Renovating an old French house on a small budget is never just about making things look nice, and this project proves that perfectly. What started as turning our third bedroom into a simple hobby room quickly became a lesson in hidden problems, questionable past decisions, and the reality of renovating in rural France. Old stone houses have character, but they also hide decades of DIY surprises, so every wall tells a story whether you want to hear it or not.
This video follows one particularly troublesome corner of our house, and it shows what can happen when you finally decide to open things up and see what’s really going on behind the scenes.
When One Wall Becomes a Big Problem
Some renovation jobs feel risky from the very beginning, and this wall was one of them. From the first house viewing, it raised suspicions because broken windows, hanging guttering, and damaged floors all pointed to long-term neglect. Woodworm, damp, and even wildlife had already made themselves at home, so opening the wall felt less like a choice and more like an inevitability.
Old French houses often hide issues behind thick stone walls, and this one was no exception. Large gaps around the window allowed water, insects, and cold air straight into the structure, which then affected the floorboards, joists, and lintels below. Problems like these rarely stay isolated, and they tend to spread because moisture never respects boundaries.
Renovating Windows in Old Stone Houses
Windows in France are meant to follow standard metric sizes, but stone walls don’t always agree with modern rules. This window looked acceptable at first glance, but poor installation had created serious drainage issues that pushed water straight into the wall. Damp spread downward over time, and cracks followed soon after.
Fixing problems like this goes beyond swapping a window because the surrounding structure often suffers just as much damage. Rural house renovation frequently involves undoing old mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes were made with confidence rather than care.
A Wall Full of Wires, Pipes, and History
Behind this wall sits an entire network of electrics, plumbing, heating, and structural supports. It may not look impressive, but it holds up a shower, a heated towel rail, and several essential services. The wall itself was built quickly using hand tools and no electricity, so finesse took a back seat to necessity.
Every old house renovation includes moments like this, where practical decisions matter more than perfection. Hidden walls often do the hardest work, but they rarely get any credit once plasterboard covers them up.
Insulation, Wiring, and Small Renovation Wins
Adding natural insulation helped improve comfort while allowing the stone wall to breathe, which matters greatly in older French buildings. Finishing the first-fix wiring felt like a genuine milestone because miles of cable now quietly power the house behind finished surfaces.
Progress in renovation often feels invisible, but these steps matter because they prevent future problems. Small wins keep motivation alive, especially when working on a tight budget and tackling jobs one room at a time.
The Calm Side of the Wall vs the Chaos Behind It
Once the wall was closed, calm returned instantly. Visitors now see a tidy room, a small painting from a brocante, and none of the chaos hidden behind the surface. That contrast sums up old house renovation perfectly, because beauty often masks hard work, dust, and stress.
Finishing a wall brings closure, and it allows you to move forward without constantly revisiting the same problem. Sometimes hiding the chaos is the healthiest option.
Discovering Damp, Cracks, and Chimney Mistakes
Removing old plaster revealed blown areas, damp patches, and even daylight shining through nearly a metre-thick wall. Past owners had routed stove pipes straight through the wall instead of into the chimney, which caused smoke damage and left holes clean through the stonework.
These discoveries feel alarming, but they explain years of deterioration. Fixing the exterior guttering helped stop further water ingress, so the focus could finally shift to stabilising the interior and letting the walls breathe again.
Repairing Stone Walls the Right Way
Raking out failed mortar and repairing it properly helps stop insects nesting and strengthens the wall for decades to come. Old stone houses rely on breathable materials, so modern shortcuts often cause more harm than good.
This stage marks the shift from destruction to rebuilding, and visual progress finally begins to show. Renovating a rural French house isn’t fast, cheap, or easy, but done carefully, it gives these buildings another century of life.
If you’re renovating in France, thinking about buying a rural property, or tackling an old house on a budget, this video shows the honest reality behind the finished walls.
As always, thanks for watching, and we’ll see you in the next stage of the journey.
👉 Watch the full video: ▶️Hiding the Chaos in our Bargain French House
🧱 Hidden Problems in an Old French House
Where optimism meets 200 years of bad decisions
00:00 – One Wall, One Bargain French House… Uh Oh
00:22 – Ancient Windows, Damp Gaps and Unwanted Tenants
01:43 – This Wall Started Life as a 30-Year-Old Workbench
🔌 Wiring, Insulation & Small Renovation Victories
Invisible progress that still hurts
03:01 – Insulating a Stone Wall the Old French Way
03:19 – A Huge Rewiring Milestone (Miles of Cable Later)
03:55 – Plasterboard On, Celebration Briefly Allowed
📱 Modern Tech vs Old Stone Reality
Smart homes meet very dumb walls
05:06 – Wi-Fi Heaters in a Very Un-Wi-Fi House
05:53 – That Nightmare Where I Wired the House Wrong
🔥 Chimneys, Cracks & Rural French Surprises
This is where it gets spicy
06:38 – Blown Plaster Reveals Chimney Horror Stories
07:59 – Ancient Electrics, Big Cracks and a Deep Mystery Hole
09:30 – Damp Got In… But What Else Was Hiding Here?
🦴 Fireplaces, Woodworm & Hard Truths
Things you can’t unsee
11:38 – This Fireplace Was Hiding Something Unpleasant
14:20 – Fixing Drainage Mistakes Around Old Double Glazing
14:30 – Treating Oak Beams Before Woodworm Returns
14:44 – Destruction Over… Now We Build It Back Properly