Where there is rising damp or aggressive weather, the softer, less heavily fired bricks tend to erode before their more heavily fired neighbours.

This building has been extensively altered over the centuries. Some slippage or movement has occurred, most likely when old walls were removed for the alterations

The moat monsters may be long gone but the rising damp is alive and well.

Lack of maintenance has allowed soil to accumulate and grass to grow on the roof. I wonder what the walls look like on the inside?

It is good to be the king but you have to pay a lot for keeping up appearances.

Now that the grand days are gone and the king has departed, it is ordinary tourists who pay for the maintenance.

Maintaining a garden in top condition requires a lot of planning and effort.

The roof and the floors have fallen in and Mother Nature is now reclaiming what is hers ........

Water frontages are great but the maintenance costs can be sky high.

Roof designs need to suit the local weather conditions.

It is best to plan the roof to suit the locally severe conditions rather than undertake patch-up rectification after problems appear.

Clear coatings on light coloured timber can look very nice when new but the coating system must be regularly maintained.

Old buildings can remain in service and occupied for centuries so long as they are maintained.

Doing an attic extension to use the roof space can be attractive but you need to take proper advice to avoid the many pitfalls.

This building is six hundred years old and is still occupied.

Note the lead capping on the flying buttress to keep the weather out of the stone and reduce weathering. Installing cappings and wall linings can significantly reduce long term maintenance costs.

Complex metal roofs, even on simple buildings, need skilled craftsmen for installation and maintenance.

Your home is your castle, but are you spending enough on maintenance to keep it secure?

Early attention to small leaks may eliminate the need for costly emergency works.

Creepers on the walls can look attractive and the leaves can provide effective sun protection in the summer. However, once the roots of the creepers get into the brickwork, and window joinery, they can cause very expensive damage to the building.

Structural ties and braces need not be ugly. A little imagination, cost and effort can soften the stark rectangular rigidity and make the brace a little more pleasing to the eye.