About us

The OldBuilders Company, is a building contractor which specialises in the restoration of old and historic buildings, from little country cottages to grand houses and churches.

OldBuilders is well known for its work and expertise with Lime Mortars and other traditional materials. And is one of the larger users of Lime in Ireland. The firms work is 90% in conservation and with a team of well trained and experienced tradesmen. We have special skills in Lime plastering, lime mortar rubble stone walls & other conservation skills.

Our specialist tradesmen, all of whom are experts in their field, include trades in masonry, plastering and carpentry, these in house trades mean we can cover works in stonework, plastering, stone and timber floors , stone and timber walls, slate roofing, doors, windows, glazing, door window hardware, insulation, ceilings, foundations, drainage, finishes. Work to be subcontracted: Electrical, plumbing, heating, manufacture of new windows.

Henry Thompson has worked in conservation on old and historic buildings for over 40 years, from castles to cottages, cathedrals to caponniere. From the 1970's starting on old traditional buildings in Ireland such as stone cottages in Cavan and castles in Offaly and Tipperary. Later in London on 16th century timber frame buildings and Victorian brick houses. In 1982 he moved to New York, where he restored nearly 50 late 19th century buildings and also built many new timber frame houses. He returned home to Ireland in 2002.

He has expertise in identifying the hidden features and fabric of historic buildings for restoration, giving advice on historically authentic or complementary design and planning.

He has many satisfied clients, who have benefited from his special skills in blending the requirements for modern comforts while preserving and highlighting the historical architectural features of a building. Most builders turn old houses into new houses, Henry has demonstrated his expertise in keeping charming old houses looking like a restored old house not new ones. Those important details on roofs and windows, the failure to keep the correct style and scale, the fate of so many attempted restoration projects that turn unique historic building into bungalows.

Over the last 10 years he has been promoting the natural ecologically friendly construction methods and techniques and has been one of the pioneers of Hemp-Lime Building technology in Ireland. A technology successfully developed in France over the last 20 years; it was originally used as a lightweight insulation in French 16th century timber frame buildings and as insulation on rubble stone walls. Today it also used in modern timber frame construction with hemp-lime mass walls. It is proving to be especially important for its use in upgrading the insulation values of historic buildings without compromising their aesthetics or the performance of the breathable Lime walls.

Henry is a committee member of the Building Limes Forum Ireland and is on the traditional skills register of The Irish Georgian Society, and is on the Heritage Council Conservation Panel.

As well as his building company he offers his services as a conservation consultant to private individuals undertaking their own restoration projects. He also acts as a consultant to architects, engineers and builders providing good conservation practice specifications and techniques.

He has given talks at conservation events in Ireland and overseas, a regular lecturer with The Building Limes Forum in Ireland and England, the Irish Georgian Society, the Centre for alternative technology in Wales (CAT), he has also lectured for the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, Queens University in Belfast and Trinity college Dublin.

He regularly offers traditional skills demonstrations at The Building Limes forum events, The Irish Georgian Society skills week and various builders’ shows around the country, such as the Sustainable Building Show and the Self-Build Shows.

Henry Personal:
Born May 1957, Nationality: Irish, Family originally from Derry, early youth lived in UK, returned to Ireland and to County Offaly at age 13 yrs. School in Dublin. Moved to USA 1982, returned to Ireland 2002.

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