We provide conservation-grade lime plastering across Solihull, West Midlands. Whether you are repairing damp internal walls in a soft red brick property, stripping failed cement render, or repointing stonework, our craftsmen work only in lime — the material Solihull's period buildings were originally constructed with.
Exposure matters as much as material. Solihull sits in the damp, sheltered inland Midlands climate, which means external work has to shed water and then dry out again quickly. That is exactly what a correctly built lime render does, and exactly what a sealed cement skin prevents.
Around Solihull you will find black-and-white timber-framed houses alongside later industrial-era brick terraces. Both were built with lime, and both suffer when a modern impermeable finish is applied over the top — the moisture has to go somewhere, and it goes into the masonry and the timbers.
Softness is the point. Traditional West Midlands walling of soft red brick is weaker than modern cement, so a hard mortar concentrates stress and moisture into the masonry face. Lime is deliberately the weaker material, and that is what makes it correct for Solihull's older homes.
Every Solihull job begins with diagnosis: identifying where moisture is entering before any plaster goes on. We then remove failed material, prepare the soft red brick, and build the lime up in coats, allowing each one to cure before the next.
Because exposed timber frame and soft sandstone are widespread and easily damaged by cement, Solihull throws up a particular set of problems. These are representative examples of how we resolve them in lime.
canal-side warehouse conversion — A canal-side warehouse conversion being brought back into use outside Solihull. Because exposed timber frame and soft sandstone are widespread and easily damaged by cement, we plastered internally in lime over a breathable insulating background and left the external stonework repointed rather than sealed.
industrial-era brick terrace — Eroding masonry faces on an industrial-era brick terrace in Solihull caused by hard cement pointing. We raked out by hand to the correct depth and repointed in a soft lime mortar matched to the original aggregate and colour of the oak timber frame with wattle panels.
estate lodge — Consented repairs to a listed estate lodge in West Midlands. Sample panels were prepared for the conservation officer, mortar analysis informed the mix, and the historic surface was conserved and patched rather than replaced wholesale.
Yes. We regularly work on listed and conservation-area properties across West Midlands and can supply mix specifications and sample panels for Solihull conservation officers where consent is required.
It depends on the wall and its exposure. For most West Midlands work we use haired lime plaster on riven lath, with lime putty finishing coats, stepping up to a more hydraulic lime only where exposure or the substrate genuinely demands it.
Every property is different, so we do not publish fixed prices. Cost depends on the substrate, the number of coats, access and whether failed cement has to be removed first. We survey the property in Solihull and provide a written, no-obligation quote.
Where damp is caused by trapped moisture in a solid wall — very common in older Solihull properties — replacing cement or gypsum with lime allows the wall to dry out. We always identify the source of moisture during the survey before recommending work.
Send us the details of your Solihull property through the contact form and we will arrange a free survey. You will receive a written specification and quote with no obligation to proceed.
Our lime plastering, render and pointing teams also cover these towns and cities close to Solihull in West Midlands and the wider West Midlands area.
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