Three things from yesterday: first, what the survey marked as a non-loadbearing partition is doing some honest work in the existing structure. Second, the existing kitchen floor has a step in it that has been quietly hidden for decades. Third, the foul drainage runs in a direction the drawings didn’t hint at.

None of those are catastrophic. Each one would have been a variation if it had only surfaced once the contractor was on site. Catching them at take-off stage is the point.

The Bere Alston project will be a lovely refurbishment. The price the client just received is one they can rely on, because we’ve walked the building.