Gloved hands brushing limewash onto damp red brick on a house in Batavia, IL

Six miles north, between Aurora and Geneva

Aurora Limewash: Limewash in Batavia

A city that recently changed its rules on exactly this kind of work, which makes the order of steps matter.

Aurora and ten towns within 20 miles
Written price before work starts
Licensed, insured local contractors
Historic district rules covered

Aurora Limewash arranges limewash, staining and masonry repair for homes in Batavia, Illinois, about 5.9 miles north of Aurora, through local contractors. Batavia has about 26,500 people across Kane and DuPage counties, a Downtown Historic District, and a Certificate of Appropriateness rule that was widened recently to cover painting previously unpainted exteriors.

A Batavia brick exterior typically runs $4,000 to $12,000 to limewash; follow an old article that says painting is exempt, start without a certificate, and you may pay $2 to $4 a square foot to strip it again.

$4,000 to $12,000 for a typical brick exterior

Limewashing a brick exterior in Batavia typically runs $4,000 to $12,000, at $4 to $8 a square foot as published by a Chicago-suburb limewash applicator. A fireplace surround inside is $500 to $1,500 and needs no certificate.

Get a price: (630) 528-2808

Signs to check with Batavia City Hall first

The house or building is in the Downtown Historic District
The property is a locally designated landmark
The brick or stone has never been painted
The work changes how the exterior looks from the street

The rule that changed

Batavia requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for any exterior change to a property in its Historic District or a locally designated landmark. The city's own page now carries an update: a COA is required for painting previously unpainted materials on the exterior of a building, and that scope of work was previously exempt. Advice written before the change may still say otherwise.

How to apply

The application form goes to the Community Development Department at City Hall, 100 N. Island Avenue. Staff guide the review, which can be administrative or can go to a public meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission, and staff can refer any application to the commission. The city encourages owners to consult the commission informally early in the design process, which is a good moment to bring a test panel.

Not sure what your brick will take? Describe the house, the brick and the look you want, and get a straight answer on coats, prep and a typical price.

Call (630) 528-2808

Lime on old masonry

For a historic brick or stone building, lime is the traditional coating, and a breathable one. Its reversibility in the first 5 to 7 days is worth mentioning in an application. On stone, the stone limewash page covers how the wash settles into deep joints.

Houses outside the district

For homes outside the downtown district and its landmarks, the process is the same as in Geneva or Aurora outside their districts: test the brick, repair the mortar, test the colour, and book the work for the mid-May to early October weather window.

Before you call City Hall

Have three things ready when you contact Community Development: photographs of the wall as it is, the product you plan to use with its published data, and a small test panel you can show or photograph dry. If the brick needs repointing too, include the mortar in the same conversation, so the city sees the whole job at once rather than in pieces. Staff can tell you whether your project is likely to be handled administratively or go to the commission.

Questions people ask

How much does limewash cost in Batavia?

Typically $4,000 to $12,000 for a brick exterior. A fireplace surround runs $500 to $1,500.

What are the signs I need a certificate in Batavia?

The property is in the Historic District or is a landmark, and the work changes the exterior.

Is painting unpainted brick exempt in Batavia?

Not any more. The city now requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for painting previously unpainted exterior materials.

Where do I apply for a COA in Batavia?

At the Community Development Department, City Hall, 100 N. Island Avenue.

Can a Batavia certificate be approved by staff?

Depending on the scope, yes, or it can go to a public meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission.

Common jobs here

Exterior brick limewash

A breathable lime finish over the whole brick exterior, from a faint wash to near-solid white.
Stone limewash

Lime on stone is the oldest pairing there is, and it settles into the joints in a way paint never can.
Fireplace limewash

The quickest way to change a room: a soft lime finish on the brick everyone looks at.

Talk it through before anyone opens a bucket

Say what the brick is, whether it has ever been painted or sealed, and how much of it shows from the street. You will hear what the job usually involves, what it tends to cost, and whether your town needs a sign-off first.