Retrofit of older, Heritage & Historic homes

Retrofit of historic buildings requires a specialist approach with an understanding of construction techniques and suitability of materials. Repair, maintenance and removal of inappropriate materials is always the starting point, then a light touch retrofit using natural materials so as not to risk damage to either the fabric of the building or its historical significance.

We aim to take a risk based approach to retrofit that is sympathetic to the age, construction type and heritage value of your home. An important part of this is understanding how your home is built and its suitability for different kinds of works. We have a good understanding of what detrimental impact some modern methods of insulating and ‘improvements’ can have on older homes and will advise accordingly. We generally advise using natural vapour open ‘breathable’ materials as these are more suited to the way moisture is managed in older properties. For older buildings we follow the guidance of BS7913 Guide to the conservation of Historic Buildings and have completed training in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings. Further information regarding retrofit evaluation of a historic building can be found in our blog here.

We are supporters of SPAB, The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and will always aim to take a conservation approach to heritage buildings. We also follow the guidance of Historic England who have been at the forefront of guidance on energy efficiency in historic buildings.

We regularly undertake CPD in historic buildings with particular interest in how to improve their thermal performance and suitability to modern living without risking damage to their fabric or heritage value.