The Centre is based in a house which was built about 120 years ago. There are many repairs and improvements needed and we are trying to do them in the most environmentally friendly way.

Roof
In 2001 we needed to rebuild the roof over one part of the buildings. It was a slate roof and most of the nails had rusted through, leaving the slates slipping in many places. Most of the slates were in a good condition so we removed them carefully and reused them. The battens needed replacing. Roofing battens are usually tannelised, a polluting process which stops the wood rotting. We decided to use untreated, unseasoned English larch which is naturally long lasting. It was difficult finding a supplier but, when we eventually did, it was cheaper than tannelised battens which was a nice surprise. The roof previously had no underfelt but we were advised that something between the battens and rafters was important. The usual underfelt is bitumen based. We found an eco alternative called Divoral which was easy to obtain and easy to work with. It is also breathable but won't let the water in.

Windows
Many of our old sash windows and sills are rotting. We have worked out a way to extend their life by rebuilding with offcuts and using putty. Each window takes about two weeks to repair and we are happy to show anyone how to do it.

Paint and varnish

We buy Livos paints and varnishes. The paint we use is chalk based. It is much cheaper than conventional paint - you can do a whole room for £5 if you are happy with white (the colours are extra). The paint comes as powder in a paper bag which can be recycled and the brushes are washed in water. The varnish is based on Linseed oil and gives a non shiny finish. You are welcome to come and see rooms where we have used these products.

Salvaged materials

We always try to use salvaged materials. We get these from the tip or by asking when we see other houses being renovated. When we built foundations for the ceramic stoves, all the bricks we used came from the tip or were given to us. We have a large cellar where we store materials we find which may be useful in the future.