Let the wall breathe
Historic walls in stone, brick and lime manage moisture by letting it evaporate. We never seal them in with cement render, tanking or impermeable paints.
HUMIX · Listed buildings
Damp in a listed building? Treated without cutting into its history.
Rising damp in a listed home is a delicate problem: the usual fixes, chemical injection, cement render and new gypsum plaster, can harm the very fabric you're protecting. HUMIX starts with a careful survey and treats rising damp without cutting into the wall.
- A careful survey before any proposal
- No wall cutting, no chemical injection, no stripping of finishes
- A written report ready for your conservation officer
- Grade I, II* and II, and A, B and C listed in Scotland
Request a listed building survey
Tell us about the building and what you've noticed. A specialist calls you back, usually within one working day.
Call or message us and we'll arrange your survey.
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Cuts into the historic fabric
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Chemical injection along the wall
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Survey before any proposal
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Nations of the UK covered
Every survey starts by reading the wall, not the stain
Our approach
An old wall isn't a modern wall with a problem. It works differently
Listed buildings were built with solid walls, soft lime mortars and lime plasters that let moisture in and out. When damp appears, it's usually because that balance has been upset: ground levels raised outside, failing drainage, gutters, or decades of repairs in cement and gypsum. We look for what changed before deciding what to do.
- We read the building: construction, past repairs, ground levels and drainage, not just the stain on the wall.
- We tell causes apart: rising damp, condensation and water getting in need very different answers.
- We recommend the least invasive option that will work, and explain why.
Conservation principles
Four principles we follow in every listed building
They follow the conservation approach that guides work on historic buildings across the UK: understand first, change as little as possible and use materials that suit the original fabric.
Minimum intervention
No cutting into the masonry, no chemical injection along the wall and no stripping of original finishes. We change as little of the building as possible.
Reversible where possible
The HUMIX system is installed without altering the historic fabric, so the building is left as it was found if it is ever removed.
Diagnosis first, recorded
Every proposal starts with a survey and a written record of what we found, which you can share with your architect, surveyor or conservation officer.
How we work
A process designed around listed building rules
From the first call to a dry wall, each step is designed around the rules that protect the building.
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A first conversation about the building
We ask about its age, construction, listing grade or conservation area, past repairs and where the damp shows. That tells us what to look for before we visit.
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A careful survey on site
A specialist reads the signs: moisture readings, salt patterns, ground levels, drainage, rainwater goods and earlier repairs in cement or gypsum. The aim is to separate rising damp from condensation and water getting in.
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A written report you can share
You receive our findings and a proposal in plain language. If the building is listed, it's ready to discuss with the local planning authority or your conservation adviser before any work goes ahead.
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Discreet installation and follow-up
Where the HUMIX system is right for the building, it's installed in a few hours without disruptive building work, and we follow how the walls dry out over the following months.
Listed building consent. In England and Wales work that affects the character of a listed building may need listed building consent from the local planning authority (guidance from Historic England and Cadw); in Scotland and Northern Ireland similar rules apply (Historic Environment Scotland and the Historic Environment Division). We go through your building's status with you before recommending any work, and our written report is ready to share with the council or your conservation adviser.
HUMIX system
Rising dampRecommended when the survey confirms rising damp. It works without cutting into the wall, without injecting chemicals along it and without stripping existing finishes.
- Installed in a few hours
- No building work inside the property
- Suitable for stone, brick and lime walls
What we avoid
Treatments that can harm an old building
Many damp "cures" were designed for modern cavity walls. On historic fabric they can trap moisture, push salts higher and damage what makes the building special.
- Chemical damp-proof course injection drilled along the wall
- Cement render, tanking slurries and waterproof membranes
- Hacking off lime plaster and replastering in gypsum
- Impermeable paints that stop the wall drying out
Who we help
Owners, custodians and the professionals who look after listed buildings
Owners of listed homes
Georgian town houses, cottages, farmhouses and manor houses where damp keeps coming back after every repair.
Architects and surveyors
Conservation architects and building surveyors who need a non-invasive option for rising damp and a clear written survey.
Estates and trusts
Estates, trusts and institutions caring for several historic buildings who need a consistent, careful approach.
Parishes and places of worship
Churches and chapels where damp affects walls, plaster and memorials. See our churches service for more.
Common questions
Questions about damp in listed buildings
Do I need listed building consent to treat damp?
It depends on the work. Changes that affect the character of a listed building, such as removing historic plaster or drilling along walls, usually need consent. Because the HUMIX system works without cutting into the wall or stripping finishes, the intervention is minimal, but you should always check with your local planning authority. Our written survey is designed to help with that conversation.
Why not use a chemical damp-proof course?
Chemical injection means drilling a line of holes along the wall and filling them with a water-repellent cream. In historic masonry it's irreversible, damages original fabric and is often combined with cement-based replastering that traps moisture. It's rarely appropriate in a listed building.
How does the HUMIX system work without drilling?
The HUMIX system acts on rising damp without cutting into the wall, without injecting chemicals along it and without stripping finishes. It's installed in a few hours with no building work inside the property, and is only recommended once a survey confirms rising damp.
Is it always rising damp?
No. In many old buildings the damp comes from condensation, leaking gutters and downpipes, raised ground levels or cement repairs that stop the wall drying. That's why every job starts with a survey: we only recommend the HUMIX system when rising damp is confirmed.
Can you work with our architect or conservation officer?
Yes. We're used to explaining our findings to architects, surveyors and conservation officers, and our written report sets out what we found and what we propose, so everyone can make an informed decision.
Which areas do you cover?
We work across the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Tell us where the building is and we'll arrange the survey.
Is the first survey free?
Yes. The first survey is free and with no obligation. If the problem is outside what we do, we'll tell you.
Heritage survey
Protect the building while you solve the damp
Tell us about the building and what you've noticed. A specialist will call you back to arrange a survey and explain the options before anything is decided.