UK Restoration Services were contracted by HSBC to undertake restoration work of the façade at their branch in Cromer, North Norfolk.
Restoring HSBC Bank, Cromer, Norfolk Works Required
The stonework and terracotta to the front elevation of the building were showing various degrees of decay. The previous paint on the stonework was beginning to peel off, and sections of the stone around the corbels and sills had broken off. They had also used impervious paint to the masonry which had accelerated decay to the masonry. All loose material need tidying up, defrassing and de-vegging. Some joints needed to be raked out and repointed, and terracotta masonry near the bay windows need repairing.
The roof area required quite a large amount of work to the Chimney, Brickwork & Roof tiles. The flaunching on the chimney had cracked, movement to the brickwork had opened up cracks on the chimney flaunching. The brickwork to the chimney had voids allowing water to ingress. Tiles on the roof had slipped and require re-fixing.
Restoring the Terracotta on the Listed Bank
We had six weeks to get Cromer done, a long way from our Lancashire home but a rewarding and fascinating job nonetheless, looking out to the Norfolk sea. We began by disconnecting the bird netting from the front elevation of the building so we could access the affected stone. The bird netting used by HSBC is no harm to birds and is used purely to keep pigeons from entering the roof of the tall building. After then collecting all the loose debris from behind the netting and defrassing the stonework, it was the big task of scraping off the visible vegetation and raking out the coping stones, from the roof down to the third floor.
We repointed some empty stone joints to window surrounds use lime based mortar, and also raked out and repointed the corbels where mortar erosion had taken place. Above the bay window, we repaired terracotta masonry to the front elevation and had everything done in the six-week window. Finally, we washed down the stonework, removed loose material and repainted the front in white. Replacing the netting and deconstructing the scaffold, we headed back north with the HSBC building proudly standing tall on Church Street.
