One of our current projects involves a seemingly simple but technically quite complex face lift to an early Georgian Grade II Listed house in Hampstead.
Our client's house was suffering from moisture problems and growing cracks on the front elevation, which is the only part of the brick building to have been cement rendered. Cement render (unlike historically-used lime) is not 'breathable', and in an old building with no cavity walls the cement can trap moisture inside the house or within the wall.
We made the planning and Listed Building submissions to Camden Council. The council were initially reluctant to let us take all the cement render off, but after some negotiating, trial removal, and convincing the Conservation Officer agreed a new replacement lime render would be best for the building.
We have really enjoyed working with our client and Sibylle Heil of WPD Productions, who knows her stuff and was instrumental in specifying and applying the new lime render.
We're doing some other work to this inside of this house and hope to post updates soon.
Images
Bodged infilling and broken bricks found after removing the modern cement render; The ground floor sash after removing expanding foam and repairs to reveals/segmental arch; After the second coat of lime render