Rispond Estate

Our client recently purchased the estate and plans invest significantly in the restoration, conversion and refurbishment of the five buildings on the estate. His intention is to occupy the lodge and offer three further buildings as holiday letting properties. The buildings are all Grade B listed and of very high quality and significant historic importance. In our proposals we intend to preserve the character and details that contribute positively to their architectural quality while bringing them into beneficial use.

It has been interesting to be making applications for alteration at a time when our understanding of building physics is evolving at great pace and the advice of Historic Scotland is changing in response. It has been established that common building materials such as cement mortar and renders, closed cell insulations and plastic membranes can cause significant moisture problems in traditional buildings. These materials are therefore not appropriate for use in listed buildings and careful consideration has been given to the insulation and ventilation of the building fabric where changes are proposed. All of the insulation materials proposed are highly vapour permiable, intelligent vapour control layers are specified and ventilation is to be added where necessary in order to allow the movement of moisture through the building fabric and avoid damage to the existing buildings.