Oliver & Sons

17/01/2025

Lime plasted fireplace.
No beads used so all free handed corners.

A good result.

16/01/2025

Lime fireplace plastering, it was a good result.

15/01/2025

Before and after at Lower Station Road, Billingshurst window bay.

We recently completed a restoration project where we carefully removed old cracked render and replaced it with traditional lime render. We also added new cornice mouldings at the top corners of the lower windows. Our policy is to avoid using modern corner beads, as they weren’t available when the building was originally constructed. It’s all about preserving the integrity and authenticity of the property’s pired not find inappropriate bodging short cuts.

Lime takes time.

05/06/2024

Real Wattle and daub repairs using the original correct materials (chestnut wattles and staves, clay daub)

Lime plastering pannles before and after.

Using original methods and materials is very important because these very things have helped preserve this building since it was built centuries ago so why not put them back at least then we know it's going last for centuries again.

04/02/2024

Internal lime insulating plaster with a skimmed finish.

21/09/2023

Mulberry House, Pulborough.

We are still waiting for oak timber repairs on the roof rafters and the removal of the scaffolding then I can show this job off, but I can confidently say we had all aspects of inkeeping workmanship spot on with the undulating render in local sand and perfect colour matched exposed plinth pointing in its original peach colour.

In understanding histrionic restoration when you have been in it for 18 years you learn true versatility in each historic era and not how to be the best one trick pony as these days modern building involves doing the same trick day in day out.

21/09/2023

21/09/2023

St Mary's, Billingshurst.

20/09/2023

Lime and handmade brick garden wall St Marys Church.

Oliver & Sons offer as well as historic repairs but all so new build projects that being extensions, out buildings using matching materials and methods to your historic building or listed property.

25/03/2023

Inertial spalling bricks near Midhurst, West Sussex.

This can happen for many reasons and we offer our knowledge as well as craftsman skills.

Tudor fireplace brick turning and restoration using the only handmade coal fired bricks in Europe still made to this day.

25/03/2023

Lime plastering DEVON.

Removal of wall paper and emulsion paint replacement of the correct layers of lime plaster.

20/05/2022

COMPRESSING AND ROTTING TIMBER IN COB WALL.

Customers sometimes ask what will the condition of the cob be like underneath the existing artificial sand and cement render. Unfortunately, you never know as it is very much like working with is a can of worms because you never know what you're going to find.

What you typically come across mainly is woodworm infested timbers which there are 11 different species living in the UK. Wood boring beetles and sometimes rats are also prone to living in the structures due to wildlife taking advantage of damp environments that have been made from the usage of non-breathable materials.

In the last 50 years this has results in sometimes structural collapses which is very common in cob.

In the pictures, there is an area that I exposed on a cob garden wall with a stone plinth and a small piece of hardwood added to the structure at some point. The state of the timber was so bad it has completely turned into powder, which is shown in my hand. It is by far the worst I've seen so far, this was due to the fact the area was encased in a sand and cement render and also coated in bitumen which you see everywhere these days.

Somehow, it has become a tradition to paint a 2 foot high black strip from ground level around your cottage. This originated from recommendations from damp proofers in the 1960s who recommended bitumen which is highly detrimental to historic buildings. However, because of this, it has now become fashionable to paint the bottom area black or with bitumen which doesn't have anything to do with the heritage of the building or neither is it traditional.

People need to bare this in mind on larger scales, especially when it come to structural timbers as it can become very costly especially, if it is inside your home.

For enquiries please contact on 07800 659275 or [email protected]

https://www.oliverandsons.uk/