No second viewing. No measuring. No time to fully process what we were taking on.
That short window became the moment we decided whether to buy the house that’s now our biggest project yet.
I’ve shared a walkthrough in my latest YouTube video in roughly the same amount of time, to give you an idea of just how little time we had! It’s a little raw in places (all my proper filming equipment is currently in boxes somewhere), but it captures the reality — the unknowns, the nerves, and the spark that made us say yes anyway.
Almost there….
Since then, the progress over the last few weeks has been incredible — and we’re now just weeks away from finally moving in.
If you’re interested in property, renovation, heritage buildings, or the reality of taking on a long-term project alongside full-time work and family lifein video, then subscribe to the YouTube channel. It will give you a great insight as our journey progresses!
🎥 Watch the video above
Sometimes the biggest decisions really do happen in the smallest windows of time.
As a new year begins, we’ve found ourselves looking back at just how much has changed at Hall Farm over the past three months. Owning a listed building in the heart of Thornton-Le-Dale, Yorkshire, has always felt like a privilege, and these last few months truly marked a turning point in our renovation journey. What once felt like an endless to-do list has slowly transformed into real, tangible progress.
Much of the work completed so far hasn’t been the glamorous, Instagram-ready kind — but it has been essential. We began by completely rewiring and replumbing the house, carefully threading modern infrastructure through centuries-old walls. These upgrades were designed to future-proof Hall Farm. Ensuring it remains safe, efficient, and comfortable, while respecting its historic fabric.
Alongside this, we installed a brand-new boiler — a small miracle for anyone who has lived through a Yorkshire winter in a draughty old farmhouse. The chimneys have been inspected, made safe and will be restored fully this year. It has made an enormous difference to daily life here.
Listed Building Renovation
Some of the most satisfying moments came from restoring what was already here. We have spent weeks dipping, sanding and waxing the original doors and windows, bringing their character back to life. The last of the windows will be refitted this month. The same goes for the original beams, which were carefully sandblasted to reveal their age, texture and history — a reminder of just how many stories these timbers have held.
The kitchen, once dark and impractical, was completely ripped out. While it’s still very much a work in progress, clearing the space felt symbolic — making room for something new while honouring what came before.
Traditional Methods & Craftsmanship
Perhaps the most traditional craft we embraced this year was lime plastering. Messy, slow and incredibly rewarding, it has helped the house breathe again. As well as reinforced our commitment to sympathetic restoration rather than quick fixes.
When we stand back now, Hall Farm feels healthier, stronger and more itself than it has in decades. There’s still plenty to do, but this year laid the foundations — literally and figuratively — for everything to come.
If you’d like to follow along as we continue restoring this little piece of Yorkshire heritage, we’d love you to subscribe and join us for the next chapter.
Fay x
P.S. I will now be sharing new renovation and design inspiration videos most weeks on YouTube – subscribing there is the easiest way to follow along in real time.
Restoring Hall Farm: From Historic Farmhouse to Family Home
When we bought Hall Farm, we knew we were buying more than just a new house. We were buying a piece of Thornton-Le-Dale history. As part of our renovation/planning application to North York Moors, we had to commission a heritage statement. It’s been fascinating to read and learn more about our new home.
In the heart of the village, set back from the main road, lies Hall Farm — a structure with a rich past and a promising future. Originally established in the late 18th century, Hall Farm was constructed as a working farmhouse. It was designed to support generations of tenant and owner-occupier farmers in this quiet corner of Yorkshire. There are still signs of its original use, which we can’t wait to restore. Over time, the building has witnessed the rhythms of the land, now in another winter marked by hearth-fires and strong Yorkshire winds. I’d love to know what stories lie beneath the decades of paint and plaster…
Through the Victorian era, the farm adapted: improvements were made, outbuildings added. The farmhouse itself saw modest extensions to accommodate growing farm households. In the 20th century, agricultural practices changed, and small farms struggled to remain viable. Hall Farm changed hands and ceased to function as a full-scale working farm. While the structure remained, many original features were altered or lost. Over the past decade, the home has gradually fallen from its former glory.
Hall Farm Renovation, Thornton-Le-Dale
We are excited to be part of a new chapter for Hall Farm: the property is undergoing careful renovation and conversion back into a family home, with a deep respect for its heritage. We aim to restore original features where possible — exposed stone walls, timber beams, historic windows. While sensitively introducing modern comforts: heating, insulation, and family-friendly layouts. We are committed to honouring the building’s past as a working farm while bringing it back to life as a place of warmth, domesticity and family-centred living.
As we progress, we hope Hall Farm will again echo with laughter, footsteps on old floorboards, and the smells of home-cooking. A true restoration of its former glory, blending history and home in one beautiful place. Stay tuned for updates as this restoration journey unfolds.
There’s something magical about the moment you finally receive the first proper designs for your kitchen, boot room, and utility. After months of planning, measuring, mood-boarding, and daydreaming, suddenly it all becomes real. Today, that moment arrived for us, and it feels like the start of a whole new chapter in bringing this old house back to life.
When the email arrived this morning from James at Omega PLC, I was in full work mode, but I couldn’t help myself…
Like a Child at Christmas
Opening the email felt a bit like opening a present you’ve been waiting ages to open. Each image suggestion offered a glimpse into how some of the oldest rooms in the home will function for us in day-to-day life. For a neurodiverse household like ours, flow, clarity, and intuitive organisation aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re essential. And seeing it all mapped out so thoughtfully was genuinely exciting.
The proposed kitchen layout balances practicality with warmth, giving us a space that feels welcoming without compromising on storage or efficiency. The boot room design is particularly exciting: a designated drop zone for muddy shoes, bags, coats, and everyday chaos. If any space is going to save our sanity on busy mornings, it’s that one. And the utility room feels like the unsung hero—tucked away but designed to make laundry, cleaning, and general household upkeep run so much smoother.
Family-Friendly Kitchen Design
Through the whole kitchen design planning process we very much wanted to keep a traditional feel to the kitchen. In terms of look, colour and cabinet hardware; but also ensuring that it had a timeless feel with a modern shaker style.
Of course, seeing the first round of designs also sparks a flood of ideas. Maybe you want to tweak the lighting positions, add more built-in storage, shift a window, or incorporate materials that echo the original character of the house. This early stage is all about refining, imagining, and making sure the design truly reflects how your family lives.
I added the boot room detail from the original concept, along with a tall cabinet specifically to house the ironing board, mop etc. But am especially excited about my pull out ‘drawers’ under the washer & dryer, so I can place the wash baskets on when filling/emptying the machines. Oh and my pot tap above the range!
Now that the designs are here, everything feels more tangible. It’s the start of transforming these essential rooms into spaces that work for our family—not just aesthetically, but practically, emotionally, and functionally. And honestly? It feels incredibly exciting.
I’d love to know what you can’t live without in your kitchen, or something you wish you had? Comment below, can’t wait to hear!
Restoring a Grade II listed farmhouse gives you character, history and unique architecture — but it also brings legal obligations, specialist procurement and a patient timeline. This guide walks you through pre-purchase research, statutory consent, selecting professionals, budgeting and practical conservation approaches so you understand the full scope before committing, along with a couple of hints from what we’ve learned so far!
What “Grade II listed” actually means
A Grade II listing identifies a building of special architectural or historic interest. Any alteration that affects the character of the building requires Listed Building Consent from your local planning authority — even interior changes in many cases. Always consult your local conservation officer early: it can save time and avoid rejected applications.
Key takeaway: Don’t assume “cosmetic” changes won’t need consent — if the work affects character, it likely needs formal approval.
Pre-purchase due diligence
Before exchange, carry out thorough checks:
Essential reports
Full structural survey (not just a mortgage valuation).
Damp & timber report (timber frames, rot and insect damage are common in older buildings).
Roof and thatch inspection (if present).
Historic research — identify original features and previous alterations; some changes may be later additions you can alter more easily but not always.
Red flags to watch for
Extensive rising damp requiring replacement of historic plaster.
Unsuitable modern interventions that are costly to reverse.
Unknown ownership of historic fixtures or curtilage structures (sheds, boundary walls).
Planning, Listed Building Consent (LBC) and the local conservation officer
Process overview
Informal pre-application meeting with the conservation officer — discuss likely acceptability.
Conservation architect or surveyor prepares detailed plans and heritage impact statement.
Submit LBC application to the local authority (there’s no fee).
Possible parallel planning application if extensions or external changes are planned.
Work only after consent is granted — unauthorised work can lead to enforcement action.
Historic England guidance and advice notes are a crucial reference when preparing applications and understanding what will and will not be acceptable.
Working team: who you need
Conservation architect — essential for sympathetic design and LBC applications.
Heritage surveyor — structural and materials expertise.
Specialist tradespeople: lime plasterers, stone masons, thatchers, sash-window specialists, joiners skilled in traditional methods.
Project manager experienced with listed properties (recommended for complex projects).
Tip: Ask for portfolios of previous listed-building work and references.
Materials, methods and sustainability
Traditional materials (lime mortar/plaster, sash windows, breathable insulation) preserve the building’s fabric and avoid long-term moisture problems.
Consider secondary glazing rather than replacing original sash windows where possible.
Modern insulation solutions must be chosen to avoid trapping moisture and damaging historic fabric.
Note: Energy improvements often need sensitive detailing and may require LBC for visible changes.
Typical costs and timescales
Costs vary hugely; older roofs, structural timber work or thatch re-thatting substantially increase budgets. A realistic restoration timeline for a medium-scale Victorian farmhouse could be 12–24 months from detailed design to completion for complex work — longer when significant conservation is required.
Budgeting tip: Add a 20–30% contingency for unforeseen issues (timber rot, hidden defects). We discovered a huge amount of woodworm, weevil infestation, dry rot, and damp throughout the property.
Practical estimate categories
Surveys & designs: 2–5% of build budget.
Specialist conservation trades: high unit cost due to skill level.
Mechanical & electrical upgrades: necessary but must be sensitively integrated.
(Refer to reputable trade quotes for accurate numbers in your area.)
Finding and managing specialist trades
Source trades via conservation organisations, local conservation officers, or references from previously restored properties.
Use staged payments tied to milestones and require materials to be approved by you or the conservation architect.
Keep an annotated photographic record of all original details before work starts — this helps with conservation records and future resale.
Dealing with common Victorian issues
Damp & rising moisture: address source first (drainage, gutters), then repair breathably with lime-based products. Subsidence or settlement: get a structural engineer; underpinning or soil stabilisation may be needed. Original windows & doors: repair rather than replace where possible — joiners can draught-seal and repair sashes. Services (plumbing, electrics): route carefully to minimise cutting historic fabric; trunking and surface conduits may be preferable if reversible.
Grants, tax and funding
Grants for private residential restorations are limited; check with Historic England, local heritage trusts and your local authority for any small grants or advice programmes. Tax reliefs are rare for private homeowners, but VAT rules can sometimes apply to listed building repair works — seek professional tax advice early.
Permissions beyond LBC
Planning permission may still be required for extensions or changes to curtilage.
Scheduled monument consent applies only if the building or land is scheduled (rare for typical farmhouses).
Building Regulations still apply for work affecting structure, drainage or fire safety — these are separate from LBC.
Record-keeping and aftercare
Keep all consents, drawings and photographs together.
Prepare an operations manual describing maintenance schedules (thatched roof checks, stone repointing, timber treatment).
Regular small maintenance avoids bigger interventions later.
Evidence of where original features must be preserved.
If in doubt: pause the purchase, get more specialist advice — once irreversible work is done, you can’t always put it back.
Highlight: Discovering the two main reception rooms still had full height, working wooden shutters which were built in to the wall frames was possibly my happiest moment. That along with discovering old plans of the house in a trunk up in the eves!
Lowlight: We found that a large portion of the woodwork in the house was affected by an untreated weevil infestation.
Conclusion — heritage with responsibility
A listed Victorian farmhouse rewards patience with character and a deep sense of place, but it asks for stewardship. We are merely guardians of the farmhouse: respecting its fabric, working with conservation professionals, planning finances carefully and documenting everything. The result is not merely a house restored — it’s history lived in and conserved for the future.
