Restoration of older Provencal properties requires an intimate knowledge of the original building techniques. Sometimes, it is these very techniques which have created problems - such as the lack of a damp-proof course or the incorporation of untreated timbers in the structure.

The skill in refurbishment is in identifying the problems and the underlying causes and then finding a solution with modern or recovered materials which resolves the problem without creating another.

Often, incorrect remedies have given rise to worse problems and it is frequently our job to undo what has been done before. This is usually the case with damp problems where most DIY remedies are designed to stop the damp showing rather than stopping it at source. Many of the original building materials were permeable and it is the later addition of newer impermeable products which gives rise to new damp problems. In general much of our restoration work requires the use of lime-based products to avoid this.

Of course, an equally difficult problem to resolve is roof leaks but it is here that modern materials allow a much less compromising solution to be achieved. Restoring roofs is very much a job for the experts and at Bati-Build we have more experience dealing with roofs than most builders - and our repairs are designed to last.

Older stone properties represent a different challenge - often significant changes are required by an owner to increase ceiling heights, take down walls to create larger rooms or replace small windows to make rooms lighter and airier. All these require the skills of a stone-mason to recreate a sense of authenticity in what is essentially a modernisation of an old property.

Finally, restoration in Provence often includes restoring a garden and it is here that our extensive experience of building in stone allows us to rebuild and repair stone walls as well as lay stone flag terracing and crazy-paving.