Jake Mitchell

Jake Mitchell is a heritage masonry specialist at Archer Brick & Stone and the guest on Episode 2 of The Healthy House Podcast, “Brick by Brick: The Truth About Traditional Homes.”

Jake’s career began with restoration work in Boston before he moved into working on traditional buildings across the UK, and that journey shapes how he talks about materials on the show. His central concern is the damage done when modern cement pointing is used on old brick and stonework: cement is harder and less permeable than the masonry around it, so it traps moisture in the wall rather than letting it escape, leading to damaged brickwork and failing mortar joints over time.

The alternative he champions is lime mortar, and he goes into real detail on the options — hot lime, lime putty and NHL (natural hydraulic lime) — and why choosing the right one for a given building matters. He also covers the added responsibilities that come with owning a listed building or a property in a conservation area, where the wrong repair can have consequences beyond the building itself.

For homeowners with Victorian, Edwardian or other older properties, Jake’s advice runs from simple maintenance — checking gutters, watching for cracks, managing climbing plants — through to using breathable finishes and knowing how to find a contractor who genuinely understands traditional buildings, rather than one who will default to modern materials out of habit.