26/07/2026
Repairs to historic buildings and listed building consent.
During a recent meeting with a conservation officer we discussed the various considerations to be taken into account when undertaking repairs to historic buildings, in this case it was brick repairs and repointing.
As SPAB corporate supporters we subscribe to the notion of conservation and honest repairs. But what of previous repairs which stand out like a sore thumb?
Our attitude toward these is that ‘once a bodge, always a bodge’, so a poorly executed repair - isolated mismatched bricks or the wrong mortar - is not a part of a building’s story which must be conserved at all costs.
In this case we would make the case that these historic repairs should be replaced with the appropriate work as though done properly at the time. That is not to say a bricked up window opening should be made invisible, but that the sort of ‘that’ll do’ rush jobs can be made good without sacrificing history.
Another critical aspect of that particular property is the industrial history of the world heritage site it sits within, which gives its unique soot-blackened character. Mortar samples taken from within the core of the wall show two distinct mortar colours, neither of which are visible externally due to airborne contaminants darkening it considerably.
So to avoid the repairs standing out like that proverbial thumb, we will need to artificially tone down the new mortar by rubbing soot into the joints. What we will not do is use a dark mortar.
Is this an honest repair? We would argue that it is, because it is the correct materials used properly, with a craftsman’s eye on the overall effect. Yes, the repair is artificially subdued, but an honest repair is still one that has been done properly.
One could argue that the entire facade should be repointed and cleaned up to bring the house back to its original glory. That however would be ‘restoration’, and with it would wash away centuries of history, and that does not fit with the SPAB ethos or our own approach to conservation.
There is of course much more to determining a brick by brick scope for a listed building consent application, but with our expertise in both putting together an application and carrying out the works, you can be assured that we will do what is best for your property in both the owner’s and statutory authority’s eyes.
To talk about repairs to a listed or any historic building, we can be contacted by phone or WhatsApp on 01584 705004, email on [email protected], or via Messenger.
