Matthews & Son LLP was instructed to procure and provide contract administration and project management services, for our client Venetian House Ltd in respect of external repair and redecoration work to Venetian House in North-West London.
Venetian House is a grade II listed period residential building divided into flats and managed by Westbourne Management Ltd. The circa 1860 building is typical of the vernacular style for the area, with stucco render front elevation, and decorative embellishments, with main entrance porticos in the classical style. The rear elevation, is fair-faced London Stock brickwork, as is often the case, with buildings of this period, where elevations are not on show. A general point of historical interest is that a faux ‘ashlar’ stone effect to the stucco render is often utilised on these buildings. This ‘Tromp l’oeil’ gives the impression of construction in more costly stone and an increased sense of architectural grandeur.
The project included a comprehensive scope of repair and redecoration to building elevations. This involved addressing minor areas of cracking due to localised differential movement to brick work to the elevations. Re-pointing in traditional lime mortar, as would have been utilised in the original building construction. We specified localised remedial work to decayed timber windows and doors; splicing in new timber work for more significant decay and undertaking resin repairs, where a less intrusive approach was considered more appropriate. Our aim as always is to preserve as much of the historic building fabric as is practical. All work was undertaken using traditional methods by trusted artisan specialists. The project was brought in on time and on budget, with quality of workmanship assured, through our rigorous approach to building inspection and quality control. For Matthews & Son LLP, attention to detail is not only a point of principal, but also a matter of pride.
The recipe for a successful project outcome is fundamentally about fully understanding the client brief, but taking this a step further, it is about appreciating that this is not only an important historic building, but also a home for its occupants. The proverb ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’ comes to mind here. We are confident that this work will ensure that the building fabric remains wind and watertight and that it is future proofed for building occupants, and users alike, for many years to come.
We always recommend that regular cyclical repairs are undertaken on a timely basis, to ensure that your home and your asset value is maintained and secured. Matthews & Son LLP are uniquely experienced to assist clients in this particular area, with a comprehensive portfolio of previous maintenance, restoration, and conservation projects, on a variety of historic and listed residential, commercial, and ecclesiastical buildings. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance with similar requirements.