Working on beautiful historic buildings is a passion for us here at Highlife. We offer a complete package from surveys and repair schedules, to the repairs themselves and an aftercare maintenance plan. Our experience working on churches, cathedrals, castles, town halls, monuments, private estates, and a wide range of other historic buildings, has honed our skills in the art of treading carefully. By investing in training, getting involved with key industry organisations such as the SPAB and the BLF, and by following a strict ethical code, we ensure that we always operate in a manner which respects the importance of these valued structures.
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Below is a list of some of the services we offer. This is by no means exhaustive, and we are always willing to collaborate with external contractors, so please get in touch with any queries. If you would like a comprehensive overview of what is possible with modern access methods, we offer a CPD service as detailed in our Consultation page.
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Maintenance
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Our masons have a wealth of experience in stone conservation techniques, and can offer an approach that is tailored to the needs of a specific masonry detail, according to its location and performance requirements.
Whether the project needs mortar repairs, structural reinforcement, or full scale replacement or indenting of masonry units, our NVQ3 trained masons will finish all work to the highest standards expected by the industry. Click here to read about the pictured project at Skipton Castle.
Stone Conservation
All buildings suffer wear and tear over the years. From lead repairs to slipped slates and damaged lightning conductors, we undertake all aspects of general building maintenance, both indoors and out.
One of our unique services includes a general winter MOT for churches and other historic buildings. Doing maintenance at the right time stops problems from developing into issues that will be expensive to rectify. With rope access, general maintenance is straightforward.
Lime Work
The dark art of lime pointing is overlooked by many, and understood by few. Drawing on years of experience using both hot mixed and NHL mortars, we work hard to make sure the mortars we use are properly selected to perform as they need to, whilst being sympathetic to the building. We never cut corners and always make sure we mix, apply, and tend to all lime pointing properly, to ensure all of the benefits of a breathable and flexible mortar, whilst minimising the possibility of any associated risks.
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From simple repairs to full scale installation of complicated lead details, our NVQ3 trained lead workers can undertake all aspects of lead work, ensuring that all repairs are completed to the highest quality.
We can fabricate at ground level, or weld in situ on a spire tip; with rope access even the most complex lead repairs are possible. Click here to read about the project to the left, or click here to read about a full gutter refurb on the Llyn Peninsula.
Lead Work
Spires
We consider ourselves experts in spire access, with a unique set of non intrusive techniques which are born out of our combined decades of experience in rope access.
These techniques can be used for everything from simple inspections, temporary tip stabilisation, or stone removal and replacement projects, as pictured to the right at Llanrhuddlad, Anglesey.​
Structural Repair
Many historic buildings are packed with ferrous material which becomes weathered and rusts, often causing major structural damage. In hard to reach places such as pinnacles and church steeples, this damage can lead to highly expensive repairs.
But using minimalist scaffolding techniques in conjunction with rope access can dramatically reduce these costs, allowing you to undertake works which previously seemed impossible to fund.​
The wooden elements of a building will generally weather much faster than the surrounding stone. Over the years we have replaced and repaired clock face surrounds, louvres, lintels, box gutters and window frames, and our experienced carpenters will work hard to repair, replace, or refurbish any other hard to access wooden structures to the highest standards. Our fully functional workshop is capable of processing all timber for any requirement.​​​
Carpentry
Core Drilling
Ruined arches, loose stones, and unstable walls are all common on historic monuments, and they often require the installation of metal fixings to make them stable. From small scale stainless pins, to systems such as Helifix or CINTEC anchors, we can find bespoke solutions to safely access and install a breadth of stabilisation solutions, often at a fraction of the cost of scaffolding. Click here to read about the pictured project at Raglan Castle.
Over the years as pointing degrades, plants inevitably find their way into the cracks. Left untended, these can start to cause serious structural problems. We make the effort to ensure that all plants have been removed right down to the root, and where appropriate treat all cleared areas with biocide to deter the possibility of regrowth, as pictured here at Chepstow Castle.​​
De-vegetation
Lime Washing
With exterior coatings such as limewash very much back in fashion, cost effective solutions for limewashing hard to reach areas are needed more than ever. Rope access has commonly been used for painting in industrial sectors, and there is no reason why this cannot also be the case for limewashing, as demonstrated here in Grasmere.​​​​​​​
Rainwater Goods
Specialist Access
Sometimes there really is no alternative to rope access. These are the sorts of places which often get pushed aside with thoughts about the difficulty, or even impossibility of access. With a wealth of experience in many different work environments, we can find bespoke solutions to any of your access needs, even places previously deemed as impossible to reach without prohibitively expensive solutions. Our consulting service may be of use if you are unsure how rope access might be useful on your project.
Glazing
From single awkward to reach panes of glass, to full scale industrial glazing works, the Highlife team have a range of experience across the glazing industry. We offer a bespoke service which allows us to source glass to match the existing panes on any building.
Having invested in stained glass CPD training for out team, we are able to work with stained glass conservators in the care of our precious glass heritage.
Click here to read about the project pictured below.​
Faulty guttering can lead to big problems in the fabric of any building. Whether you simply need your gutters clearing, or a bespoke rainwater goods installation, we have extensive experience working with all materials from aluminium, to cast iron, and lead. With experience designing and fabricating lead hoppers and gutters, we are sure to be able to meet your needs.​
Bird Exclusion
On historic buildings areas less travelled often attract nesting birds. Over time this can be destructive for the building and can lead to further damage, if for example drainage is blocked. Clearing and making areas inaccessible for birds will save on more expensive works in the future.
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Lightning Protection
Whether the lightning conductors have become detached from the building, or the rods themselves have become damaged or unstable, we can neatly repair or replace any of these elements, as well as offering lightning conductor testing and inspections, with full certification for all test results.​
Over time buildings can become subjected to the elements and become over run with soil and plants, or otherwise pollution. Using sensitive cleaning methods, HLRA can clean historic buildings allowing them a new life.