Starting again in a new country meant Jake Mitchell had to rebuild more than properties, he had to rebuild his career and professional network from the ground up.
In this extract from The Healthy House Podcast, the founder of Archer Brick & Stone shares his journey from becoming a masonry labourer in Boston at 18 to gaining experience in brick and stone restoration, repointing and project management. After moving to the UK, unfamiliar qualifications, limited industry connections and differences within the local construction trade eventually led Jake to establish his own restoration company.
Listen & watch
▶ Watch on YouTube | 🎧 Listen on Spotify | Subscribe on YouTube
Highlights
The conversation also explores how the contrasting climates of Boston and the UK affect traditional buildings, from dangerous ice dams to damp and freeze-thaw damage. Jake explains why mortar should remain the sacrificial part of masonry and how using hard cement over lime can cause older bricks to deteriorate.
This clip is taken from Episode 2: Brick by Brick: The Truth About Traditional Homes - EP 2 Jake Mitchell - Archer Brick & Stone.











