Looking After Your Home
For day-to-day maintenance and conservation of your historic home , English Heritage offers a wealth of useful advice.
Repair rather than replace. Brentham houses were built with high quality materials designed to last. Doors, windows and other vital architectural features can usually be repaired by a good specialist. Modern replacements can’t often match the original in quality or appearance.
Original features conserve the character of your home and add value for future buyers – these include interior features like picture rails, fireplaces and original tiling as well as the obvious exterior ones. The Brentham Society keeps a small store of original doors, fireplaces etc for sale and welcomes contributions.
Poor repointing can alter the look of a house, damage brickwork and cause dampness. Repointing should always be done by a specialist using a mortar that matches the original.
Effective insulation can be achieved without harming the appearance of your house. Condensing boilers with individual thermostats on all radiators and draught-proofing windows and doors can improve energy efficiency. Secondary glazing is very effective and does not require planning consent.
Love your hedges! They contribute so much to Brentham’s calming green character and make much more attractive, environmentally friendly and effective boundaries – back as well as front – than walls or fences. (for more information see the article in Supplementary Guidance)
Finding Good Craftsmen
The Brentham Society can put you in touch with people who have worked on Brentham homes to the satisfaction of residents. Please email planning@brentham.com
Brentham Garden Suburb 