of reliability, quality, and peace of mind.

Remember that with heritage buildings, doing things properly isn’t just about preserving history – it’s about protecting your investment and ensuring your property remains sound for generations to come.

Our Approach at Quoin and Oak

We’ve built our business on specialist knowledge of traditional buildings. Nearly 25 years of experience with heritage properties across Devon has taught us what works and what doesn’t. We’ve made mistakes – that’s how you learn – and we’ve seen the mistakes others make.

When we estimate for work, we’re giving you the benefit of all that experience. We’re specifying the right materials, the right methods, and the right approach for your specific building. We’re factoring in everything that needs to be done to achieve a lasting, high-quality result.

Our estimates might not always be the cheapest, but they represent genuine value. We’re upfront about costs, timescales, and what’s involved. We don’t hide things or underestimate to win work. We’d rather be honest with you from the start than have problems and extra costs emerge later.

And crucially, we stand behind our work. We’re not going to disappear after the job is done. We’re a local business with a reputation to maintain. If there’s ever a problem with work we’ve done, we’ll sort it out.

Get in Touch

If you’re planning work on a heritage property and want a estimate from someone who genuinely understands traditional buildings, get in touch. I’m always happy to come and look at a property, discuss what’s needed, and provide a detailed, honest assessment.

You can reach me on 07528 095 320 or email quoinandoak@gmail.com. Let’s talk about your project and how we can help you look after your heritage property properly – in a way that saves you money in the long run.

Quoin and Oak Construction

01626 903106

quoinandoak@gmail.com
www.quoinandoakconstruction.co.uk

Your heritage property deserves specialist care. It might cost a bit more upfront, but it’ll save you money, stress, and problems down the line. That’s not just my opinion – it’s what I’ve learned from 25 years of working with Devon’s beautiful old buildings.