Glasgow's Victorian and Edwardian tenements represent some of Scotland's most significant architectural heritage. Restoring these buildings requires specialist knowledge, appropriate materials, and craftspeople who understand traditional construction methods.
Understanding Your Building
Before beginning any renovation work, it's essential to understand your building's construction. Most Glasgow tenements were built between 1850 and 1914 using blonde or red sandstone, with lime mortar joints and solid walls. The buildings breathe through their stonework, and this natural moisture management is critical to their long-term health.
Common Issues in Historic Properties
Sandstone Deterioration
Glasgow's atmospheric pollution historically accelerated sandstone decay. Signs include surface erosion, delamination, and sugaring (where the stone surface crumbles). Professional stone consolidation or careful indenting (stone replacement) may be necessary. Never paint or seal sandstone—it needs to breathe.
Damp Problems
Rising damp, penetrating damp, and condensation are common in solid-wall buildings. The solution is rarely a damp-proof course injection. Instead, focus on improving ventilation, repairing rainwater goods, repointing with lime mortar, and ensuring ground levels haven't risen against external walls. Breathable lime plasters internally help manage moisture.
Lime Mortar vs Cement
One of the most damaging mistakes in tenement renovation is repointing with hard cement mortar. Historic buildings were built with softer lime mortar, which allows moisture to escape and accommodates slight movement. Cement mortar traps moisture, leading to accelerated stone decay. Always use appropriate lime mortar mixes matched to your building's age and stone type.
Finding the Right Builder
Not all builders understand conservation principles. Look for contractors with demonstrable experience in historic building repair, ideally with SCQF qualifications in traditional building skills or membership of organizations like the Traditional Building Forum Scotland.
When seeking structural repairs and refurbishment in Aberdeen and the North East, it's particularly important to work with builders who understand the region's distinctive granite architecture alongside sandstone work. For comprehensive building services including structural work, joinery, and restoration across NE Scotland, ABC Home offers specialist experience in both traditional and contemporary building methods, combining modern standards with respect for heritage construction.
Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent
Many tenements lie within conservation areas, and some are individually listed. Check with your local planning authority before starting work. Even seemingly minor changes like new windows or external painting may require consent. Glasgow City Council and Aberdeen City Council both provide pre-application advice services.
Grants and Financial Support
Several grant schemes support heritage renovation in Scotland:
- Historic Environment Scotland offers grants for listed buildings and scheduled monuments
- Local authority schemes including Glasgow City Council's tenement grant program
- The National Lottery Heritage Fund for significant projects
- Energy efficiency grants that respect traditional construction (check Warmworks Scotland)
Recommended Materials Suppliers
Using appropriate materials is as important as finding skilled craftspeople. Specialist suppliers in Central Scotland include traditional lime mortars, breathable paints, reclaimed slates, and historically appropriate joinery. Your conservation builder should have established relationships with reputable suppliers.
Key Principles for Sensitive Renovation
- Repair rather than replace wherever possible
- Use breathable, traditional materials that match the original construction
- Respect the building's original design and details
- Improve energy efficiency without compromising the building's ability to breathe
- Document your work for future owners
- Consult specialists—conservation architects, structural engineers familiar with historic construction
Disclosure: This article contains a contextual reference to ABC Home, a building company in Aberdeen. Glasgow Discovered is an independent cultural guide and receives no payment for this reference. The inclusion is based on relevance to readers seeking qualified builders for heritage work in NE Scotland.