"Whether you live in a Georgian town house, a Victorian terraced property, or a 1930s semi, when it comes to carrying out repair and refurbishment work it is always better to use original materials. This informative guide tells you everything you need to know about tracking down and purchasing reclaimed building materials of all kinds, including bricks, roof and floor tiles, slates, timber, doors and door furniture, and much more. Thre are buying tips and checkpoints to save you time and money, and key information to help you spot a bargain and avoid a scam. Readers will learn to differentiate between genuine antiques, items with temrinal flaws, and modern reproductions as well as how to judge and assess materials; for example how to tell the difference between steel and wrought or cast iron, or between 1740s carved marble and a 21st-century resin reproduction. Advice is supplied from experts, including conservation architects, salvage dealers, architectural historians, and master builders. A comprehensive history is given of the development of each type of popular building material or time."--Publisher description.