With an old building the aim is not to make it look new. It is to remove the growth that is holding water in the fabric while leaving the character that makes the building what it is.
Gentlest viable method
We start with the least aggressive approach that could work and only escalate if the test area shows it is safe. That is the opposite of how a pressure-first contractor works.
This guide sits under our Wall Cleaning & Softwash work, covering 20-mile radius of Plymouth.
Consent and responsibility
Where a building is listed or in a conservation area, some works may need permission. We will raise it rather than assume it is your problem to have known.
What we will not do
We will not sandblast, will not use high pressure on lime mortar, and will not apply a film-forming sealer to a breathable wall.
Questions we get on this
- Do you work on listed buildings?
- We take a conservative approach and will advise where consent may be needed before quoting.
- Can you clean lime render?
- Yes, with low pressure and appropriate chemistry - never a lance.
- Will it look uniform afterwards?
- Old buildings never do, and forcing uniformity is what damages them.
Related reading
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- Cracked render: what to fix before cleaning
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