Buying an older home in the countryside to renovate is something that can be a very rewarding project and a great way to get the home of your dreams. Of course as with any older home it does require lots of careful planning to make sure that it is done with respect for the history of the property, especially if it is a listed building.
If the property is a listed building the first thing that you need to do is check what permissions are required for the work that you plan to do. If you are going to be making changes to original features, you need to have consent to do this – things like windows, doors and fireplaces are some of the things that fall into this category. It can help to have an architect work with you who has knowledge and experience of this type of work and is aware of what sort of things can and cannot be done.
It is important that when planning the renovation, you aim to retain listed features – things like traditional flooring or exposed beams for example – this keeps the look and feel of the building whilst making the changes that you want to modernise it a little. Things that you may want to do include improving the insulation, making repairs to the roof or upgrading the heating for example – these things can be done without compromising the character of the building.
You also need to consider the features outdoors – things like bespoke metal gates are a good way to keep the historic charm whilst adding your own personal touch to the property. Also traditional styles of fencing and landscaping that suits the era can help to bring it together.