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Home/Services/Leadwork/Conservation leadwork
Conservation leadwork in York, for listed and conservation-area roofs
Listed buildings, conservation areas and Article 4 directions. We carry sand-cast lead and we've handled listed building consent applications with the City of York Council conservation team, on Georgian terraces in Bootham, the Mount and Bishophill where the listing officer signs off the spec before the lead goes on.
- Sand-cast lead on the spec sheet, not a special order
- Listed building consent applications handled with you
- Done in-house, 20-year written workmanship guarantee
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Conservation leadwork at EJL
What we do that general roofers usually don't
There are 36 conservation areas across the City of York Council planning area, and over 2,000 listed buildings in central York. Bootham, the Mount, Bishophill, Holgate, Acomb Green and Clifton are where most of our conservation leadwork happens. These are the details that keep a conservation officer happy.
Sand-cast lead carried
A standard option, not a special order. We never substitute milled where sand-cast is required.
NHL hydraulic lime mortar
NHL 2, 3.5 or 5 to match the original. Cement on soft lime brick damages the brick beneath.
Consent handled
Application, spec sheet, photographs and heritage statement, pulled together with you.
Traditional jointing
Bossed corners, welted laps and lead wedges into chased brick courses, as the original was done.
Valleys on period roofs
Code 5 minimum in short drops, matched to the detail the roof was built with.
Dormers, bays and porches
Dormer cheeks, bay tops and small lead roofs in code 6 sheet, hand-finished.
Listed building consent, how it actually works
Four steps to consent. We handle them with you
Listed building consent isn't planning permission. It's a separate statutory consent under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The process is short, structured, and we know it.
Survey and spec
We survey the existing lead, photograph the original detail and write a spec that matches it: code, casting method, jointing. The survey is free and the written quote follows within 24 hours.
Pre-app chat
For complex jobs we ring the City of York Council conservation team before submitting. A pre-application discussion avoids the most common reasons for refusal.
Consent application
Where consent is needed, the application goes in on the council planning portal with heritage statement, photographs, drawings and our spec. We don't drop the paperwork on you.
Determination, then the work
Statutory eight weeks, often determined in five to six on straightforward like-for-like applications. The job goes in the diary for the week after consent, usually one to four days on site.
Cost, honestly
What conservation leadwork costs
Conservation work is priced like any other leadwork, by code, metreage and access, with a premium where sand-cast is specified. Honest guide figures before we even visit.
£
Guide figures in milled leadA straight code 4 chimney flashing is £350 to £500. Valleys are £85 to £130 per metre. A complete code 5 bay top is £900 to £1,400.
SC
Sand-cast carries a premiumAround 25 to 35 per cent over milled, where a listing officer or conservation officer requires it.
LBC
Consent paperwork includedWhere listed building consent is needed we prepare the application with you and start it as soon as the survey is signed off.
24h
The quote is the priceFixed in writing within 24 hours of the free survey, valid while the consent is decided.
Reviews
Careful work rated 5.0 by York homeowners
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"I would highly recommend EJL. I was given Elliott's name from my neighbour who'd had work done. Rebedded and replaced my ridge tiles. Brilliant communication throughout."
Chloe CRidge tiles rebedded, Copmanthorpe
Before you book
Conservation leadwork questions
Is my house in a York conservation area?
The fastest check is the City of York Council interactive Conservation Areas Map on their planning portal, which shows the boundaries of all 36 conservation areas in the City of York Council area. Bootham, the Mount, Bishophill, Holgate, Acomb Green and Clifton are the main residential conservation areas. We'll check the listing and conservation status as part of every quote on an older property.
Do I need listed building consent for a leadwork repair?
For a like-for-like replacement of existing lead in the same code and method, usually no, but you should check with the conservation officer because their interpretation varies. For any material change (milled where sand-cast was original, or vice versa, or a change in code or extent), yes, you need listed building consent. We handle the consent application with you on every job where it's needed.
What's an Article 4 direction and does it apply to me?
An Article 4 direction is a planning condition that removes specific permitted development rights from properties in a conservation area, typically affecting roof materials, windows and doors. In York, Article 4 directions cover parts of central York and several conservation areas. Where they apply, even routine roof material changes need planning permission. We check at the survey.
How long does listed building consent take in York?
City of York Council's statutory determination period is eight weeks from valid application. In practice, straightforward like-for-like applications often determine in five to six weeks. More complex applications can take twelve weeks or longer, especially if Historic England is consulted. We start the application as soon as the survey is signed off so the consent is ready when the job's ready.
Do you use milled or sand-cast lead on conservation jobs?
Whatever the conservation officer requires. We carry both. As a default on listed buildings of pre-1880 construction we'd quote sand-cast for visible elevations and milled for hidden details. On post-1880 listed buildings, milled is usually acceptable. The conservation officer's assessment of your specific building always overrides the default. See our sand-cast vs milled guide for the full explainer.
Will the conservation officer come to look at the work?
On listed building consent applications, the conservation officer normally visits before the consent is granted, and may visit during the work. We're used to working alongside them. Their job is to ensure the work matches the consent; ours is to make that easy. Friendly relationships with the City of York Council conservation team make these jobs run more smoothly.
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Sand-cast vs milled
Which is right for your roof, and why conservation officers care.
View service →Chimney flashing
Stepped, straight and back-gutter lead, chased in and wedged.
View service →Chimney repairs
Repointing, pots, cowls and lead trays.
View service →All leadwork
Valleys, bay tops, flat roofs and the full lead service.
View service →Listed property leadwork? We do this every week
Ring Elliott, message a photo of the lead detail and the building address on WhatsApp, or book a free survey with the form above. We check the listing and conservation status before quoting and tell you what consent is needed.