Masonry & Restoration in Ultimo
Victorian terrace brick, warehouse masonry and heritage repointing across Ultimo and Chippendale.
Quick answer
Romans Building Services provides masonry, heritage restoration and structural repair in Ultimo, Sydney, with work matched to the suburb's building age, materials and common movement or salt-damage patterns.
Last updated: 2026-05-29
Ultimo mixes Victorian terraces, old warehouses and modern apartment blocks in a tight inner-city grid. Our work here is mostly on the pre-war housing stock — terrace rows, converted industrial buildings, and the occasional Federation shopfront. All of it needs proper heritage materials to stay in shape.
We do a lot of repointing in Ultimo terraces, and quite a few tuckpointing restorations on the higher-end rows. The bricks are usually soft handmade Sydney brick, which means lime mortar is the correct material — cement pointing done decades ago has damaged bricks on many houses here.
The warehouse conversions around Harris Street and the industrial blocks toward Chippendale need their own approach. Exposed structural brickwork with proper repointing, new lintels where steel has failed, and careful cleaning to preserve character.
What Ultimo homes and buildings need
Ultimo has Victorian terraces from 1870s–1900s, converted warehouses from 1880s–1920s, Federation shopfronts, and newer apartment blocks. Handmade soft brick with lime mortar is the norm for pre-war work. Incorrectly cement-repointed terraces are common. Mixed-use streets mean both residential and commercial heritage work.
Recent work across the Sydney CBD
Examples of jobs we've done with the same materials, conditions and craft you'd find on a property in Ultimo. Photography is from real Romans Building Services projects, not stock.
What we do in Ultimo
- Victorian terrace repointing
- Tuckpointing restoration
- Warehouse conversion brick work
- Sandstone sill and surround repair
- Heritage brick replacement
- Structural lintel replacement
Masonry & building services we offer in Ultimo
Full scope of work Romans Building Services handles across Sydney. Click through for detail on each service.
Common Questions — Ultimo
Is my Ultimo terrace heritage-listed?
Much of Ultimo is in a Heritage Conservation Area under City of Sydney Council, even if individual terraces are not separately listed. Work that changes the appearance of the building usually needs council consent. We handle the documentation.
Can you do just the front facade repointing if budget is tight?
Yes. Front facade is the priority on most terraces — it is what is visible and takes the most weather. Sides and rear can be done later in stages without looking disjointed, as long as the mortar mix is matched consistently.
How long does repointing an Ultimo terrace facade take?
Typical single-width terrace front facade: 2–3 weeks including rake-out, pointing and curing. Full external: 4–6 weeks. We work in stages so the house stays watertight throughout.
Common problems we see in Sydney CBD
The structural and masonry issues that come up most often across Sydney CBD housing stock.
Need a quote in Ultimo?
Call Minas directly or fill in the form. We will get back to you within 24 hours.