The new house

*********

*********

*********

The house is in the small (population 260) commune of Les Cresnays, and is about 2km south and west of Brecey, about 8km from La Bagottiére. The house is about 65m above sea level, compared with 300m before. This should mean about 2 degrees milder throughout the year, and three or four weeks less winter.

The house is an old farm longére, extended about 15 years ago. It has about 175 m2 of living area. It has 8000m2 of land, and there is a small stream running along the border at the far end.

The previous owner started to extend it, and convert the attic to a habitable floor. He did all the hard work, extension, repointing, clearing the attic, new roofs and so on, but then just stopped. 15 years ago. The house was used for holidays in its unfinished state, but has been unused for the last ten years.

We carried out a major project to complete the house: two big bedrooms with shower rooms, and a huge working area. Plus (geotherrmal) central heating, and a staircase to the upper floor.

These sets of pictures show the work as it progressed. As of the end of August 2011, all the interior work has been completed, and most of the exterior; just sorting out the building rubble and the old garage, of whih we intend to knock down haldfof; the rest has been turned into a gardenn shed, within the old walls.

Les Cresnays: how it changed