Lime Restoration

A1 Complete Builders Limited were commissioned to carry out a small lime restoration project involving an example of aged lime plaster that had significantly deteriorated over time.

The existing plaster was found to be crumbling and detaching from the underlying cob structure. This deterioration had been ongoing for several years, during which time water ingress had further compromised the integrity of the cob.

We have been instructed to rebuild the gable end, external chimney in an old cob cottage which collapsed in Fraddon, Cornwall.  A crack appeared and within two hours the whole gable chimney breast and chimney collapsed.  A1 Complete Builders Ltd have rebuilt the whole gable using around a thousand cob blocks supplied by Cornish Lime.  We also rebuilt the chimney and lime plastered using St - Astiers N.H.L 2 mixed with C.L.S 30 and 35.

A1 complete builders have been instructed to restore this cottage to its former glory adding a rear two story extension in 2022.

A1 Complete Builders Won the Contract to Renovate A 300 Year Old Cob Thatched Cottage in Feock.

Our clients own the thatched cottage adjoining this and have done substantial works over the years but now face a challenge in restoring this property to its former glory but very sympathetically.

The property has been empty now for some six years and had only two night storage heaters in place. There is no kitchen just a couple of cupboards and a Belfast sink and no bathroom. The old and new extensions will now benefit from a new heating system to include under floor heating and the installation of two wood burning stoves backed up by a boiler system.

This cob cottage will also benefit from four new living areas once the four extensions are built around this old frail Cottage. Extensions to include a single story lobby/bathroom, a two story lounge down and bedroom above, another single story kitchen extension and finally a two story dining room down and bedroom above.

All wood windows and doors purpose made by D.J. Newman Joinery although the cob cottage is listed and the existing windows will remain in place and have an overhaul, new sash cords etc.

The cob itself is very frail and in poor condition in various areas this will need stitching together with 6 - 12 mm stainless steel helifix bars other areas will need to be carefully taken down and rebuilt with cob blocks in particular the cottage had a cob extension tacked on the end but it was not tied into the thatched section and is causing concern as to its stability.

Cornish Lime Company will supply all materials needed to undertake the cob restoration works to include lime plastering all internal and external walls using C.L.S 28,30 and 33 grade mixed with hair and 3.5 St Astiers Lime allowing this historical cob cottage to breathe and live on.

Most of the internal doors will be oak ledge n brace, floor finishing will be a mixture of ceramic floor tiles, carpets and oak plank floor boards. The cob cottage floor is a completely different set up as it needs to breath and once the floor has been dug out and reduced we will lay a Geotextile with 150 mm recycled foam glass insulation and a 150 mm limecrete slab with underfloor heating pipes laid before laying the finish floor surface A 75 mm lime/sand screed.

Duration of time on site: 4 Months

This was once two gorgeous Cob Cottages but now converted into one. Built we believe around 1750, (goes to show how well Cob lasts) , A1 Complete Builders have been instructed to remove the sand and cement render - put on by a local builder.

In this case we have one section of the cottage rebuilt in concrete blocks and two thirds still in cob, where the two different materials meet we have applied mesh to stop any cracking in the future.

There is also a lot of cob damaged due to lumps of concrete or cement render been applied in the past, we must be very careful when  removing this material as it pulls the cob out with it.We have purchased cob blocks to make these repairs as lime render would only crack.

We have also been instructed to replace all windows with double glazed wood sashes along with the replacement of all window lintels which at present is a mixture of concrete and rotten wood. Truro Saw Mills have supplied us with Solid Oak.

A1 also has most of the internal walls on the Ground floor to lime render along with some small alterations.

Duration of time on site: 8 weeks