Our Company

London Stone Conservation are specialists in conservation and restoration for London’s built heritage. Our approach combines traditional craft skills and modern methods of efficiency. We enjoy working on a broad range of projects, offering our clients four expert service areas:

  • Building conservation and restoration
  • Ecclesiastic and monument conservation
  • Conservation of sculpture, objects and decorative surfaces
  • Carving and lettercutting

Founded by Stone Carver Florian Kirchertz in 2003, our aim has always been to provide sympathetic and informed interventions. Our team of expert craftspeople specialise in delivering complex programmes of work for listed buildings and monuments. Always sensitive to the needs of our clients and the areas we work in, we pride ourselves of working efficiently with minimal disruption to our clients’ own day-to-day activities.

We take as our logo the Lewis Pin, a relatively small tool used since Roman times to move, without brute strength, extremely large objects.  The Lewis Pin represents our roots in historic methods and the ability of our team to undertake large and complex projects.

Our work

London Stone Conservation employs craftspeople from a range of disciplines trained in historic and traditional techniques, with an emphasis on maintaining an innovative and creative approach to our commissioned work. This wealth of knowledge and practical experience can be applied to a variety of projects, from replacement work within the heritage sector to new work for commission.

We take great pride in our work, offering a pragmatic approach that combines historic processes and traditional skills with modern methods of delivery. Our industry memberships, accreditations and networks ensure that we are always at the forefront of developments and legislations in our field. Perhaps testament to our abilities are the long-standing relationships we enjoy with clients, such as HM Tower of London, the City of London and Highgate Cemetery.

Often our work has to balance many factors such as the physical constraints of a building to aesthetic considerations and values. We hold an in-depth understanding of the relationships between the practical and academic aspects of stone conservation, bringing a philosophical approach to safeguarding our built heritage.

London Stone Conservation is involved in projects throughout London and the surrounding area. Previous and current projects include listed properties, with clients such as City of London Corporation and Historic Royal Palaces.

Our team

Each project is led by formally trained and experienced crafts people, many of whom are graduates of the City and Guilds of London Art School’s conservation and carving departments, with which we have enjoyed a long relationship over the years. Our team are all trained in the production, installation and use of stone for a diverse range of architectural applications and needs. Over the years we have developed an extensive professional network of aligned craftspeople and experts in our sector, allowing London Stone Conservation to offer a wide range of capability.

Through our apprentice programme we offer newer members of the team opportunities to train and develop, passing on innate knowledge and skills from one generation to the next alongside their formal training and development programme.

Commissioning Work

We welcome all types of commission from memorials to public art projects. Often this area or work includes design and layout, traditional carving, stonemasonry, hand cut lettering, clay modelling, guilding, polychromy, mouldmaking and casting. London Stone Conservation is able to offer technical support at any stage of the design process or can take on the complete project from the initial inception to the execution of the work. We follow a traditional process for the commissioning of new work, starting with initial designs or scale models through to the final realisation of an object, allowing for client review at every stage.

We can provide

Materials advice
London Stone Conservation has an extensive knowledge of different materials and can advise on their use and suitability for a project
Design and layout
Including hand drawn or computer generated designs for inscriptions
Modelling
Models can be produced in many different materials including clay, wax, Jesmonite, plaster and lime
Mouldmaking and casting
On-site and workshop produced moulds in materials such as silicone, alginate and plaster
Stonecarving and masonry
Traditional hand carving, including replacement and new work, architectural and ornamental carving, sculpture and public art projects
Lettercutting 
Commemorative plaques, memorials, additional inscriptions. The painting and guilding of letters can also be undertaken
Guilding and polychromy
Decorative finishes using traditional techniques

Our responsibility

We are keenly aware of our responsibilities covering every aspect of our work. This ranges from offering most efficient solutions to ensure the longevity of our work, source all of out materials with complete transparency and treat with dignity and respect all whom we work with. Our formal policies are reviewed regularly and can be shared on request.

At London Stone Conservation, Health & Safety, Environmental protection and Quality assurance are key to the culture of the organisation. We are committed to maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction and to a structured approach to the management of our activities, ensuring compliance with both BS ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 9001:2008.

Health & Safety Policy

London Stone Conservation regards Health & Safety as an integral part of business activity. The prevention of injury and ill-health is considered to be a prime responsibility to all within the company.

The organisation is committed to:

  1. Provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities
  2. Consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
  3. Provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
  4. Ensure safe handling and use of substances
  5. Provide information, instruction and supervision for employees
  6. Ensure all employees are competent to do their tasks, and to give them adequate training
  7. Prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health
  8. Maintain safe and healthy working conditions
  9. Review and revise its policy as necessary at regular intervals

Quality Policy

London Stone Conservation aims to provide defect free products to its customers on time and within budget. The organisation operates a Quality Management System that has gained BS EN ISO  9001 : 2008 certification, including aspects  specific to the conservation, repair and replacement of stone carvings and masonry on historic and contemporary buildings, and the design and manufacture of new sculptural commissions in stone.

The management is committed to:

  1. Develop and improve the Quality Management System
  2. Continually improve the effectiveness of the Quality Management System
  3. The enhancement of customer satisfaction

The organisation complies with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.

The organisation constantly monitors its quality performance and implements improvements   when appropriate.

This Quality Policy is regularly reviewed in order to ensure its continuing suitability.

Environmental Policy

London Stone Conservation recognises the importance of environmental protection and is committed to operating its business responsibly and in compliance with all legal requirements relating to the conservation, repair and replacement of stone carvings and masonry on historic and contemporary buildings and the design and manufacture of new sculptural commissions in stone. It is our declared policy to operate with and to maintain good relations with all regulatory bodies.

It is our objective to carry out all measures reasonably practicable to meet, exceed or develop all necessary or desirable requirements and to continually improve environmental performance through the implementation of the following:

  1. Assess and regularly re-assess the environmental effects of our activities
  2. Training of employees in environmental issues
  3. Minimise the production of waste
  4. Minimise material wastage
  5. Minimise energy wastage
  6. Promote the use of recyclable and renewable materials
  7. Reduce and/or limit the production of pollutants to water, land and air
  8. Control noise emissions from operations
  9. Minimise the risk to the general public and employees from operations and activities undertaken by London Stone Conservation.

Sustainability Policy

London Stone Conservation strives to deliver sustainable solutions and this policy reflects our commitment to ensuring that sustainability is considered through all our business decisions.

As an organisation, we commit to:

  1. Minimize environmental impacts in the areas of waste, water, energy and air quality, both in the Office and on site.
  2. Give back to communities when possible by volunteering and donating resources.
  3. Ensure our supply chain has responsible social and environmental practices.
  4. Create innovative approaches to minimise negative environmental impacts, improve economic bottom lines and integrate the social elements in to delivering projects.