Heritage Restoration Sydney

Jonathan Homes is a family-owned heritage restoration builder in Sydney, led by licensed builder Jonathan Jamu (Licence 359604C). We restore Victorian, Federation and period homes across the Inner West and greater Sydney, repairing original masonry, timber, windows, plasterwork and rooflines while bringing the home up to the way you live now.

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5.0
Heritage Home Restoration
NSW Builder’s Licence 359604C

Sydney’s period homes need a different kind of builder

A heritage home does not behave like a new build. Lime mortar moves and breathes, sandstone frets and salts, timber sashes swell, ornate plaster cracks, and the wrong repair can do more harm than the original damage. Pointing a Federation wall in hard cement mortar, for example, traps moisture and accelerates brick decay rather than fixing it.

If you own an older home in Sydney, you have probably run into one or more of these:

  • Crumbling or cement-patched mortar, fretting face brick and salt damp
  • Rotten or painted-over timber — verandah posts, fretwork, weatherboards, fascias
  • Original timber sash windows that stick, leak or have been swapped for aluminium
  • Cracked or sagging decorative plaster, cornices and ceiling roses
  • Rusted cast and wrought iron lacework on verandahs and balconies
  • Deteriorated terracotta or slate roofing and corroded flashings
  • Hidden asbestos, lead paint or structural movement uncovered mid-project
  • A council heritage listing that makes you unsure what you are even allowed to change

Jonathan Homes restores all of it, and tells you which elements genuinely need conservation and which can be sympathetically modernised.

Heritage home styles we restore

We work across the period styles common to Sydney’s Inner West, Inner South and Eastern Suburbs.

Victorian (c. 1840–1890)

Italianate terraces, cast iron lacework, tessellated tiles, ornate plaster, face brick and rendered facades.

Federation Style Home

Federation (c. 1890–1915)

Red face brick, tuckpointing, terracotta roof tiles, leadlight windows, timber fretwork and gables.

Edwardian Style Home

Edwardian & Inter-war

California Bungalows, Art Deco detailing, casement windows, rendered masonry, decorative timber.

Georgian Style Home

Georgian & Colonial

Sandstone construction, twelve-pane sash windows, simple symmetrical detailing.

Our heritage restoration services

Jonathan Homes delivers and coordinates the full scope of heritage restoration and remediation under one fixed-price contract, working with specialist heritage tradespeople where a craft skill calls for it.

Masonry & repointing

Brick and stone repair, lime-mortar repointing and tuckpointing, sandstone restoration, render and stucco, crack stitching, salt-damp treatment.

Timber & joinery

Repair and replication of weatherboards, fretwork, verandah posts, balustrades, fascias and cedar joinery to match original milling and tooling.

Windows & doors

Restoration of timber sash and casement windows, re-glazing and leadlight repair, weatherproofing, and matching reproduction of missing units

Plaster & ornament

Repair and re-casting of cornices, ceiling roses, arches, mouldings and decorative plasterwork.

Roofing & rainwater

Terracotta and slate roof repair, ridge capping, flashings, cast iron gutters and downpipes.

Facade & exterior

Whole-of-facade conservation, paint stripping from face brick, iron lacework repair, and street-appeal reinstatement within Heritage Conservation Area rules.

Remediation

Licensed asbestos and lead paint management, rising-damp and timber-rot treatment, and structural repairs to footings, walls and floors.

Sympathetic extensions

Rear and upper-level additions that respect the original home while delivering open-plan, modern living behind the heritage frontage.

Knowledge to get it done right

What happens to your home behind the heritage frontage

Most Sydney heritage projects are not a museum job. You want the period street frontage protected and the inside to work for a modern family. We combine conservation of the significant elements with in-house 3D design for the spaces you actually live in, so you can see the finished home before any work starts.

Heritage listings, conservation areas and council approval in NSW

This is where most heritage projects stall, and where having a builder who runs the process matters most.

  • A property can be a heritage item (listed on a council Local Environmental Plan or the NSW State Heritage Register) or sit within a Heritage Conservation Area — the controls differ, and your Section 10.7 planning certificate will tell you which applies.
  • Works to a heritage item usually require a Development Application (DA), and councils commonly ask for a Statement of Heritage Impact prepared by a heritage consultant.
  • Some minor like-for-like maintenance can be exempt, but heritage items are often excluded from exempt and complying development, so it pays to confirm before you start.
  • Asbestos and lead paint must be handled under SafeWork NSW requirements by licensed operators.

Jonathan Homes liaises with your council and its heritage advisor, commissions the heritage documentation, lodges the paperwork and schedules the works so approvals never hold up your build.

Heritage Restoration Sydney
Sydney Federation Home after Restoration
How we do it

Our step-by-step heritage restoration process

We preserve the period character of your home while making it sound for the long term, with a clear plan and a fixed price before any tools come out.

Site Assessment

We inspect every surface, finish, structure and material to gauge the damage and set priorities, using probes, moisture readings and photography to record the home’s condition and significant features.

Scope Planning

Based on the assessment we prepare a detailed remediation and restoration plan covering urgent structural work, conservation repairs and the period detailing you want reinstated.

Fixed Price Quote

You receive an accurate, itemised fixed-price quote benchmarked against similar heritage projects, with no hidden costs.

Approvals and Documentation

We work with your council and heritage advisor to secure the DA or relevant approval, prepare the required heritage documentation and meet all NSW codes and regulations.

Restoration and Remediation

With approvals in place, our team carries out the meticulous repair and restoration using traditional materials and techniques chosen for durability and authenticity, then hands back a home protected by our 7-year structural warranty.

5.0 Star Rated

Join hundreds of satisfied homeowners

Join other homeowevers across Sydney who have experienced the home transformations that only Jonathan Homes delivers.

Did an amazing job!

Jon and his team did an amazing job with our kitchen and bathroom renovation. He was so easy to deal with and got it all done in record time.

Stephanie Luc

On time and on budget

Demo, earthworks, retaining walls, new bedroom, bathroom, sun room, rear alfresco and driveway all done to an impeccable standard.

Rodney Richards

Great communication

Jonathan was a pleasure to deal with. He completed a large project at our Concord home in just over 3 weeks with no delays. Thanks so much!

Theva Surendra

Very High Recommendation

Built a double storey, double garage and granny flat with unparalleled professionalism. His attention to detail is amazing.

Nahir Bisso

A truly terrific builder

Jonathan did urgent renovations for our home, everything was completed on time and within budget. He and his team are highly skilled and courteous.

Ishmeet Singh

He is the action man!

I call Jonathan the action man of the building world because there are lots of moving parts and he always manages to get things done.

Mark Foley

Why Choose Us?

The Jonathan Homes Difference

See how our approach can transform your heritage restoration experience.

Other Builders

  • Unsure what heritage rules allow
  • Modern materials that damage old fabric
  • Stress and uncertainty about the process
  • Hard to picture the finished home
  • Budget blowouts and hidden costs
  • Several contractors to chase

With Jonathan Homes

  • We handle listings, conservation areas and council approvals

  • Traditional, like-for-like materials and methods
  • Clear, transparent process from start to finish
  • In-house 3D design so you see it before we build
  • Fixed-price contracts with no surprises
  • One point of contact, accountable end to end

More Info

Heritage Restoration Frequently Asked Questions

Usually, yes. If your home is a heritage item or sits in a Heritage Conservation Area, most restoration and alteration work needs a Development Application, and the council often asks for a Statement of Heritage Impact. Some minor like-for-like maintenance may be exempt. Jonathan Homes checks your Section 10.7 certificate and manages the whole approval process for you.

Your property’s Section 10.7 planning certificate, available from your local council, states whether the home is a heritage item or falls within a Heritage Conservation Area. We can interpret it for you during your free assessment.

Yes. We source matching or reclaimed materials and use traditional methods, lime-mortar repointing and tuckpointing, like-for-like timber milling and joinery, and salvaged brick and stone, so repairs are not visible and the home’s fabric is protected.

Yes. Older Sydney homes commonly contain asbestos and lead paint. We manage licensed removal and remediation in line with SafeWork NSW requirements as part of the project.

Absolutely. Most of our clients want the period frontage conserved and a modern, open-plan home behind it. We balance conservation of the significant elements with sympathetic extensions and contemporary interiors, designed in-house in 3D.