Heritage Advice

Guidance and Signposts

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Funding

Funds for projects relating to the repair or regeneration of historic buildings may be identified through streams relating to: heritage; arts & culture; community development and the environment. Every project is unique, availability of funding can be competitive and sources will dependent on whether a building is in the ownership of a private owner, a private developer or a building preservation or charitable trust.

Key to the progression of a funding proposal is the vision and ambition of the owner/group, including activities that are going to happen in the building; whether there is identifiable need for the project and whether proposals indicate a sustainable, long-term re-use.

UAH provides baseline advice on funding as part of the Heritage at Risk project, supported by and in partnership with Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities NI.

Maintenance

Regular conservation and maintenance is the most effective way to protect historic buildings from decay. The most common cause of damage is from water getting in, either from roofs, rainwater goods or exterior walls. A regular scheme of inspection at a property can help to identify risk areas and put plans in place for repairs before damage occurs.

 

UAH promotes maintenance as part of the Heritage at Risk project, supported by and in partnership with Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities NI.

UAH provides baseline advice on funding as part of the Heritage at Risk project, supported by and in partnership with Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities NI.

Directory of Traditional Building Skills

A key element to any successful restoration project is to ensure that appropriate conservation works are carried out using the correct methods and most appropriate materials by qualified and experienced consultants.

The Directory of Traditional Building Skills draws together a wide selection of those working in the fields of historic building conservation, ranging from architects to quantity surveyors to specialist sub-contractors.

The Directory of Traditional Building Skills identifies and promotes the importance of traditional building skills in the conservation of historic buildings and hosts a variety of associated conservation specialists in Northern Ireland.

If you are a practitioner or crafts person that works with historic buildings and would like to be featured in the Directory, please contact the UAHS office or email: [email protected].

Roofing – Slating, Tiling & Thatch

Thatch is the traditional roofing material of Ireland and was almost universal in modest houses until the mid nineteenth century. Locally available split stone or slate was used but it was not until the widespread availability of cheap Welsh slate that the major changes occurred.

Slate required little maintenance, was easily worked, attractive, and remained the main roofing material until very recent times.

Widespread use of clay and concrete tiles has surpassed the use of slate but it remains the best material for repairs and extensions to old buildings.

Masonry – Stone & Brick

Dressed, or finely cut, stonework is comparatively rare in Ireland; it was mainly used on grand houses, churches and public buildings. Many buildings are in rubble stone, often limewashed or rendered; however for the last hundred years brick has been the predominant material.

Unfortunately, through time some of the skills and appreciation of the demands in working with stone have been lost. In the recent past it was difficult to get the right advice, the right materials and the craftsmen to work sympathetically on stone.

Now the climate has changed, there is a revival of interest and it is possible now to have good work carried out – there are no longer any excuses for botched repairs and alterations.

Roofing - Leadwork & Copper

Leadwork is still often carried out by a plumber, recalling the origin of the trade. But there are specialist leadwork companies in Northern Ireland who are capable of very high standard work. Lead is an extremely durable and flexible material but it does demand expertise. Good detailing and practice are essential to ensure excessive thermal movement does not open joints, sag flashings or stretch large flat sheets so that they split open.

Old buildings sometimes have complex roof structures with hidden gutters and valleys. Leaks are sources of problems which may be out of sight, while slow leaks saturate roof timbers and may lead to dry rot.

Ironmongery & Metalwork

Early door and window furniture originated with the local craftsmen, blacksmiths and metal workers, and so are often unique to an area. Factory made ironmongery gradually evolved until the Victorian era when a complex variety of door and window fittings were mass produced. Many of these are again available as some firms specialise in exact reproductions of the original.

Old door furniture can be restored and if the locks fail to match modern security requirements a discreetly placed deadlock can supplement them without interfering with the character.

Replacement ironmongery and fittings must be chosen carefully to match the period of the building.

Joinery

Of all building elements, windows, doors, their fittings and embellishments can usually tell more of the history of a building than any other.

Unfortunately many Georgian terraces, Victorian houses and Edwardian villas have had their picture rails, deeply moulded skirtings and architraves removed, but fashions change and many people now want to restore some of the character of their buildings.

Wood is still the most versatile construction material known and for interior fittings is unsurpassed. Good joiners can make anything from a drawing, a scrap of the original or even a photograph.

Plasterwork & Renders

Until the 1930s lime based plasters were standard and so most old buildings are plastered internally with three coat lime plaster, either directly onto the brick or stone (on the hard) or on horizontal laths on timber framing or joists.

The backing coats were generally reinforced with hair or vegetable fibres (fibrous plaster) especially the fine, run (made in situ) cornices which were common even in modest buildings.

Decorative plasterwork of the eighteenth and nineteenth century can be quite stunning.

Glass & Glazing

Technical advances in the production of glass influenced the development of window design. Early blown glass was replaced by spun glass in the eighteenth century and is still to be found in many historic buildings. It is characterised by irregularities, bubbles and defects. Modern sheet or plate glass, developed by the nineteenth century is largely free from such defects and so is no match for historic glass. Spun glass is becoming increasingly valuable and period glass is now available; for vernacular buildings agricultural glass may be used.

Tiles & Tiling

Although pounded earth floors were still common in rural vernacular houses until recent times, it is more usual to find slabs of stone, slate, marble and clay ‘quarry’ tiles laid on ground floors in halls, kitchens and sculleries. Boarded timber floors on joists were found in the more ‘important’ rooms and on the upper floors.

Original tiled floors add great character to a building, but because they are often laid directly onto the earth, they can be damp and cold. The comfort level can be transformed and the appearance retained by lifting the tiles and re-laying them over a damp proof membrane and rigid insulation on a concrete screed. New and salvaged slate and quarry tiles are available.

Laying old tiles may be more costly than putting down modern materials because, like many natural products they may be irregular in shape and thickness, but the quality and look of the finished floor should repay this extra effort.

Paintwork

Paint has long been used for the decoration and protection of timber, metal and plaster coatings, and the correct specification is a complex task.

Painted surfaces on old buildings will have been built up in many layers and careful stripping back of a small sample area will give clues to a building’s decorative history. There are specialists who can sample and analyse layers of historic paint and give advise on reproduction.

Caution must be taken when rubbing down old paintwork to avoid inhalation of toxic dust, particularly on timber, because of the former use of lead-based paints. Currently the use of lead paint is restricted by stringent Health and Safety regulations.

Fittings

Perhaps in Ireland more than elsewhere, the hearth is the traditional centre of the house and even in more modern homes the fireplace is one of the most important architectural features. The fashion in the 1960s and ’70s to renovate and modernise, saw chimneys blocked and high quality marble, slate, cast iron and wood fire surrounds discarded. The present owners of many of these house now want to have a real fire and the greatest threat today is the theft and illegal sale of fireplaces to meet a growing demand.

Remedial Works

Building repair technology has become increasingly complex in recent years and there is a confusing array of specialist systems designed to counteract rot, decay and damp.

In many cases though, the temptation is to go for a technical solution when perhaps more basic, common-sense methods may be less destructive to the building’s fabric and occupants and equally effective.

Retention of the maximum amount of original fabric must always be the guiding principle. Good remedial specialists should recommend the best system for each individual problem, but a few general guidelines may be useful.

Services

The introduction of any new services into an old building demands skill and sensitivity. Considerable ingenuity is required to conceal pipe and cable runs to avoid damaging plaster cornices and skirtings, whilst allowing for regular maintenance and access if something does go wrong.

Carefully chosen positions for service entry points, soil vent pipes, over-flows and internal fittings such as smoke detectors, radiators and electrical sockets can make all the difference to the visual success of a project.

In old buildings this is usually best worked out on site in collaboration with the builder or contractor.

Specialist Surveys & Photography

An accurate and appropriate survey of any building is the basis for informed decision -making on a project and is usually the first step in establishing the nature and extent of the work required. Surveys range from simple recording in plan, section and elevation, to highly technical, non-destructive techniques to locate hidden problems.

For most buildings, a traditional, measured survey will be sufficient but care must be taken not to overlook important details. Few old buildings are true and square, and it should not be assumed that rooms are perfectly rectangular – a series of diagonal measurements will give an accurate picture of the real shape of the spaces, both internally and externally.

When extensive work is planned, it is important to record the size, shape and location of all interior fittings such as skirtings, architraves, dadoes, cornices and other mouldings. Once demolitions commence it is easy to forget exactly where such items belong: labelling each piece of joinery as it is taken down helps to prevent mistakes later.

 

How to look after your historic building

Old buildings are more than bricks, stone, mud and mortar. In them we have material evidence of the past and a visual asset for the present and future. Inappropriate alteration or repair can cause great damage to the character and interest of these structures.

Current legislation should prevent demolition and more extreme forms of alteration to the exteriors and interiors of listed buildings; but often minor works to listed buildings and major changes to unlisted historic structures are left to the owner’s discretion.

In such cases an appreciation of the building and its construction and the use of appropriate repair techniques will be of particular importance. Professionals with the traditional skills needed to retain the character of old buildings should then be consulted.

 

How to look after your historic building

Old buildings are more than bricks, stone, mud and mortar. In them we have material evidence of the past and a visual asset for the present and future. Inappropriate alteration or repair can cause great damage to the character and interest of these structures.

Current legislation should prevent demolition and more extreme forms of alteration to the exteriors and interiors of listed buildings; but often minor works to listed buildings and major changes to unlisted historic structures are left to the owner’s discretion.

In such cases an appreciation of the building and its construction and the use of appropriate repair techniques will be of particular importance. Professionals with the traditional skills needed to retain the character of old buildings should then be consulted.