What about damp and old walls?

We assess the cause first — usually rising damp myths, blocked vents, hard cement renders trapping moisture, or roofs needing attention. A breathable repair strategy fixes most of it without chemical intervention. In Gerrans specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary before committing to a direction.

How long does a renovation take?

Single rooms in weeks, kitchens in two to three months, whole-house renovations in six to fourteen months depending on size and listed status.

Can I live in the house during the work?

Sometimes yes, often no. Single-room remodels and phased work can be liveable; whole-house renovations involving rewires, replumbing or floor lifting almost never are. We're honest about this at the brief.

Do I need planning permission to renovate internally?

Usually no — except on listed buildings, where Listed Building Consent is needed for many internal alterations. We confirm the position before any wall comes down.

Can you renovate and extend at the same time?

Yes, and often it's the right call — the planning, regs and disruption all happen once instead of twice. We design and price it as a single project.

Roseland · TR2

Renovations that reads Gerrans properly

Cornish housing stock is brilliant and infuriating in equal measure. We renovate cottages, farmhouses, mid-century homes and post-war estates — opening up layouts, fixing damp, adding light and bringing the property up to a standard worth living in. A Gerrans brief starts on the street, not the screen — Gerrans is a coastal village in the TR2 area, where sea exposure, views and seasonal pressure shape most building decisions, with a building stock that leans toward replacement dwellings and rendered coastal houses.

Gerrans sits in Roseland — covering TR2 from Portscatho, Truro, St Austell outward.

Conservation Area
Cornwall AONB
Coastal exposure zone

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✓ Measured-survey accuracy from day one
✓ One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
✓ Local to Roseland — not a national franchise
✓ Same team on paper as on site

Cornish mining-landscape ridge with engine-house silhouette

coastal contemporary build above the dunes

Our process

How a Gerrans renovation project runs.

Step 1
Survey
Measured survey, condition assessment, services check and listed status review.
Step 2
Design
Layout options, material strategy and a clear list of what stays and what changes.
Step 3
Approvals
Listed Building Consent and building regulations as needed.
Step 4
Strip-out and works
Carefully sequenced demolition, structural works and rebuild.
Step 5
Finish and handover
Joinery, decoration, snagging and documentation pack.

Whole-house renovations typically run six to fourteen months on site; partial remodels two to four months.

Local proof — Recent renovation enquiries from Gerrans have clustered around replacement dwellings — we know the route through Cornwall Council on these.

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What we focus on

Renovations considerations specific to Gerrans.

01
Original fireplaces, slate floors, beams and joinery are often worth rescuing; the design conversation should start with what stays, not what goes.
02
Older Cornish properties are often built with cob, rubble or solid granite — modern insulation strategies that work in cavity walls cause damp problems in solid construction. Breathable build-ups matter.
03
Listed and curtilage-listed properties need Listed Building Consent for many internal alterations that wouldn't normally need approval.
04
Damp in Cornish cottages is usually a moisture management problem, not a chemical injection problem — fixing the cause is cheaper long term than treating the symptom.

Local context

Why Gerrans is its own job.

Around Gerrans (TR2), coastal setting and landscape sensitivity mean rooflines, glazing, drainage and external materials need careful handling from the first sketch. For renovation specifically, parts of Gerrans sit within a designated Conservation Area, which means materials, fenestration and roof pitches all need to read sympathetically with the existing streetscape; the surrounding landscape falls inside the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so massing, height and landscape impact carry extra weight in any planning decision; coastal salt-laden air around Gerrans drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. Reading Gerrans properly up front saves more time than any drawing tool ever will. Most of our renovation work in Gerrans lands on replacement dwellings, with detailing that has to nod to the wider Truro streetscape.

Planning note

Most Cornish renovations don't need planning — but listed status, curtilage listing, Conservation Area designation and material changes can all change that picture.

Local watch-list

Common Gerrans pitfalls we plan around.

Watch #1
Conservation Area material and fenestration controls in central Gerrans
Watch #2
AONB landscape-impact scrutiny on visible elevations
Watch #3
Coastal exposure driving fixing, render and joinery spec

Gerrans is the hub for these neighbourhoods

We run renovations across Gerrans and the surrounding TR2 neighbourhoods — same studio, same site team.

Portscatho
TR2

Local fabric

One TR2 studio, one renovation job — start to finish.

Building stock

Across Gerrans (TR2) we work on granite cottages, rendered coastal houses, holiday homes, bungalows, replacement dwellings. Each stock type drives a different renovation response — replacement dwellings in particular needs careful detailing here.

Parish & policy

Gerrans sits in the parish of Gerrans, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a renovation application.

Coverage

We cover TR2 from our studio, with regular renovation jobs also running in Portscatho, Truro, St Austell. Most Gerrans site visits get booked within the same week.

Do you work in Gerrans regularly?

Yes — Gerrans and the wider TR2 catchment are core territory. We're typically on a Roseland site at least once a week, so logistics are baked in, not bolted on.

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Who this is for

Gerrans runs the full mix — owner-occupier, holiday-let, commercial and the occasional smallholding — so we scope every renovation enquiry from the use-class up.

FAQs

Gerrans Renovations — local questions answered.

What about damp and old walls?: We assess the cause first — usually rising damp myths, blocked vents, hard cement renders trapping moisture, or roofs needing attention. A breathable repair strategy fixes most of it without chemical intervention. In Gerrans specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary before committing to a direction.
How long does a renovation take?: Single rooms in weeks, kitchens in two to three months, whole-house renovations in six to fourteen months depending on size and listed status.
Can I live in the house during the work?: Sometimes yes, often no. Single-room remodels and phased work can be liveable; whole-house renovations involving rewires, replumbing or floor lifting almost never are. We're honest about this at the brief.
Do I need planning permission to renovate internally?: Usually no — except on listed buildings, where Listed Building Consent is needed for many internal alterations. We confirm the position before any wall comes down.
Can you renovate and extend at the same time?: Yes, and often it's the right call — the planning, regs and disruption all happen once instead of twice. We design and price it as a single project.

Other services in Gerrans

Nearby places we cover

Local neighbourhoods in Gerrans

Portscatho

For Gerrans homeowners weighing up a renovation, the right starting point is honest feasibility — that's what we lead with, before any drawings.

Walk us round your Gerrans site — free first visit

Start a conversation

Renovations that reads Gerrans properly

How a Gerrans renovation project runs.

Survey

Design

Approvals

Strip-out and works

Finish and handover