Essential for everyone who loves country cottages, this definitive study outlines all necessary home improvement procedures--from simple do-it-yourself redecoration to employing architects and builders to tackle significant repairs. The author explains how cottage owners are able to protect and enhance their investments, and various repair and redecoration options as well as their consequences are also discussed.

Repairing, even just painting, an old house with some of today's conventional building materials could begin processes leading to decay, or bring about changes that erode interest and value. Old house owners have a big investment to protect and many will want to do this as economically and sustainably as possible.