BUILDING SURVEY ARCHITECTS
Comprehensive condition assessments for historic properties
Historic Building Surveys in Kent
Historic buildings are living structures, shaped by weather, use, and time. To look after them properly, you need a clear understanding of their current condition and likely future needs. Our historic building surveys provide that clarity, combining careful on‑site inspection with structured reporting that prioritises maintenance and repair over a five‑ to ten‑year horizon.
For many clients, these surveys become the foundation for long‑term stewardship. Beyond churches, we carry out condition assessments for a wide range of historic and character buildings: listed houses, commercial properties in conservation areas, and older institutional buildings.
The scope of these surveys is tailored to the client’s needs. Sometimes the focus is pre‑purchase due diligence, highlighting significant structural or envelope issues before commitment; in other cases, the brief is to develop a maintenance plan for an estate or portfolio.
Statutory Church Health Checks
For ecclesiastical buildings, the quinquennial inspection is a key tool. Under the Inspection of Churches Measure, churches must be inspected by a suitably qualified architect or surveyor every five years, with a written report on condition produced for the PCC.
We undertake these inspections methodically, reviewing roofs, rainwater goods, masonry, glazing, floors, internal finishes, and services where visible, as well as immediate surroundings such as paths, boundary walls, and drainage. The aim is to build a clear picture of the church’s health and highlight emerging risks before they become failures.
Our reports are structured to be genuinely useful. Defects are described in plain language, with photographs and locations, and each item is given a priority banding – from urgent health and safety matters to desirable longer‑term improvements. Where possible, we include budget indications to help PCCs plan and sequence works.
Understanding Building Performance
Structural reviews form part of this picture. While we are not structural engineers, we work closely with trusted specialists and, where warranted, recommend targeted investigations such as opening‑up, monitoring of cracks, or localised testing.
Recognising when movement is historic and stable versus active and concerning is crucial, and our surveys are explicit about where further expert input is advisable. This integrated approach helps avoid both undue alarm and complacency.
Quinquennial Inspections
Five-yearly statutory church health checks
Condition Surveys
Comprehensive assessments for listed buildings
Prioritised Reporting
Clear defect schedules with budget guidance
Maintenance Planning
Long-term stewardship strategies