Historic Building Renovations.

This is the most critical technical choice in heritage work. Modern Portland cement is incredibly hard and waterproof. Old bricks and stones, however, are soft and porous. If you use hard cement on an old wall, moisture gets trapped inside the brick; when that moisture freezes, it expands and “spalls” (shatters) the face of the brick.

Lime mortar is “sacrificial” and breathable. It allows moisture to evaporate through the joints rather than the masonry. It is also flexible, allowing the building to move slightly with the seasons without cracking. Using lime is the single best thing you can do to ensure your historic home survives for another 100 years.

This is the biggest challenge in modern conservation, and the answer is yes—if done sympathetically. You cannot “cling-film” a historic building with modern plastic insulation; it needs to breathe. We use breathable, high-performance materials like wood-fibre insulation, hempcrete, and “slim-line” heritage double glazing that mimics the profile of original single-pane glass. By focusing on the “fabric-first” approach—draft-proofing and insulating floors and lofts—we can significantly lower your carbon footprint without compromising the building’s aesthetic or structural health.

Generally, yes. Historic renovations are “investigative” by nature. Unlike a new build where every material is uniform, an old building often hides centuries of structural secrets behind its plaster.

• Discovery Phase: We often find “hidden” issues like timber decay or historic structural shifts that require bespoke solutions.

• Specialist Crafts: Hand-applying lime plaster or restoring original leadwork takes significantly longer than installing modern drywall or uPVC. We factor this “patience” into our initial project timeline, ensuring we don’t rush the delicate processes that give a heritage home its value.

Yes. If your building is Grade I, II, or II listed*, you will almost certainly need Listed Building Consent (LBC) for any works that affect its character, internally or externally. This includes things that might seem minor, such as replacing windows, moving internal walls, or even changing floorboards.

Navigating the 2026 heritage planning framework requires a “Statement of Significance.” We work closely with conservation officers to prove that our proposed changes will preserve the building’s soul while making it fit for modern life. Carrying out unauthorized work on a listed building is a criminal offense, so we ensure every stone moved is legally accounted for.