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Under its mantle of vegetation the old house was in good condition really with no wood rot or structural issues, but due to its design it was beyond economic renovation and/or extension. With extremely thin wooden walls and no insulation in the walls, roof or floors it was not economic to try to save any of it. But the first job was to clear the area around it of brambles, weeds and invading trees.
Young trees were growing out from under the foundations and out of the main drains.
Brambles and weeds were everywhere and on the east side a dozen, once ornamental, conifers were now towering above the house.
Down the garden were numerous old concrete paths, brick and concrete greenhouse bases. After cutting my way down I found two greenhouses, a concrete shed and a shed that had fallen over and had been grown over by vegetation.
See the shed? Look closely (click on the image) and you can just see the corrugated sheets that formed the roof. There really was a big shed in there, and its remains and contents filled a skip!