Bath has more Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings per square mile than almost anywhere in England.

If you own one — or you're thinking about buying one — there are a handful of things that catch new owners out.

We've worked on plenty of listed properties in Bath, Frome and Wells over the years. None of what follows is legal advice, and the council is the final word on anything specific to your property. But here's roughly what we wish more owners knew before they ring us.

You probably need consent for things you'd think you didn't

Listed Building Consent is required for any "alteration" to a listed building, inside or outside. The bar for "alteration" is much lower than people expect. Repainting in a different colour can need consent. Replacing rotten window frames with the same design can need consent if the originals are sash or particular age. Re-rendering an external wall almost always does.

What this means for you: ring the conservation officer at Bath & North East Somerset Council before you commit to any work. They're surprisingly helpful. We've had jobs where the homeowner thought they needed full consent, the council said "actually no, that's like-for-like repair," and we got on with it. We've had others where the owner thought it was a quick job and the council said "you're going to need a heritage statement and a 6-week consent process."

Lime, lime, lime

Period properties were built with breathable materials. Lime mortar in the walls, lime plaster inside, often a soft sandstone facing. Modern materials — gypsum plaster, cement render, vinyl-bound paint — trap moisture inside the wall. The moisture can't escape, the wall stays wet, the plaster blows off, the stone spalls, the timber rots.

This is non-negotiable for proper repair work on listed properties: lime in, lime out. We've stripped off plenty of cement render that's destroyed the wall behind it. We've never stripped off lime that's done damage.

Sash windows are not just windows

Original sash windows in Bath are often 200+ years old, made of slow-grown softwood (denser than anything you can buy now), with hand-blown crown glass that's slightly wavy. They're irreplaceable in the literal sense.

The rules are: repair, don't replace. Strip back to sound paint, fix any rotten sections with a proper splice repair, draught-proof with hidden brush strips, and repaint with a microporous breathable paint. Done right, an 1820s sash will run smoothly and last another century.

We won't replace original sash windows with modern uPVC look-alikes. Even where the council might allow it, it's the wrong call for the building.

Internal alterations: the same care

Listed status applies inside too. Original lath-and-plaster ceilings, panelled doors, period skirting and architrave, fireplaces — even staircases — are usually protected.

If you've got an original lath-and-plaster ceiling that's bowing, the modern fix (rip it out, plasterboard the joists, skim) is often the wrong fix on a listed property. Sometimes a careful repair from above — re-fixing the laths, supporting the back of the existing plaster — keeps the original intact.

What we charge

Lime work, conservation-grade repair and listed-building work runs roughly 30–60% more than equivalent modern-materials work. Slower drying times, more expensive materials, more careful execution.

It's worth it. Done right, a listed building looks and performs like the building was designed to. Done with modern materials, it slowly destroys itself.

If you've got a listed property in Bath, Frome, Wells or surrounding villages and you're weighing up repairs, give us a ring on 07516 555 377. We're happy to come round, talk through what's needed, and tell you honestly whether we're the right team for it — or whether you need a heritage specialist contractor we can recommend.