Maintaining your historic building: where to begin?

As champions for adapting and reusing existing buildings, we regularly advocate for a ‘little and often’ maintenance approach to our clients. Commissioning regular building inspections and actioning smaller maintenance tasks helps to avoid larger more complex and costly repairs in the future.

Condition Surveys, Building Inspections, Quinquennial Inspections — regardless of what they are called, can be overwhelming to decipher. However, all identify required maintenance for historic buildings, and advise a prioritised schedule of works to mitigate associated risks over a defined period.

Our team assist clients by carrying out the initial inspection, support the application for funding if required, establishing the right team of contractors, and then overseeing the works on site.

We sat down with Nansi Jones and Jack Chui to discuss nuances across the UK and Asia Pacific.

Can you tell me about the requirements for regular inspections and maintenance of heritage buildings?

Nansi: In Australia we would typically carry out a Condition Survey which would then advise a Cyclic Maintenance Plan; a schedule of prioritised works. There is no set program for these surveys, but generally we recommend that clients undertake these on a recurrent basis, say every five to ten years as may suit their needs.

There is such a thing as ‘minimum standards of maintenance for heritage listed buildings’. The state heritage body has a requirement for the level of maintenance to ensure the asset’s conservation is not threatened. As an owner of a heritage building you are obliged to adhere to these standards.

In the UK this process commonly referred to as Quinquennial Inspections, meaning five-yearly, so the inspections and works would be carried out on a five year cycle.

Jack: In Hong Kong there is no statutory requirement to inspect the historic buildings. However, the Local Antiquities and Monuments Office commissions inspections of greater Historic Buildings on a three-year cycle and Declared Monuments on a one-year cycle.

Is there anything specific you are looking for when carrying out these inspections?

Nansi: The biggest concerns would be structural cracking and dislodged masonry, especially at high level. This would be evidence of structural failure and risk to public harm. We would also look for severe fabric decay; whether that’s to masonry, timber or steel.

We would prioritise structural concerns followed by water ingress, which could then cause more failure of the fabric which is what you’re trying to avoid.

So all identified maintenance doesn’t need to be actioned within that specific cycle before you can have your next one?

Nansi: No, you can prioritise in terms of works that will last for the remainder of the cycle. The key is to execute the priority works and plan for the remainder.

Urgent works may be, for example a health and safety concern that will be an issue for your building, or an operational issue impacting occupation. If you’re living or working in the building considerations may differ from a vacant building.

Do you review what could be an issue in the future? Or is it very focussed on the period of the specific one year, three year, five year cycle?

Nansi: In some cases there may be defects which don’t necessitate immediate action. Aesthetically, it’s perhaps failing a little bit, but it’s safe so we would advise monitoring it.

And can clients monitor things themselves?

Nansi: Absolutely. Cyclic maintenance can be carried out every year as part of an Asset Management Framework.

It’s things that sound so simple but cause so many issues like clearing out your rainwater goods so that you’re preventing issues such as damp and water ingress.

Such a tiny thing can prevent bigger problems that would cost so much more money in the future.

Is there funding available for these works?

Jack: There are many funding streams available in Hong Kong. We have worked with many clients under the Financial Assistance for Maintenance Scheme (FAS Scheme) such as WWF and Chinese YMCA, on conservation and maintenance works.

Nansi: There isn’t necessarily funding to carry out the inspection itself, but as Jack said there may be funding to carry out the specific works through local and government grants.

Can Purcell help apply for this funding?

Nansi: Yes. We do a lot of that in London because grant applications can be quite hefty to undertake. In principle we’d carry out the inspection and assess costs and budget. If required we’ll then help with applications for a grant, set up the drawing packages outlining the works, go out to tender, get a contractor on board and then see works through to completion on site.

What is the benefit of carrying out regular inspections?

Nansi: Future proofing. Maintaining these buildings is environmentally and economically sustainable.

We’re so blessed with beautiful old buildings with such weird and wonderful stories. And to lose that, I think it’s so sad.

As a building owner, if you’re looking after your building by getting a professional to guide maintenance and conservation, you’re benefiting yourself as well as the building. Essentially future proofing for the building years to come.

Environmentally looking after what we already have and adding to it or remedying it is only a good thing. I feel very passionate about that.