Traditional Repairs, Budget Struggles and a Summer Thunderstorm That Tried to Finish Us Off
Restoring an old stone house in rural France is never just a “bit of pointing”. In this video, we tackle DIY lime mortaring on the rear of our abandoned farmhouse, battling crumbling walls, structural cracks, unstable scaffolding, and some of the most unpredictable summer weather we’ve ever seen.
If you’re renovating an old house on a tight budget, thinking of buying a rural property in France, or trying to understand traditional lime mortar repairs, this project shows the reality. Not the glossy version. The one where gravity, weather, and previous cowboy builders all take turns having a go.
00:00 – Rain Delay: Waiting to Start Lime Mortar Repair
We begin exactly how every outdoor renovation in France begins… staring at the sky and negotiating with it.
Despite it being summer, thunderstorms, lightning, and sudden temperature drops mean lime mortaring simply can’t start. Lime mortar needs patience, stable conditions, and cooperation from the weather. We got none of those.
00:11 – Coming Up: Gravity vs Scaffolding (We Lose)
Before we even touch the wall, scaffolding reminds us who’s in charge.
Old stone houses don’t have straight walls. Scaffolding does. This mismatch leads to wobbling towers, poor footing, and a lesson in why “just one more reach” is always a terrible idea.
00:20 – Scaffolding Collapse Before We Even Begin
Yes. Before the job even properly starts, part of the scaffolding gives up.
This is the joy of DIY renovation on a budget. No fancy access platforms. Just borrowed boards, careful planning, and the occasional heart-stopping moment.
00:27 – Crumbling Walls: Abandoned House Renovation in France
With the render removed, the truth is exposed.
Huge cracks. Missing stones. Mortar that has shrunk so much it’s barely holding anything in place. This is classic abandoned stone house renovation in France, where decades of hidden damage only reveal themselves once you start.
00:41 – Dropped Window Arch Needs Urgent Lime Mortar Repair
One of the most worrying discoveries is a dropped stone arch above a window.
The arch has sunk by over a centimetre, causing serious cracking through the wall. Lime mortar repairs here aren’t cosmetic. They’re structural. Ignore this kind of damage, and gravity eventually wins.
01:50 – Rear Door Failing: Serious Cracks in Stone Walls
Above the rear door, the situation is even worse.
Cracks radiate out in a Y-shaped pattern, stones are loose, and sections of wall are visibly bulging. At this point, raking out the old mortar feels like playing renovation Jenga.
03:26 – Moving Scaffolding for More Stone Wall Repairs
As we move along the wall, the scale of the problem becomes clear.
Entire sections are so fragile that stones fall out on their own. No power tools needed. Just a brush, a spike, and disbelief that the wall is still standing at all.
04:21 – Progress! Restoring Stone Walls with Lime Mortar
Finally, some good news.
Fresh traditional lime mortar starts going back in, binding the stonework properly for the first time in decades. This is where old buildings start to breathe again and feel solid instead of haunted.
06:12 – Thunderstorm Chaos Stops Our Budget Renovation
And then… thunder.
Working six metres up a scaffold during a lightning storm is a hard no. The tools go down, the work stops, and the weather once again sets the schedule.
06:53 – One Hour Left Before Lightning Ends Lime Mortaring
We’re racing the clock now.
Dark clouds roll in, the temperature drops, and we’re running dangerously low on sand and lime. If the mortar isn’t on before the rain hits, days of work could be ruined.
10:02 – Lime Mortar Repair Finished: Final Stone Taps
Against all odds, the final stones are tapped into place.
It’s not pretty work at this stage. Awkward angles, scaffolding in the way, and the rain starting again. But the wall is holding. That’s the win.
11:31 – Eight Weeks Later: Traditional Building Pays Off
What started as a “simple rear wall repair” turned into eight weeks of structural restoration.
We also uncover just how dangerous the old chimney had been, barely attached to the house and relying on render for support. A sobering reminder of why old buildings need proper materials and methods.
12:25 – Scaffolding Boards Drop Again… Obviously
Because of course they do.
No renovation video would be complete without one last reminder that gravity never clocks off early.
13:04 – Terrible Weather for Lime Mortar Repair
We had everything:
• 42°C heat
• Thunder and Lightning
• Torrential rain
• Dangerous Accidents
Not exactly textbook conditions for lime mortar pointing, but when you’re renovating on a budget, you work with the windows you’re given. Literally and meteorologically.
If you’re renovating an old house in France, considering buying a rural property, or just want an honest look at DIY building restoration on a small budget, this video shows exactly what you’re letting yourself in for.
Expect mistakes. Surprises. Weather tantrums. And eventually… solid walls.
👉 Watch the full video here: DIY Lime Mortaring: Ancient Building Restoration
Timestamps
00:00 Rain Delay: Waiting to Start Lime Mortar Repair
00:11 Coming Up! Gravity vs Scaffolding (We Lose)
00:20 Scaffolding Collapse Before We Even Begin
00:27 Crumbling Walls: Abandoned House Renovation France
00:41 Dropped Window Arch Needs Urgent Lime Mortar Repair
01:50 Rear Door Failing! Serious Cracks in Stone Walls
03:26 Moving Scaffolding for More Stone Wall Repairs
04:21 Progress! Restoring Stone Walls with Lime Mortar
06:12 Thunderstorm Chaos Stops Our Budget Renovation
06:53 One Hour Left Before Lightning Ends Lime Mortaring
10:02 Lime Mortar Repair Finished, Final Stone Taps
11:31 Eight Weeks Later: Traditional Building Pays Off
12:25 Scaffolding Boards Drop Again… Obviously
13:04 Terrible Weather for Lime Mortar Repair
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