INIGO WREN
Building Surveyor, Chartered Builder and Heritage Consultant
London, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire
Darron Carver MSc Building Conservation, MRPSA,  IHBC, MCIOB, MIOC, ACABE, Level 3 ABBE Damp, Mould and Condensation in Buildings
Full Member of The Residential Property Surveyors Association 

A few weeks agao i posted about a fantastic flint wall that had broken glas galleting. Walked passed it again today to find it had been repaired with helical bars. Unfortunately the pointing post repair leaves alot to be desired!

Great find today while carrying out a survey, the remnants of a smoke bay behind the chimney. Lovely smoke blackened beams. The smoke blackening really showing off the hewing marks on one of the rafters. Notice in the fourth picture the wattle has gone leaving a very limey daub behind and the fantastic waney edged collars in picture 6.

This occurs in limes that are rich in calcium or magnesium that has matured over a long period of time under water and is of extra purity. There are still disagreements over the mechanisms underlying this phenomenom. The smaller calcium hydroxide in long term aged putty enhances dissolution and increases the ion concentration while creating a large volume of pores. These small pores can sustain a high supersaturation ratio with respect to Calcium Carbonate resulting in higher

This stuning window is in Chichester (North Street). According to Alan Green in his book The Building Of Georgian Chichester the window was probably added in 1760s in teh "Gothick" style (note the "K" meaning 18th C) in the style of a whimsical form popularised by Horace Walpole at his Strawberry Hill home.

This Charles I crest in a local church is suffering damage caused by warm moist air rising form the heater and condensing on the thicker colder wall above. This has manifested as smudging on the "Christo Auspice Regno". This is compounded by two issues, flowers with water in the vase and the thinner wall of the blocked doorway being more susceptable to penetrating moisture. Its a convenient place for the heater but at what cost? As an aside, the painter has givene the unicorn

The idea of consecration crosses on buildings was originally to purify pagan temples during the conversion of the Roman Empire to...

Black mould, scientifically known as Stachybotrys chartarum , is much more than an unsightly blot. This fungus can cause serious health...

This is the second place i have found bits of broken glass used as galleting in Chichester, looking at the thickness of the glass I would...

Looking after Victorian buildings requires a careful balance between preservation, functionality, and respect for historic character....

Alveolar erosion in sandstone is a distinctive weathering pattern characterized by small, rounded to irregular cavities on rock surfaces,...

Black mould can be a serious issue, often lurking unnoticed in homes and buildings. It's essential to identify the different types,...

Stunning brickwork

I have just googled "The Greatest Builder UK". Google in its infinite wisdom threw back 14 builders from Persimmon to Berkley Homes. I...

Iron deposits in sandstone from the Folkestone beds. Found in the south wall of Battle Church Sussex

A short piece about one of my favourite churches