Page 54 - The Building Conservation Directory 2013
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t h e b u i l d i n g c o n s e r vat i o n d i r e c t o r y 2 0 1 3
T w e n t i e t h a N N i v e r s a r y e d i t i o n
1
Professional services
by steeplejacks and abseilers to record
otherwise inaccessible faces of buildings.
It may well be useful to have the benefit
of input from more than one method to
supplement what your eyes and experience
tell you.
Having used these methods,
what then?
The next step is to determine why the
structure has moved or deteriorated in the
way it has, as there is little point in repairing
a defect if the cause is not addressed. In the
case of structural movement, typical issues to
consider are outlined below.
• Which part of the structure is settling
and which is essentially stable?
• Could the cause be ground related? This
may seem unlikely in an old building but
movement can be related to inadequate
foundations, recent changes in water table
levels or the root systems of nearby trees.
• Does the whole of the wall lean from
foundation level or does it emerge from the
ground essentially plumb but then curve?
• Is it roof-thrust? Has there been
any impact, storm or bomb
damage? Have nearby building
works affected the structure?
• Has excessive water ingress weakened
the structure? Do the gutters leak?
• What changes has the structure
undergone and were any of these so
poorly designed as to cause movement?
• Have thermal and or climatic changes
affected the structure? Is there sulphate
attack or have flue gasses caused
expansion of mortar bed joints?
The list of possible causes of movement is
almost endless and no amount of detailed or
sophisticated investigation can identify all the
issues in every case, but efficient investigation
adds enormously to the body of evidence that
can provide the answers.
Sourcing expertise
It is clearly advisable to speak to architectural
and engineering consultants who specialise in
historic building work and who are accredited
in conservation, and to other specialist
investigation consultants. A directory
of building conservation professionals is
available at buildingconservation.com and
the conservation accreditation registers
(see Further Information) list accredited
architects, surveyors and structural/civil
engineers. These registers list practitioners
who have a proven track record in
conservation, have been judged by their peers
to have kept up-to-date with continuing
professional development and have the
right background of a sound conservation
philosophy.
A number of courses in the UK teach
the basic conservation skills needed by
craftsmen and professionals. There are several
excellent post-graduate conservation courses
run by various universities (see page 193)
that cover the skills discussed in this short
article. More targeted short courses are also
provided by a small number of specialist
organisations such as West Dean College
in Sussex (see Events, page 196). The college
runs short courses on masonry work and
structural repairs to historic buildings that
cover aspects of investigation and assessment.
West Dean courses can also make use of a
‘ruinette’, built around 20 years ago using
an eclectic mix of medieval, Tudor and
Victorian masonry materials and techniques.
Trainees are given the opportunity to carry
out repairs such as pointing and grouting,
rebuilding and repairs without risking
damage to authentic historic fabric.
Further Information
BuildingConservation.com publishes a
selection of articles on non-destructive
investigations at
/
articles.htm#nondestructive
Historic Scotland’s Technical Advice Note 23,
Non-Destructive Investigation of Standing
Structures (GB Geotechnics Ltd, 2001) is
available at
uk/publication-detail.htm?pubid=8551
Figure 5
Face delamination of a flint wall that
seemed, on first inspection, to be in very sound
condition
Figure 4
A classic example of old movement in a wall of a Georgian house
Figure 6
Metal ties embedded in stonework can cause
damage when they rust.
Accreditation Registers
Architects
• The Register of Architects Accredited
in Building Conservation
• The Royal Incorporation
of Architects in Scotland,
Conservation Accreditation
• The Royal Institute of British
Architects, Conservation Register
Surveyors
• Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors, Building Conservation
Accreditation Scheme
Structural engineers
• Institution of Civil Engineers,
Conservation Accreditation Register
for Engineers
For a full list of accrediting organisations see
Ian Hume
is a former chief engineer for
English Heritage and retired conservation
engineering consultant who now
concentrates on teaching conservation
engineering.
