You have carried out the repairs to your traditional stone property, replaced the cement with lime, fixed the roof and gutters. How long will it take the structure of the building to dry out ?

Nothing lifts the spirits like our historic buildings covered in snow. It brightens up the dark winter days and gets you in the festive mood, but keep one eye on those gutters.

At this time of year many kids in school are starting to think about their futures when they enter the world of work. We want to encourage more of them to consider a future with our traditional buildings industry. You are as likely to find professionals in the traditional building sector working in advanced laboratories and developing the latest computing technology as you are holding a chisel and hammer.

This is not an early St Patrick's day image. This is an image from a Building Health Check we recently carried out near Inverness.

Streaky buildings not only look unsightly, they can indicate that your building is not preforming properly. This is not always the case though, as algae can also being used to heat your hot water.

You worked hard for the opportunity to get you own project started, you want to get the best you can for your money. What if something went wrong? How would you cope in a crisis?

When we carry out surveys on traditional buildings, we often encounter mould growing in parts of the building interior. In fact, we almost always encounter mould growth in parts of the building interior. Usually, where alterations or “improvements” have been carried out in the past, especially those where insulation has been added.

Lead is a traditional building material that has been used for hundreds of years. Lead is a high quality material but it is not indestructible. It needs to be installed and importantly maintained correctly.

Stone can withstand a fair amount of damage, just as well because it is constantly under attack. Pollution in the atmosphere, frost, salt from pavements and roads, bad workmanship and poor repairs, the list goes on. Eventually there comes a point when replacement is the only option.

Damage caused by high winds to historic buildings in the centre of Inverness made the headlines this week.

Masonry falling from buildings is always extremely dangerous and has caused fatalities in the past, it is no surprise that it is a matter of public concern. However, there was an irony about the response of some of our councillors, reported in the local press.

Traditional thatched cottages are few and far between these days. However, up to the Victorian era, thatching was the common form of roof covering, even in town. Many of the houses around Inverness were thatched.

When I was invited to inspect an authentic thatched cottage, on Skye, owned by the National Trust for Scotland, it was an opportunity to reflect on highland vernacular buildings and culture.

This valentines day, don’t forget your other significant other.

So…  how would you describe your relationship with your home ?

Understanding the difference between a product and a service could by the key to the success or failure of your building project. This is particularly important when working on traditional buildings. Get it wrong and you will be left frustrated, or worse, facing serious technical and financial problems..