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TRADITIONAL LIME MORTAR REPOINTING SERVICE IN LONDON

Older properties have a way of getting under your skin. The texture of hand-made bricks, the soft lines of lime mortar, the small details that tell you a wall has been standing for a hundred years or more. When that brickwork starts to suffer, you want it brought back the right way.

At Olde English Restoration, we’ve spent 20 years restoring brickwork on period and heritage homes across Bromley and South East London. We work with traditional materials and methods, so the finished result looks at home on the building rather than stuck onto it.

TALK TO US ABOUT BRICK RESTORATION

Call 07366 653826 for a free, no-obligation quote, or tell us about your project using the enquiry form on our contact page and we’ll get back to you shortly.

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WHAT BRICKWORK RESTORATION INVOLVES

Restoration is different from a quick repair. We assess the whole wall, work out what’s failing and why, then put it right using techniques that suit the age and style of the property.

That might mean raking out cement mortar that’s trapping moisture in soft Victorian bricks. It might mean replacing a handful of weathered bricks with sympathetic matches. On finer façades, it can mean tuck pointing or gauged brickwork to bring back the original look.

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WHERE WE CAN HELP

Our restoration work covers a wide range of issues you might see on an older building:

  • Crumbling or eroded mortar joints
  • Cracked, spalled or missing bricks
  • Damage from previous unsuitable repairs
  • Paint or render covering original brick faces
  • Weathered or blackened façades in need of careful cleaning
  • Structural movement and bulging walls
  • Tired front garden walls, piers and boundary walls
  • Decorative features such as arches, corbels and string courses

LIME MORTAR, TUCK POINTING AND GAUGED BRICKWORK

A lot of the damage we see on Victorian and Edwardian homes comes from cement mortar being used where lime mortar should have been. Cement is too hard, so it traps moisture in the bricks and the faces crack and spall over time.

We repoint with lime mortar mixed to suit the original wall, so the building can breathe and move as it was designed to. For decorative façades, we also offer tuck pointing and gauged brickwork, both traditional techniques that take time and a steady hand but make a real difference to how a property looks.

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SENSITIVE CLEANING AND PAINT REMOVAL

Sometimes the brickwork itself is sound, it’s just hidden under decades of paint, render or grime. We use careful cleaning methods that lift the coating without damaging the brick face underneath.

The change can be striking. A façade that has looked dark and tired for years often comes back close to how it would have looked when it was first built.

HOW WE WORK

We start with a site visit so we can see the brickwork in person and understand what you’re trying to achieve. From there, you’ll get a clear written quote with no pressure and no surprises.

Once work begins, we keep things tidy, stay in touch as we go, and finish to a standard you’ll be happy to point out to friends and family.

WHY HOMEOWNERS CHOOSE US

People usually come to us because their property matters to them and they want it treated with the same care. A few things that tend to reassure our clients:

  • 20 years of specialist experience with period and heritage properties
  • Over 180 reviews across Checkatrade and Google
  • A genuine balance of traditional methods and modern know-how
  • Domestic and commercial project experience
  • A focus on doing the job once, properly

TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR BRICKWORK

If your period property needs restoration work, we’d be glad to take a look. Restoring a period property? Call 07366 653826 to talk it through, or send us a few details using the enquiry form on our contact page and we’ll come back to you shortly.

TALK TO US TODAY

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A few of the questions we get asked most often by homeowners thinking about restoration work.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY BRICKWORK NEEDS RESTORATION?

The signs are usually visible from the ground. Look for crumbling mortar joints, cracks running through bricks, faces flaking off (known as spalling), patches of green or black staining, or older repairs that sit awkwardly against the original wall. If you’re not sure, we’re happy to come out and take a look.

WHY DOES LIME MORTAR MATTER SO MUCH ON OLDER BUILDINGS?

Victorian and Edwardian homes were built with soft, hand-made bricks that need to breathe. Lime mortar lets moisture move in and out of the wall naturally, whereas cement mortar traps it inside the brick, which then cracks and crumbles in cold weather. Putting the right mortar back in is one of the most important parts of any heritage restoration.

CAN YOU MATCH OLD OR UNUSUAL BRICKS?

In most cases, yes. We work with reclamation yards and specialist suppliers, and we’ll always show you a sample before anything goes on the wall. Where a perfect match isn’t possible, we’ll find the closest option and talk you through the trade-offs.

DO YOU WORK ON LISTED BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES IN CONSERVATION AREAS?

Yes. We have experience with listed buildings and conservation area homes, and can work to specifications agreed with your conservation officer. We’re also happy to advise on what is and isn’t likely to need consent before you commit to anything.