One of the biggest problems within the Heritage building sector is the lack of suitably experienced building surveyors capable of assessing old buildings, be they listed or not. All too often we hear of surveyors recommending injection damp proofing (which instantly shows they know nothing of the reasons damp is present in the first place), and failing to understand or report problems with timber frames. Usually they understand very little about the characteristics of traditional building materials (one surveyor recently questioned the use of lime mortar, saying it wasnt strong enough.... he ran for cover when we reminded him that half of the houses in London are built with it!).

We offer a full Building Survey and Project Management service. We undertake a site survey and assessment, produce a detailed condition report and recommendations, and can create a work specification and schedule if required. This highlights problems found, and can rank them in order of importance - which helps greatly with budgeting current and future maintenance. If required, this can then be modified to create Listed Building Consent specification and justification. Liaison with conservation officers and planners, and full costing and financial control are included if required. This allows us to provide a turnkey solution to projects with values ranging from a few thousand to over a million pounds.

Surveys of private homes usually cost from £400 to £1000, depending on the detail required in the report, and the complexity of problems found. We charge based on a daily rate, plus expenses at cost. Report writing and liaison with the various Government departments involved is charged at our daily rate. If we are subsequently chosen to undertake work on the property, we will offset some of the survey costs against work done.

		Examples of Building Survey report pages. We typically take many photographs, and these are then collated into table form, with appropriate comments. Costs for repair of each highlighted item, together with the importance of the item in terms of schedule and priority can be assigned. A report like this can form the basis for a long-term maintenance schedule for a building, and is also used for preparing Listed Building Consents where needed. In this example, all the work required falls within the scope of 'Essential Repairs' so is not subject to LBC approval so long as the work is done to a high standard, and utilises acceptable standards of workmanship and materials for conservation practise.
		Our architect, who is conservation trained, works closely with our project manager to produce all the required drawings and paperwork for Listed Building Consents - so frequently required in our work. It is vitally important when undertaking work on listed buildings that the architect involved is familiar with, and fully understands all aspects of conservation and restoration practise - Roger will often find solutions where in some cases, years of planning applications have failed to produce results. We have close ties with structural engineers with relevant experience. Inspection and reporting of damp related problems in old buildings Condition reporting of plasterworks, internal and external, renders Inspection of timber frames and panel condition and repair Condition reporting of stonework and brickwork Borascope investigations in blind cavity situations, ie Ceilings, Partitions etc. Analysis of plasters and renders

 

 

Examples of work undertaken to date include:

• The Old Rectory - Corley
• Arbury Hall - Nuneaton
• Hartlebury Castle - Worcestershire
• St Catherine's Church - Tugford, Shropshire
• Numerous buildings formerly part of the Calthorpe Estate, Edgbaston
• Malvern Girls College, Malvern
• Wycliffe College School House, Stroud
• The Old Rectory, Stockton on Teme
• Grendon Court, Hereford
• Hurst Hill Methodist Church, Bilston
• Falkland House, Hightington, Worcester
• St Michaels and All Angels, Walsall
• St James and St. Bartholomew, Leek
• Aston Hall, Aston on Clun
• St Marys' Church, Brierley Hill
• Monks Estate, Chaddesley Corbett
• Medieval Timber Framed farmhouse - Worcestershire
• Grade 2 listed private cottage - Ridgacre Road, Birmingham
• Medieval timber framed Hall - Claverley, Shropshire
• Medieval timber framed Hall - Stafford
• Various period and listed cottages and houses in the Midlands