Period properties are often constructed from stone. In terms of visual design, the stone you choose will partially come down to personal preference, but using a local stone remains the best option. It is best to use a stone that is local to the area. It adds a degree of regionalism and makes the house look appropriate to the area, even when the design is contemporary.

You need to factor in the length of time that the stone takes to lay. Good stone preparation is essential, the stone must be worked and dressed, not just laid straight from the pallet it is a work of art really. In reality you could expect no more than two metres a day to be completed for a good job with our trades using scotching tools and axes to work the stone and sort before laying. The tell-tale signs of good stone work can easily be seen when you know what you’re looking for and then only fully appreciated when compared to works were lesser care has been taken.

With period homes the design should try to minimise the damage done to the original building whilst extending. For example, making an existing window opening into a door will cause less damage than knocking through a completely new opening. Try to preserve features such as architraves, skirtings and cornices in the older part of the building, which are easily lost when doing so.