Restoring a listed building is never a straightforward job. Every repair has to respect the history of the structure while meeting modern standards, and every decision has to be made with a conservation officer’s approval in mind. It is detailed, often painstaking work, and it is exactly the kind of project EDD Building Services thrives on.
We were recently appointed by Gentoo to carry out listed building restoration works to the Old Post Office building in Sunderland City Centre, a Grade II listed property sitting within a conservation area. The brief covered the main roof, the ornate timber cupola, and a badly corroded vent cowl that had seen better days. Here is how the project came together.
A building with history to protect
Grade II listed status is not handed out lightly. It means a building holds special architectural or historic interest, and it means any work carried out has to preserve that character rather than compromise it. Add a conservation area designation on top, and the bar for sympathetic, careful restoration gets even higher.
The Old Post Office is a striking example of this kind of building. Its roofline features a decorative cupola, a small domed structure that crowns the building and gives it real presence on the skyline. Decades of weathering had taken their toll, however, and the timber framework inside the cupola showed clear signs of decay, rot, and water ingress.
This is the reality of older buildings. Materials that were perfectly sound when installed gradually give way to the elements, and what starts as a small crack in the paintwork can, over years, become a serious structural concern if nobody steps in.
Timber repairs to the cupola
Our first priority was the cupola itself. Close inspection revealed significant timber decay around the base and the supporting frame, much of it hidden beneath layers of old, flaking paintwork. Where the timber had failed beyond repair, it was carefully removed and replaced with matching sections, cut and shaped to preserve the original profile of the structure.
Where timber could be saved, we treated and repaired it in place rather than ripping it out unnecessarily. This is a key principle in heritage restoration work: replace only what genuinely needs replacing, and retain as much of the original fabric as possible. It keeps the building authentic and it keeps costs proportionate.
Once the structural repairs were complete, the cupola was fully redecorated. The transformation is stark. What had been a patchwork of peeling paint, exposed rust stains, and rotten timber became a crisp, clean white structure that finally does justice to the building’s architectural detail.
Replacing the corroded vent cowl
Sitting above the cupola, the vent cowl had corroded badly over time. Made from copper that had developed the green patina typical of aged metalwork, the cowl’s structural integrity had been compromised beneath the surface. Continuing to patch a fitting in that condition would have been a short-term fix at best.
We replaced the vent cowl entirely, manufacturing a new one to match the original dimensions and detailing. Getting this right matters more than it might seem. On a listed building, a replacement that does not match the original proportions can look jarring and may also fall foul of conservation requirements. Ours did neither.
Slate repairs to the main roof
Beyond the cupola, the main roof required targeted slate repairs. Slate roofing is durable, but individual slates can crack, slip, or work loose over time, particularly on a building of this age and exposure. Left unaddressed, even a small number of damaged slates can lead to water ingress that causes far more expensive problems further down the line.
Our team got to work replacing the damaged and missing slates with matching materials, taking care to blend the repairs in rather than leave an obvious patchwork on the roofline. It’s the kind of job that falls under our general and domestic building services, and one we carry out often, though rarely on a building with quite this much history. The roof is watertight again now, and you’d be hard pressed to spot where the repairs were made.
Why this kind of work matters
Projects like this rarely make headlines, but they matter enormously. Buildings like the Old Post Office are part of the fabric of Sunderland’s history, and keeping them standing for future generations takes genuine care, skill, and patience.
For a housing association client like Gentoo, that combination is essential. Listed building restoration cannot be rushed, and it cannot be handled by a contractor without a team with the relevant heritage experience. Every repair, every material choice, and every method needs to stand up to scrutiny from conservation officers as well as the client. It’s the same principle that applies whenever you’re choosing a contractor for any major refurbishment, heritage or otherwise.
We’re proud of how this project came together, and even prouder that it was completed without compromising the character of a building that has stood for well over a century.
“Really appreciate all the effort that you’ve put into the conservation works and working with the architects to ensure we maintained the original features of the building. Top class work.”
– Gentoo Group
Get in touch
If you are responsible for a listed or heritage building that needs sympathetic, professional restoration, we would love to help. Take a look at our recent projects to see more of our work, or get in touch with our team to discuss your building’s needs.
