About us
We have been specialising in lime only conservation and repair for over 16 years.
Ollie Holman began learning historic methods and knowledge along side his father Kevin Holman PDD (building conservation and historic repairs) when he was aged 17 and independently founded Oliver & Sons in 2020.
They are based in West Sussex and predominantly serving the South of England.
We use tried and tested traditional building methods and materials which are in keeping with a building’s historical period features to preserve the property and the conservation of the local area.
As historical property specialists we work on both commercial and residential properties from Grade I and Grade II* listed, and have worked for the likes of: Wilmot Dixon; Summerfield; Powderham Estates and Whitton & Laing to name but a few. We can also work on new build projects as required, bringing our heritage restoration skills to more modern developments for the highest quality craftsmanship.
Please keep in mind, if your property is listed, we ask you to have listed planning permission before any works are carried out.
If you have a project in mind, that you would like to discuss, we would love to hear from you.
Wattle and daub Repair & Oak frame restoration
Wattle and Daub is a ancient earth building method that dates back as far as The Iron Age . It was originally used to build round houses with a thatched roof and has even been known to be used by the Romans.
Still to this day, Wattle and Daub is not only stunning at decoratively showing off an oak framed property, but by using the ancient method, oak structures are continuing to be exposed, which is a very important key to extending the life of your oak framed home. Wattle and Daub allows full breathability which prevents moisture build up that can manifest itself, if your oak timbers are left incased in non-breathable materials such as sand and cement render, internal gypsum plaster and some forms of cladding which can build up moisture underneath. This is also known as being a dream to any of the wood boring beetles (woodworm).
We offer a range of different services for the repair of wattle and daub which include; Wattle and daub repair; Wattle and daub assessments; and structural oak repair.
Flint Wall Repair and Masonry
Flint stone Galleting is a Beautiful decorative method that dates back as far as the 14th century and has been used on such places as Windsor Castle and Eaton College and is mainly native to Southern England.
There are considerable skills and expertise needed when it comes to the construction, and maintenance of stone wall and repair.
Oliver has gained a highly prestigious qualification working with only the best people in the country and worked on numerous projects throughout the South of England delivering a notable level of service, restoring walls back to their former historic selves.
Our specialist services lie within Stone repair; Galleting; flint stone wall repair; flint stone wall construction; decorative sand stone renovation; lime pointing; Doff cleaning and dry stone walling.
Lime Rendering & Plastering
Lime has great benefits in preserving buildings of all historic periods, both internally and externally with its excellent breathability properties. Lime helps to stabilise the internal humidity of a building by absorbing and releasing moisture which prevents rising damp. This makes for a more comfortable environment and reduces surface condensation and mould growth which artificial modern materials such as cement and Gypsum create within a lot of stone, Wattle and daub and brick buildings.
The removal of old artificial or modern renders and acrylic paints is essential to allow the building to breathe and to dry out. Once the building has got rid of its excess moisture caused by the incorrect materials, we will then carry out any repairs and then continue to render or plaster in lime to allow the building to breathe thus preventing any future excess moisture and damp
We offer services and support which include; artificial cement removal; fascia cleaning; acrylic paint removal; advice in breathable paints; internal lime plastering; external lime rendering; earth plastering and timber lath repair; Oak frame repair; decorative plastering in situ; tadelakt; clay plastering. You can find out more about our specialist lime rendering and plastering services or click below to get in touch and discuss your specific requirements.
Historic brick repair
Historic brick repair requires a wealth of knowledge which comes from specialist training and many years of experience including a prestigious historic England qualification that Oliver gained in Sussex from the highly reputable Emma Simpson. For nearly 20 years, Emma has been specialising in conservative repair of historic brickwork on some of England's most famous buildings such as Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace.
Oliver & Sons have the knowledge and craft in using traditional materials and techniques to carry out all historic brick repair. Unfortunately modern materials and methods over the years have caused significant damage to historic buildings and homes.
Oliver's services include; Historic brick construction; lime pointing; tuck-pointing; specialist cleaning; archway repair; chimney repair and significant damage from tree roots.
Find out more about our historic brickwork restoration and repair services.
Historic Consultancy
Oliver & Sons have been offering a very successful historic building restoration and consultancy service for many years to estate agents, developers, builders and private customers.
Many traditional Historic buildings have not been structurally maintained for many years due to lack of maintenance, inappropriate materials and modern building techniques, which could lead to possible collapse.
Many purchasers find they are able to negotiate a fair price for their future historic building with a consultancy assessment. If necessary we work closely with specialist structural engineers.
Many damp issues can be resolved by the use of natural breathable materials. Damp proofing companies are not necessary and do not exist in Venice. Natural solutions speak for themselves.
An expert witness service is available.
We are fully insured with professional indemnity insurance
Service available locally, nationally and further afield.
Extensive knowledge of cob related building regulations
OUR WORK IS BUILT ON TRUST
