Jack in the Green

Conservation Building and Lime Plastering

About Us

Jack in the Green Builders, run by Glyn Tyler, operate in mid Devon (Tiverton area).

Please see the links at the bottom of our web pages for details of how to contact us.

We at Jack in the Green have the benefit of a number of specialist skills which have informed how we understand and approach the work we undertake. This is based on maintaining and conserving the vernacular buildings and other features which have made our rural and urban landscapes what they are today.

Using both traditional and modern breathable and sustainable eco-materials, we convert, repair and restore houses, cottages, barns, townhouses and other period buildings. We understand not only the importance and historical value of the built environment, but also how the requirements of modern living combine with current environmental and conservation considerations.

What we do

Lime plastering and rendering

Cob new build and repair

Lime and lathwork repair

Limewashing and painting with breathable natural paints

Roofing and structural carpentry in green oak and softwoods

Stonework and repointing

We will undertake projects large and small, from cob and lime repairs, lathwork, lime pointing, plastering and rendering to carpentry and full scale barn conversions. To get an idea of the spectrum of services we can offer, browse the website and visit our traditional barn conversion gallery.

Ethical and conservation building

The Jack in the Green logo symbolises our commitment to living with rather than against our local and global environments. We practice both ethical and ecologically sustainable building, and believe in the maintenance of local vernacular building traditions within regional landscapes. Living in rural areas with high property prices, we also support the construction of sustainable eco-housing and self-build projects for local residents.

Among other organisations, we are members of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), The Building Limes Forum, The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) and The Devon Rural Skills Trust (DRST). Please see our links page for more information about these and other organisations.

The pre-industrial vernacular buildings which define many areas of the countryside were low impact and sustainable, and their construction was based on maintaining local economies and community traditions. Many of the buildings we work on were originally built by local communities from materials which were readily available.

Cob, stone, timber and roofing materials were often derived from nearby fields and woods or small scale rural industries. We try to maintain these traditions by using traditional and where possible, locally sourced and reclaimed materials and through supporting local businesses and craftspeople.

The availability of cheap mass produced building materials such as cement and gypsum based products in the mid twentieth century brought about the decline of local building traditions and the use of lime mortars. Today, the environmental effects of the past two centuries of large scale industry are beginning to hit home, and we are returning to an understanding of the importance of sustainable technologies and ecologically friendly lifestyles.

Natural breathable materials such as lime are beneficial to older and traditionally constructed buildings. Unlike inflexible modern materials such as cement mortars and gypsums, they allow buildings to breathe, circumventing damp problems and promoting healthier living environments. Many of the damp problems inherent to older houses are exacerbated by inappropriate repairs using modern impermeable cement and gypsum based materials. The use of traditional materials such as lime plasters, renders and mortars can be used to help solve these problems.

Read more about the breathability of lime and its environmentally friendly credentials on our lime page

Read about damp in traditionally constructed stone walls and breathable insulation products