Anglian Home Surveyors Ltd

Just finished a fascinating, intensive and educational four days at West Dean College of Art and Conservation, attending the Conservation and Repair of Structural and Architectural Metalwork masterclass. The course was excellently run by Geoff Wallis of Dorothea Restorations and Dr David Farrel who is an expert on corrosion technology and cathodic protection.
We were also privileged to have a guided tour of the West Dean College roof which is undergoing extensive roof repairs.... It’s a 38 week £5.8m programme carried out by Clarke Roofing, repairing 38 individual roof sections. 19000 slates have to replaced at £3 each, most lead lined roofs replaced with between code 8 to 10 lead and bespoke lead downpipes and hoppers made. They found extensive damage to most roof timbers and carbonation to most lead roofing sheets. They were surprised a number of roofs had not collapsed especially when they were supporting giant chandeliers. All lead hot works had to strictly and carefully carried out on the roof within a daily 2 hr window. They did not want to be responsible for another Windsor type fire! The massive scaffolding structure measures 100m L x 50m D with the base attached to driven piles with additional water ballast tanks. It took them 38 designs and trials to get the piling right which used up a lot of their budget. The contractors are now a little concerned as there are 70 mph winds forecast this weekend!
One particular interesting specification was that they were not allowed to use breathable underfelt as bats can become trapped with their claws stuck in the pores of the breathable underfelt. They had to use bitumen hessian underfelt with special eaves ventilation trays.
You never stop learning in this job.
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Had time today after carrying out a building survey on the West Suffolk/Essex border to visit Bulmer Brick and Tile Company. It was amazing and it was though I stepped back 100 years. They specialise in hand made bricks and tiles producing 150 different sizes and 5000 different shapes. They were working on a batch of bricks for Kensington and Richmond Palaces. There has been a brickworks on this site since the Middle Ages. In East Anglia we are lucky to have some great conse...rvation/restoration artisans. To name a few: Bill Sargent who is one of the country’s most regarded pargetters, Ingiby Paints who are specialist paint makers and Stevenson’s of Norwich who are specialists in designing, manufacturing and restoring decorative plaster products such as wall panels, ceilings and mouldings. When surveying period/traditional properties it’s important to get to know and support your local artisans/specialists.
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Keep it clean!
https://www.anglianhomesurveyors.com/…/ keeping-your-chimne…/

It is important that roof spaces are properly ventilated, particularly at the eaves, that bathroom and ensuite extractors vent externally and there is insulation to loft hatches and draught excluders around the hatch opening.
Moist air from below, can condense on cold surfaces and cause potential problems, especially to timber members of the roof, moist timbers can be very appetising to the likes of woodworm, and other wood boring insects and it can also rot timbers.
During ...a recent survey, there were no adequate seals around the hatch, loft insulation was tucked into the eaves and both the bathroom and ensuite extractors fans were extracting straight into the roof space and not externally. All this resulted in very high humidity levels within the roof space and high moisture readings to timbers.
It is important to ensure that roof spaces remain well ventilated so as to reduce the likelihood of the development of defects such as rot and infestations by wood boring insects. In many cases, ventilation derives from openings at the eaves at the edge of the roof, though these can become blocked where insulation is forced into the spaces. If installing extractor fans, make sure that hoses passing through the roof space extend to an external grille so that warm moist air is not ventilated into the roof.
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Today I successfully attained the SQA Level 3 Award for Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings. The Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings course was excellent and was delivered by one of the UK’s leading experts in the retrofit and sustainable refurbishment of traditional and historic buildings, Prof John Edwards. The course is based around the holistic retrofit process adopted by IHBC following BS7913:2013 (Guide to the Conservation of Historic Buildings) up to advice and design stage. Another value add to my building surveys.

Carried out a Building Survey today on this impressive Arts and Crafts 1910 property in Herts. It just reminds me why I enjoy surveying period properties. #artsandcrafts #properties #lovesurveying

The Government have also released a useful 'How to sell' guide providing homeowners with a helpful overview of the process of selling a home.
https://www.gov.uk/governme…/publicatio ns/how-to-sell-a-home

The government today released the 'How to buy a home' guide which provides homeowners and prospective homeowners with a helpful overview of the process of buying a home.
It sets out:
the important steps along the way to purchasing a property... which organisations can help where readers can find more information
https://www.gov.uk/government/publication s/how-to-buy-a-home
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Surveying this afternoon in Clare, Suffolk and had to stop again and admire the impressive fine example of pargetting to The Ancient House, which is a Grade 1 listed timber framed house, originally built in 1473. #listed #suffolk #pargetting

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/Five-comm on-mistakes-house-bu…

A pleasant change today, surveying a high spec relatively modern building rather than a period or listed building. This three storey property is part of Accordia, which is a housing development in Cambridge, England. The 9.5-hectare (23.5-acre) site includes 378 dwellings by Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects, Maccreanor Lavington and Alison Brooks Architects and has been constructed in three phases. The first phase of the development, which included this property, became the first housing development to win the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize in 2008. #surveying #architecture #cambridge #riba #modern #development

How to buy and sell a property within a fortnight https://mol.im/a/6856677

Good to occasionally get out of the local area surveying buildings and see vernacular architecture such as around Hunstanton, North Norfolk. Rich coloured Carrstone walls with some galleting between mortar joints. #architecture #walls #surveying #galleting

Today manning the RPSA stand with Andrew McColl and attending the Chartered Association of Building Engineers Regional Roadshow at the Girton College Cambridge. Interesting talks on Natural Cement and Japanese Knotweed amongst other engineering thinks.

Recently carried out a full building survey on this local Grade II listed, seven bedroom property. Although the Virginia Creeper looks impressive in the summer and autumn, it has caused penetrating damp, blocked gutters and some potential structural movement.

Attending this week the eight masterclass - Mortars for Repair and Conservation, towards the Professional Development Diploma in Historic Building Conservation. Two more to go. A detailed study of traditional lime mortars with practical experience on the Ruinette. A small scale lime kiln was built to demonstrate lime burning. More knowledge to pass onto survey clients hoping to purchase period properties. An excellent course with an added bonus of great food.

This week I carried out a full building survey of this interesting £1m property in Cambridge with structural engineer Charles Tallack. The property was built circa 1976 which originally had a flat roof. In 2000 a pitched roof was added. When viewing within the pitched roof space, the flat roof structure was still in situ including the covering. There are concerns/questions regarding the additional loading due to the added roof structure. Although planning permission was granted in 1999 for the pitched roof, we are currently unable to locate any building control signoff etc!

Being a party wall surveyor and a member of the FPWS (Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors) I have to keep updated with any new related case law. Last night, in Ely, I attended a talk given by Stuart Frame who is one of the country’s leading barristers specialising in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 and has had a keen interest in the Act and its practical application since its inception. He is a practising barrister at Staple Inn Chambers, London, and an Honorary Fellow of the FPWS. The two hour talk focused on two related court cases. Amir-Siddique v Kowaliw; 08 February 2018; and Iouri Chliaifchtein v Wainbridge Estates Belgravia Ltd. Although the subject was very dry, it was educational!