Thanks all for the good advice. It's difficult to know what is a real problem and what we could live with for another 5-10y, e.g (not damp related) re:windows - double glazed plastic(!)of some age and some of the panes have failed and misted over. Windows are likely to require replacing at some point in the near future. Ideally, we would rip them out and replace with wooden sash but we are uikely to be able to afford that for quite sometime and it may actually be fine for a while. I suppose in reality, unless buying a new build or recent renovation (and even then), there will be a list of imperfections which we will have to prioritise from necessary to would-be-nice. I'm hoping for a similar outcome to yours, Edcam.