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CHURCH
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ECCLESIASTICAL
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HERITAGE CLEANING
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LISTED & HISTORICAL BUILDINGS
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STONEWORK
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BARN CONVERSIONS
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CONSERVATION & REPAIRS
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joinery and Woodworking
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About the company
Restoring the past, with an eye on the future
Michael Bartoletti
JG Restorations grew from a love of traditional buildings, skilled craftsmanship and the belief that our architectural heritage is worth preserving for generations to come.
Husband and wife Michael and Joanna have built the company around these principles, bringing together their different backgrounds, skills and experiences to create a team specialising in the sensitive restoration and renovation of historic buildings.
Michael grew up around building. His father was a builder, giving him an early understanding of the hard work, practical skills and attention to detail that go into creating something properly. After working in general building, an early church project at St Michael's in Tilehurst sparked a particular interest in heritage restoration. What began as a project developed into a deeper appreciation of traditional buildings, the materials used to construct them and the craftsmanship of the people who built them.
For Joanna, the route into restoration was rather different. Originally educated in agriculture in Poland, she had no background in the building industry. After the birth of their son, however, she taught herself the skills of traditional lime plastering so that she could work alongside Michael. Lime plastering soon became her specialist craft and an important part of the development of JG Restorations.
Today, that shared experience and complementary skillset remain at the heart of the company.
Working with historic buildings
For us, restoring an old building is about much more than repairing what is worn or replacing what has failed. Every historic building has its own story, character and features, and we believe those qualities should be understood and respected.
Joanna Bartoletti
We enjoy getting to know the people who manage these buildings just as much as we enjoy getting to know the buildings themselves. Our clients are often as interested in the history and character of their properties as we are, and working together to find the right solution is an important part of every project.
Our approach is collaborative. We work as a team, listening carefully to what our clients want to achieve and finding solutions that balance their wishes, expectations and budget with the practical requirements of the building.
The result is work that is sympathetic to the building while still meeting the needs of modern life.
Traditional skills, modern understanding
Traditional craftsmanship is at the heart of what we do, but restoration cannot simply be about repeating what was done hundreds of years ago. Historic buildings need to be understood in the context of today's regulations, safety requirements and building standards. We combine traditional materials and techniques with a thorough understanding of modern requirements, making sure that the solutions we use are appropriate for the building and its future.
Lime work is a particularly important part of this approach. Joanna's specialist experience in lime plastering has developed alongside the company's wider expertise in traditional materials and techniques, allowing us to work sensitively with the historic fabric rather than treating an old building like a modern one.
Projects that stay with us
Some projects become particularly memorable because they bring together so many of the skills that we have developed as a company. St Margaret's Church in Oxford is one such project for Michael. The building provided an opportunity to bring together many different aspects of the company's experience, working with beautiful traditional materials and applying a wide range of specialist skills.
For Joanna, St Michael's Church in Tilehurst has a special significance. It was our first church project and developed over a two-year period, beginning with the interior before moving on to the roof. Among the details that made the project particularly memorable were the handmade roof tiles, some of which were inscribed by members of the parish.
Projects like these remind us why we chose to specialise in heritage restoration in the first place.
A team with the same values
The quality of the finished building depends on the people carrying out the work.
We look for skilled tradespeople who share our understanding of traditional buildings and have the same commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Finding people with the right skills and attitude is not always easy, but having a team that understands what JG Restorations stands for is fundamental to the way we work.
We are motivated by the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the craftsmen who created these remarkable buildings in the first place. There is a real sense of responsibility in working on something that has already survived for hundreds of years, and our aim is to make sure that it can continue to do so.
Life beyond the building site
Our appreciation of old buildings doesn't stop when the working day does.
Michael and Joanna are currently renovating their own 400-year-old farmhouse — a project that keeps them more than busy in their spare time and gives them a very personal connection with the challenges and rewards of living with an historic building.
Tiffany
Joanna has also developed a large vegetable garden, including a 65-square-metre greenhouse and numerous raised beds. Much of the produce is shared with friends and family. And... there is a new member of the household keeping everyone busy. Joanna has recently taken on the care of Tiffany, her Jack Russell puppy, who has quickly become another part of life around the farmhouse. Perhaps unsurprisingly, even at home there is plenty of restoration, growing, hard work — and now a little puppy-related chaos — going on.
Looking ahead
JG Restorations is deliberately focused on controlled growth. For Michael and Joanna, the future isn't simply about taking on more work; it is about continuing to build a company known for doing things properly. An important part of that future is creating opportunities for the next generation of craftspeople through apprenticeships and practical training.
There is a long tradition of skilled craftsmanship behind the buildings we work on. We want to help make sure there is a skilled generation ready to care for them in the years ahead.