Any tips on how to repair my Goan heritage house?
The thumb rule is to stick to the original materials used for building the house in the first place. If you find these hard to get then use material that closest to the original. The golden rule is to keep it simple. The silver rule is to live in the house and use every corner as much as possible. And the solid iron rule is to make a plan for the end use for the house before you begin repairs. Use white wash (chunam) for the walls so you can refresh every year, remove all excess woodwork to avoid termite attack and reuse the wood in the house. For example, if there are too many doors and windows remove them and use them as table tops and benches. Termite treatment is an absolute must. Walk on the floors to bring out the patina. Replace damaged floors with terracotta tiles now available in Ponda, polish these with coconut oil and lay them unevenly so they look like they are part of the old flooring. At all times, fill the house with love, laughter and lots of friends. If you are adding
