Many tasks require specialist thought before they can be successfully undertaken in a church.

CTfC tips:

• Consult an architect or surveyor before embarking even on minor repairs, redecorating or electrical work for example.
• Your first contact will normally be with the person appointed to carry out quinquennial inspections as s/he will know your building well.

• Depending upon the work you are proposing, it may be better to appoint someone with a particular specialism or expertise in that area. See below on finding building professionals.

Resources

• Churchcare provides further information on working with an architect or surveyor.
• The Cumbria Church Architects and Surveyors Network (co-ordinated by CTfC) meets to update professionals on good practice, share information and network. Notes and presentations from previous meetings can be downloaded here:
  Dec 2010: Programme, SPAB presentation, meeting summary.
  March 2011: Programme, Methodist Ecclesiastical Exemption- slides and notes, Quinquennial Inpections slides, Construction Design and Managment, Timber Treatments.
  July 2011: Programme, meeting summary, Lightning Conductors by Geraldine O'Farrell, English Heritage.
  Dec 2011: Programme, meeting summary, information provided by Clarke Health and Safety Consultants - Safety in Scaffolding presentation, Fire Safety in Constructon, TG20:08 Scaffolding Tool Box and the Nine Elements of Safe Scaffolding.

Finding architects, surveyors and other building professionals

• The value of personal recommendations cannot be under-estimated, but should relate to a project similar to the one you are proposing. Look at our case studies and don’t be afraid to ask the churches involved about the strengths and weaknesses of the architect they used.
• For repair work, a chartered surveyor may be the most appropriate choice. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors website has a search function which enables you to find a local architect who specialises, for example, in building conservation.
• Further advice on choosing an architect is available from the professional association, RIBA.  Accreditation in conservation is one wasy of selecting a suitably qualified professional when appropriate such as an Architect Accredited in Building Conservation (AABC). See here for their list of architects.

• The Diocese of Carlisle maintains a panel of around 50 local architects and surveyors who are approved to carry out quinquennial inspections.  This is available from the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it on request.

Finding a builder and tradesmen

Your architect or surveyor will be able to advise on an appropriate process to find a suitably qualified builder at competitive price.

For minor work, the use of local tradesmen may be the easiest and most cost effective solution. However it is vital that the methods and materials used are appropriate to the building, and as a minimum you should consult your quinquennial architect / surveyor before proceeding. Anything more than clearing the gutters or replacing a light bulb could cause damage to a historic church if methods or materials developed for modern buildings are inappropriately applied.

Procurement: for repair works that are to be funded by English Heritage, there is now a new requirement to tender for professional services.  This is important so that you can choose the most appropriate architect/professional (who may not necessarily be the cheapest). Details can be found here.