Restoration specialist requests from Thanet
Thanet has a large stock of Georgian and Victorian seaside buildings, from Margate's old town and Cliftonville's tall terraces to Ramsgate's Regency squares and older flint cottages in Minster and Birchington. We pass restoration requests to specialists covering CT7 to CT12.
- Salt-laden wind wears paint, putty and render on seafront houses faster than inland.
- Ramsgate and Margate have extensive conservation areas and many listed buildings.
- Older village cores such as Minster and Birchington have flint walls that need lime, not cement.
Seafront sashes and stucco in Margate, Cliftonville and Ramsgate
Thanet's seaside towns grew in the Georgian and Victorian periods, leaving squares and terraces of tall townhouses with stucco or painted brick fronts, sash windows and ironwork. Facing the sea, these buildings take a lot of weather, and failed putty, flaking paint and cracked render let water in. A specialist can repair sashes and reglaze them in matching glass, patch stucco with a compatible mix and treat rusting balconies and railings. Many of these streets are in conservation areas and plenty of buildings are listed, so check with Thanet District Council before changing anything on the front. Converted flats may need freeholder agreement, so sort that out early.
Flint cottages and old village cores around Minster and Birchington
Away from the seafronts, Minster, Birchington and the older parts of St Peter's have flint cottages, farmhouses and long boundary walls. Flint was laid in generous lime joints, and over time those joints erode, flints work loose and wall tops let in water. Many of these walls were repointed in cement, which can trap moisture and make the problem worse. A specialist can rake out, reset loose flints and repoint in lime, and rebuild failed copings so water runs off. Where flints are missing, matching the size and type matters for the finished look. Check whether the wall is part of a listed building's setting before taking any section down.
Towns and villages covered
Postcodes: CT7, CT8, CT9, CT10, CT11, CT12