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Heritage Roofing
Heritage roofing - maintaining our iconic buildings
The UK is home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world, from stunning churches and cathedrals to historic stately homes. Each and every one of these remarkable feats of architecture requires regular maintenance to ensure they remain in the very best condition, allowing them to be enjoyed for generations.
Cathedral Care
Restoration and upkeep of cathedrals
There are some 42 Anglican cathedrals in the UK, not to mention 20 or so Catholic cathedrals. Cathedrals form the most important collection of historic buildings in England. The largest and most ancient are internationally famous, the smallest are usually among the most significant buildings in their region and even the most recent are architectural masterpieces.
Master Craftsmen
Championing our heritage with modern craftsmanship
Twenty years ago, English Heritage (now Historic England) published its first-ever Register of Buildings at Risk across England, which featured nearly 2,000 buildings and monuments that were ‘neglected, broken and unloved’. Recently Historic England was delighted to announce that over two-thirds of those buildings were now safe, in both urban and rural areas right across the country.
Traditional Lime
Lime: it’s better for buildings – and for the environment
It is now fairly well known that cement is not good for old buildings and that lime mortar should be used. But why? What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages? In order to begin to answer those questions it is necessary to understand the nature of traditional building, the process by which buildings used to be built, and how it differs from modern construction, the process by which we build today.
Audio Visual
Audio visual equipment in church buildings
This guidance is issued by the Church Buildings Council under section 55(1)(d) of the Dioceses, Mission and Pastoral Measure 2007. As it is statutory guidance, it must be considered with great care. The standards of good practice set out in the guidance should not be departed from unless the departure is justified by reasons that are spelled out clearly, logically and convincingly.
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CRE Events
After the Midlands, onward to Milton Keynes
"CRE Midlands reminded me of the giddy days when it first began – the venue was packed with exhibitors and visitors and there was a busy atmosphere. The whole thing looked great."
Insurance
You need to ensure that reasonable precautions are in place at your church to keep it safe for those who use it. To do this, you need to think about what might cause harm to people.
You will then need to decide if the precautions already in place are adequate. If they are not, you may need to identify further action to prevent any danger. When done formally, this is known as a risk assessment.
Church Maintenance
Church maintenance and repair: Calendar of Care
Just as prevention is always better than cure, maintenance is preferable to major repairs. But, such repairs may not always be avoidable. Church Care offers a monthly guide in our coming issues Starting in Spring
We can help you understand the common problems and areas that need your special attention, and give you tips for regular maintenance schemes.
Pest Control
Michael Palin warns of pest threat to churches
Michael Palin is supporting the future of the UK’s historic churches and chapels with a voiceover for a new animated film. The 80 second animation, produced for the National Churches Trust, highlights why churches are some of the nation’s best loved buildings.
Town Halls
The history of the great Victorian Town Halls of Northern England
From industrial squalor to civic pride, the story behind some of the most impressive buildings of the North involve a unique mix of economics, grand designs and noble sentiments within communities.
Lead Roofing
Lead is one of the oldest materials in the roofing industry and is still commonly used throughout the world today.
Lead roofing is a traditional roofing method which has been used in the industry for hundreds of years, and is therefore proven to be extremely reliable. Lead roofing, and sand-cast lead, in particular is ideal for old buildings such as churches or historical renovations, whereas milled lead roofing is a mass-produced alternative, used for precision and accuracy in homes and commercial buildings alike.
Lightning Protection
When lightning strikes are you protected against this act of God?
The issue of lightning protection in churches is one that has exercised this publication for many years. In this four-part series of spotlights on the issue we will be revisiting various aspects of the subject, beginning with an overview of current thinking.
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Rainclear add innovation in cast aluminium gutter sealing online
A new gutter sealing system called, Metseal, which means you no longer need to use messy silicone to make Cast Aluminium guttering watertight is available to buy on the Rainclear website along with all your guttering components, downpipes and fittings.
Luxury Italianate brick architecture by Millgate
Only walking distance from Ascot Racecourse and high street, the grand Englemere development by Millgate offers 17 luxury apartments, set amongst 12 acres of manicured landscaping. This spectacular development is situated alongside the world famous sporting venue, with over 300 years of rich heritage, the grandstand shadows Ascot’s picturesque high street and nearby quaint villages, boasting extensive shopping opportunities and a wealth of bustling bars and restaurants.
The revival of Liverpool’s famous tiled pavement
St. George’s Hall, Liverpool is regarded as one of the finest examples of a Neo-Classical building in the world. When constructed in the 1850s, the intricate encaustic tiled floor was the largest Minton pavement in the world at over 30,000 individual pieces. Today, the tiled floor is undergoing major restoration and the first stage is successfully completed. The complexity of the original Minton design makes this project one of the most exacting ever undertaken by the UK specialist tile manufacturer Craven Dunnill Jackfield.
Harvey Lonsdale Elmes, a London architect aged just 25, won a competition to design the original Hall, along with the new assizes court. Construction started in 1841: the building opened in 1854.
York medieval gateway restored
Walmgate Bar is the most complete of the four main medieval gateways into the City of York. It is the only one to retain its barbican, portcullis and inner doors and has recently undergone a major programme of restoration work. This included repairs to stonework dating back to the 12th century and improving public access.
At the city centre side of the Bar is a two storey oak timber framed structure dating back to the 16th century. This part of the building had suffered from timber decay, structural defects and the rectification of failing repair works undertaken back in the 1970s and 1990s.
Young roofing olympians seek gold at international competition
Four outstanding young roofers from around the United Kingdom will be heading to Poland this coming October to take part in the bi-annual World Championship for Young Roofers, organised by the International Federation of Roofing Contractors (IFD). This year the competition is being hosted by the Polish Roofing Trade Association, PolskieStowarzyszenieDekarzy (PSD).
Through this international competition, the IFD aims to harmonise professional roof training, raise the profile of training to the public and create a common international message to promote the standards of skilled young roofers. The competition itself covers the three major roofing disciplines; Flat, Pitched and Metal and Team GB will be aiming for gold in Flat and Pitched.
Beware: your building might not react to fire as you think it will
As building owners or operators we are custodians of a number of valuable assets, such as the premises themselves and the often overlooked element of the need for continuity of operation. Plus, of course, when our buildings are occupied – human life.
So, as conscientious people we try to ensure our buildings are designed to be safe and managed as much as possible so as to prevent a fire.
They are equipped with fire detection systems and possibly fire suppression systems. We even develop and practice emergency evacuation strategies as part of our management plans. All of these aspects of fire safety are reasonably obvious and tangible items for responsible building operators.
Enhanced artistic expression at ACCA
Heritage buildings, successfully refurbished, can make a significant contribution to community participation. When in need of a new or continued lease of life, sensitive creative intervention, new ideas, artistic expression and local interaction have the potential to help the buildings flourish.
The work of Sound Space Vision (SSV) in this field includes transforming a redundant Grade II Listed church in Hammersmith into a performing arts venue. Also, in Manchester, a sought after orchestra rehearsal space has been borne for the Hallé Orchestra out of a disused chapel.
At the University of Sussex Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts (ACCA), SSV, in collaboration with RHP Architects, have reinvented the facilities at the former Gardner Arts Centre. Remaining within the vestiges of the original 1960s design by Sir Basil Spence, it has been upgraded and transformed into effective rehearsal and performance spaces, teaching and workshop arenas and public gathering spaces for both its students, the wider community and professional ensembles.
Paddington community and heritage hub hits major funding milestone
An innovative new scheme to create a community and heritage hub in the heart of Westbourne Green in Paddington – one of the most religiously and culturally diverse wards in London – has reached a major milestone as the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded the project a £3.6m grant.
The St Mary Magdalene Development Project is a joint initiative between the Paddington Development Trust and St Mary Magdalene Church which will transform the church building into a heritage, community, culture and arts hub in order to enrich, regenerate and bring greater cultural cohesion to the local area.
Tudor roses inspire family of craftspeople
Carved Tudor roses on the woodwork of a grand Tudor house in Norfolk provided the inspiration for the creation of new leaded lights for a window of that same house. The new design, by Norfolk studio Kenton Brauer, is a replacement for an existing stained glass window which had become tired-looking, with some broken lights.
Kenton Brauer is a very personal Norfolk business, working to craft and restore traditional and contemporary stained glass and casements for ecclesiastical, commercial and domestic commissions. In the case of the Tudor house, in Harleston, partners Paige Kenton and Jason Brauer removed the existing stained glass and replaced it with a subtle design to complement the house’s ambiance.
Construction moves forward in Redhill
The summer saw work continue on the new church hall at St John the Evangelist in Redhill, Surrey. Following completion of the basement, which involved an impressive concrete pour of 120m3 to create the floor and a further pour of 43m3 to form the walls, the ground floor slab was cast and the dividing walls constructed. That gives the basement a sense of real ‘space’.
Said Anna Bataille of main contractors Corniche: “The months of enabling works and basement construction are over, the project has really moved on and we are now in phase two. This is a really exciting place to be as the building now has form and the artisan trades can get to work.”
Young roofers to compete on national stage
From April to July, roofing apprentices from around the UK demonstrated their skills at regional heats to gain a place at this year’s SkillBuild Final, taking place on the 17th-19th November, at NEC Birmingham.
The competition, organised by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC), saw fifty-five competitors taking part in one of eight heats, which were overseen by three judges, Matt Timby, Simon Dixon and Bob Coutts, who’s vast experience of roofing competitions range from a past SkillBuild winner to a recognised mentor for the international competition: World Championship for Young Roofers.
LSA's Rolled Lead Sheet Manual 2016 edition now available
The Lead Sheet Association is pleased to announce the launch of a newly updated version of its Rolled Lead Sheet Manual - the biggest revamp in recent years.
The 2016 edition contains many improved drawings, a better layout and clearer tables to ensure all users get the best out of Rolled Lead Sheet. In particular, we have improved the section on ventilation, an area in which our technical team deal with many enquiries. We have created a better step-by-step approach to ensuring you get the ventilation correct in a range of circumstances – from flat and pitched roofs to dormers.
UK’s largest lead survey reveals lack of accreditation knowledge in construction sector
Britain’s largest industry survey of its kind has exposed a lack of accreditation knowledge among those working with lead in the construction industry.
This is one of the key takeaways from the UK-wide survey of more than 250 lead merchants and end users, commissioned by Midland Lead and conducted by Firebrand Insight, an independent research consultancy.
New security system revolutionises protection of church buildings
Stealing lead from church roofs has become a lucrative operation over the past decade, and in recent years has seen more and more churches fall victim.
St Michael’s and All Angels Church has been at the heart of Church Broughton in Derbyshire for over 900 years, so when the Grade 1 Listed church was attacked by thieves last year they sought a professional company to install a system to prevent this from reoccurring. The changes to their insurance policy meant they now could achieve a greatly enhanced claim cover from their Insurers.
How we helped create a modern-day masterpiece
In architecture and interior design, woodcarving rarely exists alone. Usually it’s integrated into the millwork, such as mouldings, columns, brackets and cabinetry. That means a woodcarving workshop must either be part of, or comfortable partnering with, joinery workshops and vice versa.
The working relationship between woodcarver and joiner has existed for centuries. My company, Agrell Architectural Carving, has decades of experience partnering with joinery companies using tried-and-true techniques passed down through generations of our trades. My job as account manager is to ensure our hand-carved ornamentation integrates perfectly into joinery projects.
Government to fund security at places of worship
The British government have announced a £2.4 million fund to help secure places of worship in England and Wales. Churches, mosques and temples have been invited to bid for grants if they can show that they are at risk of attack from religious hate crimes.
Synagogues are excluded from the scheme because the government has provided a separate grant to the Community Security Trust, a charity that provides protection services to Britain’s Jewish communities.
The scheme has been launched by Britain's Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, as she outlined a Hate Crime Action Plan. This will include a study into how the different police forces in the country understand and respond to hate crimes and a commitment from the government to “give young people and teachers the tools they need to tackle hatred and prejudice, including through a new programme to equip teachers to facilitate conversations around international events and the impact they have on communities here in the UK.”
What is CompetentRoofer?
CompetentRoofer is the Government-licenced Competent Person Scheme that allows professional roofing contractors to self-certify that their roof refurbishment work complies with Building Regulations within England and Wales. The scheme encompasses all roofing types for domestic, industrial and commercial properties.
Cheap work has hidden cost implications
Your property is one of the most expensive and important things that you can own so risking any building work to unregistered contractors, simply because it is the cheaper option, is false economy.
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