Heritage & Building Restoration
Ireland's historic stone restoration specialists. Full building restoration, lime-mortar repointing and sympathetic conservation of period, listed and protected buildings — trusted on landmarks like Grange Castle and The Wonderful Barn.
Historic stone restoration that keeps old buildings standing
So much of Ireland's character is in its old stone — farmhouses, churches, boundary walls and period town buildings. Kept properly it lasts for centuries; repaired badly, with the wrong mortar, it can be damaged in a few years.
Historic stone restoration is a craft in its own right, not ordinary building work. We restore and conserve period, listed and protected buildings the traditional way — matched stone, breathable lime mortar, and methods that respect how the building was originally put together. From brick and stone repointing and a weathered gable to a full building restoration, we keep the character of the building intact across Dublin, Meath and the surrounding counties.
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What historic stone restoration involves
No two old buildings are the same, so the work is never a single fixed recipe — but good historic stone restoration almost always comes down to the same principles. We rake out failed and cement pointing by hand, repoint in a lime mortar matched to the original in colour, strength and joint profile, and cut out and replace only the stone that's beyond saving, using the same type of stone laid the same way. Bulged or collapsed sections are taken down and rebuilt with the original stone kept and reused wherever we can.
On period, listed and protected structures that means working to conservation standards — breathable materials, minimal intervention, and repairs that are honest to the building rather than a modern patch dressed up to look old. It's slower and more skilled than ordinary masonry, and it's the only way to keep 18th- and 19th-century stonework sound for another hundred years.
Featured project — Grange Castle, Dublin
Our biggest project to date — a €1.2 million conservation of the historic Grange Castle in Clondalkin, Dublin. Castle consolidation, structural and masonry repair, lime repointing, rebuilt boundary walls, groundworks and full landscaping, completed in 2019 to conservation standards.
Being trusted with a protected medieval castle — and delivering it to standard — is the clearest proof of the level we work to.
See the full case study →Featured project — The Wonderful Barn, Leixlip
We were trusted with a €350,000 heritage restoration of the historic boundary walls at The Wonderful Barn in Leixlip, Co Kildare — one of Ireland's most unusual 18th-century landmarks and a protected structure. Hundreds of metres of old rubble-stone wall, rebuilt where it had failed and fully repointed by hand in traditional lime mortar.
It's the kind of large, sensitive conservation project that only comes to a team that can prove it does this work properly. See it phase by phase, with before-and-after sliders and the full photo story.
See the full case study →Featured project — a full cottage restoration in Swords
We stripped the old cement render off a stone cottage in Swords, Co Dublin, took it back to bare stone and rebuilt it from the ground up — structural repair, new foundations and floor, rebuilt stonework, new window openings, a new stone porch, reclaimed-brick chimney repairs and a hand-built stone fireplace with a wood-burning stove. Everything in traditional lime mortar.
A full cottage restoration like this is routine work for us — and it shows exactly how we do it, properly and in lime. See the whole job, start to finish, with before-and-after sliders and the full photo story.
See the full case study →What does building restoration cost?
It's the question everyone asks — and one most firms won't answer. We will. There's no single price for restoration, because every building is different: the cost depends on how much stone or brickwork needs repointing or rebuilding, the height and access (scaffolding adds to it), whether it needs breathable lime mortar, and how much matched stone has to be sourced. As a real example, a recent two-chimney restoration in Dublin — raked out, repointed, tops rebuilt and crack-stitched — came to €13,500.
What we promise is a clear, itemised quote after a free site visit, so you see exactly what you're paying for, line by line, before any work starts — no vague day rates and no surprises. Send us a few photos and we'll give you a straight answer.
Get a free, itemised quote →What we do
Lime-mortar repointing
Raking out failed or cement pointing and repointing in breathable lime.
Heritage restoration
Sympathetic restoration of period, listed and protected buildings.
Stone matching
Sourcing and matching stone so repairs blend with the original.
Wall rebuilding
Rebuilding collapsed and bulging period walls with reclaimed stone.
Honest advice
A straight assessment of what a building needs — and what it doesn't.
Interior stone
Cleaning and refinishing stone floors, benchtops and features.
Why lime, not cement
Old buildings were built to breathe. Hard cement pointing traps moisture in the wall, which pushes damp and salts into the soft stone and causes it to crack and spall. Lime mortar flexes and lets the wall dry out — it protects the stone instead of destroying it, and it's what conservation work requires.
We match the stone, the mortar and the finish to the original, so a repair or restoration looks like part of the building rather than a modern patch.
How it works
Free site visit
We call out, look at the job, and talk through what it actually needs.
Clear quote
An honest, itemised price with no obligation and no pressure.
The work
Careful, tidy stonework by our own team, matched to what's there.
Clean finish
We leave the site clean and the work right.
What our customers say
"I can not recommend Arthur and his team highly enough, they started on the agreed date and nothing was a problem after that... 10/10 in everything they done for me, very professional team of guys."
Alan Bow · Google review"I would like to thank this firm for the stonework on a large project. Both the work and the employees were of the highest quality and did more than expected of them. I would highly recommend this company."
Kimmage Hardware · Google reviewStone Restoration & Conservation — your questions answered
What is historic stone restoration?
Historic stone restoration is the careful repair and conservation of old stone buildings using traditional materials and methods — breathable lime mortar, matched stone, and hand techniques that suit how the building was originally built. Done right, it keeps the original fabric and character intact and protects soft old stone from the damp damage that hard modern cement causes.
Do you do conservation work on protected structures?
Yes. We work to conservation standards using lime mortar and matched stone, which is what's required for protected and listed buildings. We're happy to talk through the right approach before any work begins.
My old wall was repointed in cement and it's crumbling — can you fix it?
Yes, and it's very common. Hard cement traps damp and damages soft old stone. We carefully rake it out and repoint in breathable lime mortar, which protects the stone and lasts far longer.
Can you match the stone on my old building?
We source and select stone to match the existing wall — the type, colour and the way it's laid — and reuse the original stone where we can, so repairs blend in rather than standing out.
How do I know if my building needs conservation work?
If the pointing is failing, damp is getting in, or stone is cracking or coming loose, it's worth a look. We'll give you an honest assessment of what's needed — and tell you if something's fine as it is.
Get my free quote
Your name and number is all we need — add a photo if handy. We’ll call you back today.
or call 086 066 6591 · WhatsApp · ★ Rated 5.0
Thinking about a stone project?
Tell us what you have in mind and we'll arrange a free site visit and an honest quote — no obligation.