Employing Tradesmen and Contractors
Your Property Committee will normally be responsible to the congregation for organising maintenance and repairs carried out by tradesmen and for ensuring that the work is done efficiently, economically and to as high a standard as possible. Mistakes made in taking on and relying on poor and ineffective tradesmen and in arranging for and checking their payment may not only risk harm to the building but also, over time, affect the financial solvency of your church.
For regular maintenance, small repairs and occasional emergencies it is much better to have an arrangement with a local plumber, electrician, joiner and perhaps jobbing builder than to go through a tendering process every time a problem arises.
If you do wish to invite more than one quotation, it may be sufficient for the Property Committee to describe the necessary work but be ready for the responses to note items missed or other areas of difficulty. Most important is not to accept immediately the lowest quote but to look for the one offering best value. That will often not be the cheapest.
The best way, however, of finding such tradesmen is by personal recommendation. Check with neighbouring congregations of all denominations and with members of your own congregation.
Some, such as asbestos removers, will need to have appropriate qualifications and all must carry correct employer’s and third party liability insurance.
Once you have established a good relationship it may then be useful to make a formal agreement regarding future work. This should cover an hourly rate and an annually updated mark-up on the cost of materials plus VAT where applicable. Ask to be billed on a labour plus materials basis so that you can more easily check invoices. Extra costs for emergency call-outs should also be agreed and annually reviewed. Agree payment dates and stick to them.
In this way you will be in charge of a series of rolling annual maintenance contracts, offering much more confidence than some more haphazard method of engaging and employing people to work on your building.
For major repairs, renewals and restorations you will need professional guidance and direction, using a tendering process and the formality of proper contracts and agreed procedures. ( See Professional Help module)
Top Tips
Inspect high level structure regularly, using binoculars to check finials, crosses, towers and spires as well as roof surfaces, ridges and copes.
Replace slipped slates and patch faulty flashings wherever they are noticed.
Do not ignore signs of water penetration or damp staining. Identify the source and remedy the problem. This must take absolute preference over redecoration.
Clear drains if there are signs of backing up in rainwater pipes.
Cut back vegetation growing against walls and ensure that the ground level does not encroach on a damp proof course.
Use appropriate mortar for masonry repairs and avoid proprietary cement-based products, particularly when working with stone.
Carry out repairs using matching materials.
Keep ventilation grilles free of debris and allow air passage. Ventilate the building by opening windows and vents as often as possible.
Ensure background heating is run throughout the week during the winter months.
Use registered contractors for maintaining electrics, heating and gas services. Generally take care in choosing appropriate tradesmen for the task in hand.
Ensure that hot work permits are in place if there is risk of fire caused by building works.
Clean gently! Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive techniques when cleaning glass, eroded stone, parquet floors, encaustic tiles, marble etc.
Don’t hide problems. Always investigate to understand what is going wrong and put it right.
Professional Help
While the regular day-by day work of inspection, maintenance and repair can be carried out jointly by your fabric committee members and trustworthy trades people, there will always be times when you will need to seek guidance and practical support from properly qualified professional practitioners.
Architects inspect and advise on the condition and repair of buildings, design new and alteration works and advise on all aspects of construction and project management while providing general supervision of the work.
(Note that only qualified, registered architects can use that title and that people and businesses describing themselves, for example, as “architectural designers” should not be presumed to have the same level of expertise.)
Building Surveyors also inspect and advise on the condition and repair of buildings together with valuation of property for insurance, sale, leasing, etc.
Both of these professions contain members and practices with particular experience and expertise in working with historic building fabric and it wise to seek such assurance when looking for professional help, unless your church building has little architectural or historic significance or the proposed works are minor and common to other types of building.
It is particularly desirable to appoint an architect or building surveyor specially accredited in conservation by his or her professional body. This ensures a level of familiarity and understanding of older structures which should be of real benefit in ensuring that only appropriate work of lasting quality is specified and carried out.
If your denomination requires you to arrange regular, e.g quinquennial, inspections it is normally expected that they will be carried out by an architect or building surveyor with suitable previous experience.
Some members of both professions will have special Accreditation in Conservation and if you are offered grant assistance towards a major repair project it may be a condition that such an accredited professional is employed.
Quantity Surveyors carry out valuation of building works, advise on controlling costs of work in progress and see to their administration. They will normally be needed for work of any magnitude and will usually be recommended by the architect or building surveyor leading the project, with whom they will need to work hand-in-glove.
Planning Supervisors/CDM Co-ordinators are responsible for ensuring that the CDM health and safety regulation procedures and paperwork are correctly set up and administered by you, as client and by the contractor. One is likely to be legally required on any project other than small maintenance works.
Structural Engineers will give specific advice on structural condition and distress problems in buildings and will calculate, design and supervise any necessary new structural work.
If your church is traditionally built, avoid employing an engineer without previous knowledge and experience of advising structural work to historic fabric. If you have already taken on an architect or surveyor with such experience (as recommended above) he or she will be able to recommend and bring in appropriately skilled engineering assistance.
Services Engineers will give specific advice, for example, on the condition of your building’s heating. lighting, gas, electrical, ventilation and drainage services and will advise on and design new installations.
Specialist surveyors can be appointed to report and make recommendations on specific building conditions: for example, damp control, rot and insect infestation, presence of asbestos, control of bats, fire prevention, security, lightning conductors, tree maintenance, monument conservation, etc.
Clerks of Works are employed by the client to monitor the progress and quality of the contractor’s work. A Clerk of Works will normally only be needed for a large and complex project since the standard formal building contracts already require the contractor to be responsible for his own performance.
Archaeologists will investigate, excavate, analyse and report on historic fabric and remains and make recommendations for carrying out building works in sensitive historic areas. They may be required, by planning law, at the client’s expense, to observe the work in progress and supervise the building contractor if archaeological evidence might otherwise be lost.
The professional architect or building surveyor in charge of the project will normally be able to advise on the appointment of these additional expert practitioners if and when they are needed.
Lastly, you must ensure that all practitioners supervising work on your building do so in a professional capacity and not as a favour, so that everyone complies with legal requirements and is properly covered by insurances and indemnities. Few major projects sail along without some problem arising and you must keep everything on a professional basis through proper contracts and agreed procedures. Otherwise you will risk failure followed by recriminations and even financial disaster.
Working at Height
While the regular day-by day work of inspection, maintenance and repair can be carried out jointly by your fabric committee members and trustworthy trades people, there will always be times when you will need to seek guidance and practical support from properly qualified professional practitioners.
Architects inspect and advise on the condition and repair of buildings, design new and alteration works and advise on all aspects of construction and project management while providing general supervision of the work.
(Note that only qualified, registered architects can use that title and that people and businesses describing themselves, for example, as “architectural designers” should not be presumed to have the same level of expertise.)
Building Surveyors also inspect and advise on the condition and repair of buildings together with valuation of property for insurance, sale, leasing, etc.
Both of these professions contain members and practices with particular experience and expertise in working with historic building fabric and it wise to seek such assurance when looking for professional help, unless your church building has little architectural or historic significance or the proposed works are minor and common to other types of building.
It is particularly desirable to appoint an architect or building surveyor specially accredited in conservation by his or her professional body. This ensures a level of familiarity and understanding of older structures which should be of real benefit in ensuring that only appropriate work of lasting quality is specified and carried out.
If your denomination requires you to arrange regular, e.g quinquennial, inspections it is normally expected that they will be carried out by an architect or building surveyor with suitable previous experience.
Some members of both professions will have special Accreditation in Conservation and if you are offered grant assistance towards a major repair project it may be a condition that such an accredited professional is employed.
Quantity Surveyors carry out valuation of building works, advise on controlling costs of work in progress and see to their administration. They will normally be needed for work of any magnitude and will usually be recommended by the architect or building surveyor leading the project, with whom they will need to work hand-in-glove.
Planning Supervisors/CDM Co-ordinators are responsible for ensuring that the CDM health and safety regulation procedures and paperwork are correctly set up and administered by you, as client and by the contractor. One is likely to be legally required on any project other than small maintenance works.
Structural Engineers will give specific advice on structural condition and distress problems in buildings and will calculate, design and supervise any necessary new structural work.
If your church is traditionally built, avoid employing an engineer without previous knowledge and experience of advising structural work to historic fabric. If you have already taken on an architect or surveyor with such experience (as recommended above) he or she will be able to recommend and bring in appropriately skilled engineering assistance.
Services Engineers will give specific advice, for example, on the condition of your building’s heating. lighting, gas, electrical, ventilation and drainage services and will advise on and design new installations.
Specialist surveyors can be appointed to report and make recommendations on specific building conditions: for example, damp control, rot and insect infestation, presence of asbestos, control of bats, fire prevention, security, lightning conductors, tree maintenance, monument conservation, etc.
Clerks of Works are employed by the client to monitor the progress and quality of the contractor’s work. A Clerk of Works will normally only be needed for a large and complex project since the standard formal building contracts already require the contractor to be responsible for his own performance.
Archaeologists will investigate, excavate, analyse and report on historic fabric and remains and make recommendations for carrying out building works in sensitive historic areas. They may be required, by planning law, at the client’s expense, to observe the work in progress and supervise the building contractor if archaeological evidence might otherwise be lost.
The professional architect or building surveyor in charge of the project will normally be able to advise on the appointment of these additional expert practitioners if and when they are needed.
Lastly, you must ensure that all practitioners supervising work on your building do so in a professional capacity and not as a favour, so that everyone complies with legal requirements and is properly covered by insurances and indemnities. Few major projects sail along without some problem arising and you must keep everything on a professional basis through proper contracts and agreed procedures. Otherwise you will risk failure followed by recriminations and even financial disaster.