Services
Period and listed building restoration in Brighton & Hove
Brighton and Hove is full of period and listed properties, from the Regency squares to Victorian terraces, and they need decorating with a bit more care than a modern house. I specialise in sympathetic redecoration and restoration of older buildings, including work in Brunswick Square and Palmeira Square, using traditional and breathable finishes that suit how these buildings were built.
Sympathetic to the building
Old buildings move, breathe and weather differently to new ones. I use breathable, traditional finishes on solid and lime-based walls so moisture can escape instead of being trapped behind the paint, which is what causes blistering and blown render on period frontages. Colours and finishes are chosen to suit the age and character of the property rather than fighting it, and I am happy to work to conservation-area expectations where they apply.
Listed buildings and consent
Decorating and like-for-like maintenance on a listed building is usually fine, but some work can need listed building consent, especially where you are changing colour or altering detail on the exterior. I can talk you through what is likely to need consent and what does not, and work to what your consent or conservation officer requires. I am not a substitute for the council's say-so, but I will not put you in a position that causes a problem later.
Sash windows and period detail
Period frontages are defined by their detail: sash windows, cornices, columns, mouldings and decorative plasterwork. I repair and restore sash windows and period woodwork rather than simply painting over failing timber, and I take care with the fine detail that makes these buildings what they are. Around the Regency squares this is most of what I do, week in and week out.
From the Regency squares to Victorian terraces
Brighton and Hove has a huge range of older housing, and each type needs a slightly different hand. The grand stucco frontages around Brunswick Square and Palmeira Square are not the same job as a Victorian terrace off the Seven Dials or a bay-fronted villa, and they should not be treated as if they are. I have worked across most of it, so I can look at your property, tell you what its surfaces actually need, and give you an honest view of what will hold up and what is worth spending on.
What this includes
- Sash windows and period detail restored
- Traditional and breathable finishes
- Sympathetic to listed and conservation requirements
- Work in the Regency squares, including Brunswick and Palmeira
- Guidance on what may need listed building consent
FAQ
Period & listed building restoration: common questions
Can you paint or restore a listed building, and do I need consent?
Yes, I work on listed buildings regularly across Brighton and Hove. Bear in mind that some changes to a listed building, like altering colours or materials, can need listed building consent from the council. I can talk you through what is likely to need it, and I work sympathetically so the building keeps its character.
Do you use breathable paint on old or solid walls?
Yes. Older, solid-wall properties need finishes that let the wall breathe, otherwise you trap moisture and cause more harm than good. On period and render work I use breathable products where they are needed, matched to the wall.
Do you repair and restore sash windows and period woodwork?
Yes. Sash windows, doors, skirting, spindles and cornicing, I prepare them properly, repair what needs repairing, and finish them to last. Restoring tired or damaged period woodwork is part of most of the older homes I work on.
Can you help with colour schemes for a conservation area or period property?
Yes. A lot of Brighton and Hove sits in conservation areas, and the right colours make a real difference on a period property. If you are not sure, I will talk through options that suit the building and the street, and I can bring colour cards.
Thinking about a repaint?
Tell me about your property and I will arrange a site visit and a clear, no-pressure quote.