At Brian Franklin and Son, we provide specialist consultancy services for the care, repair, and management of historic and traditional buildings. With extensive experience in conservation, we combine theoretical knowledge with practical craftsmanship to deliver clear, practical advice tailored to each property.
Our consultancy services are designed to help homeowners, architects, and developers understand the unique needs of older buildings. We work with traditional materials such as cob, brick, flint, stone, lime mortars, and timber, offering guidance on appropriate repair techniques and long-term maintenance strategies. By focusing on sympathetic solutions, we ensure that work enhances rather than compromises the historic fabric of a building.
We are frequently asked to advise on common challenges such as damp, previous repairs with incompatible materials, or structural concerns. Our role is to identify the underlying issues, explain them clearly, and recommend remedial works that respect the building’s character. Where necessary, we can also assist with sourcing materials, coordinating works, and ensuring that repairs are carried out to the highest standard.
For example, we regularly give advice to prospective purchasers of older properties, following more generic surveys, which often highlight the need for more specialist advice. Older properties will always require maintenance. Establishing what is required both in the short term and long term will allow purchasers to enter into ownership knowing both the cost, scale and urgency of those requirements. We offer to visit a property, ideally with the prospective owner, to review areas of concern and anything else of note. We can then advise on any required works and the broad schedule of the repairs.
Many of the projects we consult on involve listed properties. We have working knowledge of planning and listed building consent requirements and maintain good relationships with local conservation officers. This enables us to provide realistic advice on permissions and ensure that proposals align with conservation principles, helping projects move forward smoothly.
In addition, we can advise on improving the energy performance of historic buildings. From breathable insulation to renewable technologies such as heat pumps, biomass boilers, or solar thermal panels, we help clients strike the right balance between sustainability and conservation.
Please Contact Us to discuss your requirements and find out how we can help you care for your historic building.
