Shopfront facade restoration, Stoke Newington, London

London Architectural Stonemasonry, as main contractor, carried out urgent upper shopfront facade restoration at 158–162 Stamford Hill, N16. We replaced corroded steels, stabilised bay windows, and restored stone, lead and timber features. Despite structural challenges and logistical constraints, we delivered a safe, elegant result on this busy Stoke Newington street.

During this project we:

• Inspected and assessed the failing facade and unstable bay windows.
• Carefully removed the signage to expose corroded structural steelwork.
• Identified flaws in the provided structural design and proposed a safer solution.
• Appointed our in-house structural engineer to redesign the support system.
• Secured scaffold and pavement licences through Transport for London.
• Installed temporary steels to enable safe removal of the original supports.
• Rebuilt and restored stone, lead, timber and brick elements across the facade.
• Repaired parapets, replaced gable copings and carried out essential chimney work.
• Completed the project in eight weeks with minimal disruption to pedestrians.
• Earned a place on Hamways’ approved contractor framework.

Pictured: The fully restored upper shopfront facade at Stamford Hill, completed by the London Architectural Stonemasonry team

“Hamways recently instructed London Stonemasonry for a stone masonry project which was rather challenging and working at height. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results. From start to finish their team was professional, skilled and attentive to every detail and delivered high-quality workmanship that exceeded our expectations. The stonework is clearly now built to last and the building is smiling again. From my regular visits the team were respectful, and they kept their worksite clean throughout the project. It’s clear they take great pride in their work.

“If you’re looking for a reliable and talented stone masonry company, I highly recommend London Stone Masonry. We will definitely be using them again on future projects!”

Karen Matthews, Projects Team, Hamways Ltd

Pictured: Stabilised bay windows and restored masonry details above the shopfront. Note the bus stop directly in front of the building

We were contacted by the appointed surveyor working for Hamways Ltd, the property’s owners. They had previously seen some of our restoration work carried out for the Langham Estate and got in touch with us based on the quality of those projects.

When we first visited site at 158–162 Stamford Hill, we saw that the large projecting bay windows above the commercial shopfront had dropped significantly. There were clear signs of serious structural damage to other parts of the upper façade. With the building behind a large bus stop in a busy area there was a real danger of masonry falling from the facade and onto the pavement below.

Pictured: Cracked dropped bay windows that we rebuilt

Following a site meeting, we were asked to carry out exploration works using the structural drawings that had already been provided. We carefully removed the shopfront signage, which spanned the full width of the building from left to right. This exposed the original steel supports—previously hidden—that held up the projecting bay windows.

The condition of the steel was extremely poor. It had corroded to the point where it could no longer properly support the bay structures above. The root cause was a long-term failure of the lead box gutter and capping section installed above the signage. Over many years, rainwater had flowed behind the cladding and onto the steel below, leading to advanced corrosion and loss of structural integrity.

Unfortunately, the structural design we were given was completely unworkable. The drawing proposed needling through below the sills of the dropped bays to install new steels. However, the engineer had failed to account for the internal floor levels of the building. If installed as drawn, the steelwork would have penetrated the internal walls and projected awkwardly above the floor inside, leaving no suitable location to fix into.

Given the dangerous condition of the building and the flaws in the structural design, we suggested using our own in-house structural engineer to produce a viable, buildable solution.

We invited senior members of the Hamways team back to site to review our alternative design. They were extremely grateful that we had identified the problem early and taken the initiative to provide a safe, well-considered approach. Shortly afterwards, we were formally appointed as the main contractor for the full restoration of the building.

Pictured: Cracked lintel in a window above the shopfront, that we rebuilt

Because the building was located on a double red route behind a major bus stop, there were additional logistical challenges. We needed scaffold licences, pavement licences, and parking dispensations, all of which required approval from Transport for London. Our team managed this complex process, and after a laborious wait, we secured the necessary permissions to begin work.

To address the structural failure, we designed and installed temporary steel supports so we could safely remove and replace the original corroded steel without unnecessarily punching through walls or floors.

At the same time, we templated the stone sections for replication and surveyed all the windows for replacement. Rotten timber was carefully removed, and our team carried out precise carpentry and leadwork installations to ensure the building would remain watertight and stable long into the future.

We also undertook significant repairs to the surrounding fabric of the building. This included raking out and repointing brickwork, replacing the copings on the gable end, and partially rebuilding the parapet with new stonework. Parapet walls between the building roofs were repaired, and we completed essential chimney works to prevent further water ingress and deterioration. Much of this work was necessary because of prolonged neglect and lack of maintenance over previous decades.

We completed the project in eight weeks. The transformation was significant. The dangerous bay windows were now fully supported and secure. The entire façade had been restored and protected, with new stone, lead and carpentry elements integrated seamlessly with the existing architecture.

Hamways Ltd were extremely pleased with the outcome. They appreciated both the quality of our workmanship and the depth of expertise we brought to the project—particularly our ability to find viable engineering solutions and manage the complicated logistics of the site.

They visited regularly throughout the project and were impressed with how clean, respectful and organised our team remained on a very busy stretch of pavement.

As a result, we were invited to become one of Hamways’ approved framework contractors, trusted to restore and refurbish other buildings within their property portfolio.

Pictured: Repointed brickwork and stabilised bay window, by the London Architectural Stonemasonry team

If you manage a commercial or historic building with signs of damage, decay, or structural movement—especially above public areas—get in touch with London Architectural Stonemasonry. From bay window stabilisation to parapet rebuilding, we specialise in restoring stone façades to the highest standards, safely and efficiently.

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