Traditional Building Services in Brighton & Hove
Safe-Bricks provides specialist building and renovation services across Brighton, Hove and the surrounding areas, with particular expertise in bungaroosh, lime, traditional solid-wall construction and older properties.
Our approach starts with understanding how a building is constructed and what is actually causing the problem. This is particularly important in Brighton and Hove, where properties can contain bungaroosh, flint, soft brick, lime mortar and other mixed traditional materials that do not always respond well to standard modern repair methods.
That same standard governs everything else we do. Where we carry out wider building work — plastering, decorating, kitchens, bathrooms, garage conversions or extensions — it is detailed around the existing construction, so new work sits correctly against traditional fabric instead of trapping moisture behind it.
Specialist Heritage and Solid-Wall Work
Diagnosis and repair of traditional construction — bungaroosh, flint, lime render, lime plaster and persistent damp in period buildings.
Bungaroosh and Traditional Wall Repairs
Brighton and Hove contain a significant number of buildings constructed from bungaroosh and other forms of mixed solid masonry.
These walls can require a different approach from modern cavity-wall construction, particularly where previous repairs have introduced hard cement renders, dense plasters or other materials that are poorly suited to the original structure.
We inspect the existing construction, identify defective or inappropriate materials and specify repairs according to the condition of the individual wall.
Lime and Traditional Finishes
Lime renders, lime plasters, limewash and mineral finishes allow a traditional wall to absorb and release moisture rather than trapping it behind an impermeable skin.
We specify and apply lime systems according to the substrate, exposure and condition of the wall, allowing each coat the curing and drying time it requires.
Damp and Moisture Investigation
Damp staining, mould, damaged plaster and elevated moisture readings can have several different causes.
Rather than treating a moisture-meter reading as a diagnosis, we assess the wider building: construction type, external defects, rainwater disposal, ground levels, ventilation, plumbing, finishes and previous alterations.
Where traditional walls have been covered with incompatible materials, their removal may form part of the repair strategy — but only where the condition of the building justifies it.
Lime Rendering and External Finishes
We undertake lime rendering and traditional external wall repairs for suitable older buildings throughout Brighton and Hove.
The correct system depends on the substrate, exposure, existing finishes and condition of the masonry. Our work can include removal of failed finishes, masonry preparation, local repairs and the application of appropriate lime render systems.
Lime and Traditional Plastering
Internal plaster problems in older solid-wall properties are often closely connected to the condition and materials used within the wall itself.
We undertake lime plastering and other appropriate internal finishes, including the removal of unsuitable existing materials where this forms part of a properly considered repair.
Flint Wall Repair
Flint, beach cobble and rubble walls rely on a soft, permeable lime mortar to hold the facework and to shed moisture.
Where cement pointing has been introduced, water is commonly driven into the wall behind it. We rake out failed mortar, re-bed loose flintwork and repoint in a matched lime mix appropriate to the exposure.
Historic Loft Party Wall Repair
The party wall within a period roof void is frequently found incomplete, with mortar eroded from the joints or brickwork stopping short of the underside of the roof covering.
We restore these walls as heritage masonry, reinstating the barrier in matched period brick bedded in a breathable lime-based system so that the wall continues to release moisture as the surrounding fabric does.
Sash Windows and Period Property Work
Traditional windows form an important part of many Brighton and Hove properties.
Our work around sash windows can include associated masonry, plaster, render and decorating repairs as part of wider renovation projects.
Pre-Purchase Repair Costing Reports
A building survey identifies defects, but it rarely establishes what the remedial work will cost when it is carried out correctly. For prospective buyers of historic solid-wall coastal properties, where bungaroosh, soft brick, flint and lime finishes respond poorly to standard modern repairs, we prepare a heritage builder pre-purchase costing report Brighton buyers can rely on: the cause of each defect established first, then a material-appropriate remediation scope and repair estimate based on breathable, lime-based specifications.
The report is prepared as a working document for a purchaser and their advisers, setting out the sequence of work, the constraints imposed by listed building consent where they apply, and the drying and curing periods the specification requires.
Recent Specialist Projects
Written case studies setting out what was found, what was agreed and what was carried out.
Renovation and Improvement Projects
Managed renovation work carried out to the same material standards, with older construction accounted for from the outset.
Kitchen Renovations
We undertake kitchen installations and renovation work in Brighton and Hove, including the associated building work required to properly integrate a new kitchen into an existing property.
For older buildings, this can also involve repairing walls, floors and finishes before the new kitchen is installed.
Bathroom Renovations
Our bathroom work covers complete refurbishment projects as well as the associated construction, plastering, waterproofing and finishing work.
Where bathrooms are located against older external walls, we consider the existing construction and moisture conditions before selecting finishes.
Painting and Decorating
We provide internal and external decorating as part of wider repair and renovation projects.
For traditional walls, the choice of decoration can be important. Where a lime-based wall system has been used, the final coating should also be selected with the underlying construction and drying characteristics in mind.
Garage Conversions
Safe-Bricks undertakes garage conversions across Brighton and Hove, from initial structural alterations through to insulation, plastering, services and finishes.
Each conversion is planned around the existing building, intended use and relevant Building Regulations requirements.
Home Extensions
We undertake residential extension projects in Brighton, coordinating the structural, building and finishing work required to integrate new accommodation with the existing property.
Where an extension connects to an older building, particular attention is given to the junction between new and traditional construction.
Other Building Work
Alongside the services above we carry out smaller repairs and maintenance work on older properties — brickwork and pointing repairs, chimney and parapet work, rainwater goods and general making good.
These are the jobs that most often prevent larger failures, and they are carried out to the same material standards as our specialist work.
A Building-Led Approach
Safe-Bricks is particularly suited to projects where the construction itself needs to be understood before the repair is specified.
For older properties, our normal approach is to:
- Identify the existing construction.
- Investigate the source of any moisture or deterioration.
- Repair active defects first.
- Assess previous renders, plasters and coatings.
- Remove incompatible materials where this is justified.
- Reinstate materials appropriate to the wall construction.
- Allow the building fabric to dry appropriately.
- Complete the work with compatible finishes and decoration.
Listed buildings and properties within conservation areas may require additional permissions before certain works can proceed. These requirements are considered on a project-by-project basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you only work on period properties?
- No. Our specialism is traditional solid-wall construction — bungaroosh, flint, soft brick and lime — but we also carry out kitchens, bathrooms, decorating, garage conversions and extensions. Where any of that work meets older fabric, it is detailed to suit the existing construction rather than to a standard modern specification.
- Do you work on listed buildings and in conservation areas?
- Yes. We regularly work on listed and conservation-area properties in Brighton and Hove, including Grade I listed terraces. Depending on the scope and effect of the work, listed building consent or planning permission may be required, and that should be established before work begins.
- How do you price the work?
- We quote a fixed price against a written, itemised scope with quantities and rates, so you can see what each element costs. If opening up reveals a concealed defect, we report it and agree any additional cost with you in writing before that work proceeds.
- Can you tell me what is wrong from photographs?
- Photographs are a useful first step and often indicate the likely construction and the probable cause, which helps us advise on the appropriate next step. They cannot replace an on-site inspection, and we would not specify remedial work from photographs alone.
- Do you offer a warranty?
- Our workmanship is warranted for ten years. If something we have carried out fails within that period we return and put it right.
- Which areas do you cover?
- Brighton, Hove and the surrounding East Sussex coast, including Portslade, Southwick, Shoreham-by-Sea, Lewes, Newhaven, Seaford, Peacehaven, Saltdean, Rottingdean and Eastbourne.
Areas We Cover
We work throughout Brighton, Hove and the surrounding East Sussex coast, including exposed seafront properties where wind-driven rain and salt place far greater demands on render, pointing and external decoration.
- Brighton
- Hove
- Portslade
- Southwick
- Shoreham-by-Sea
- Lewes
- Newhaven
- Seaford
- Eastbourne
- Peacehaven
- Saltdean
- Rottingdean
Discuss Your Property With Safe-Bricks
If you already know which service you require, contact us to arrange an inspection or discuss the project.
If you are unsure what is causing a problem, you can send us photographs of the affected area together with wider photographs of the property. These can help us understand the likely construction and determine the most appropriate next step, although photographs alone cannot provide a definitive diagnosis.
Not sure where to start?
Send us photographs of the area of concern. It is the most straightforward first step — we will look at what you can see and advise on the appropriate next steps.