Studying savings

Budget planning, saving money and cost-effective maintenance programmes have come to the fore in recent months as businesses and organisations are forced to work under increased financial scrutiny.

Facilities managers and building companies alike are now working hard to plan maintenance schedules and, in order to do this, are engaging the services of building condition survey experts.

Stone Technical Services has seen a 20 percent increase in demand for its building surveys division as it has become one of the leaders in its field in the UK, carrying out high level surveys on some of the UK’s best known landmarks.

Periodic surveys are a key element in the prevention of costly works which can be avoided by forward planning. Stone’s experts use their thorough knowledge of a range of structures to carry out cost-effective surveys providing clients with the information to plan a strategy to suit their budgets.

The surveys determine the condition of a building or structure and allow companies and organisations to plan financially for the long term depending on whether repair, refurbishment or replacement works need to be completed.

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Surveys come in a range of guises including ecclesiastical surveys on churches and cathedrals; tower surveys on water towers, floodlight systems and industrial chimneys; building maintenance surveys on shopping centres, schools and historic buildings; and architects inspection surveys to provide verification of conditions and details to allow architects to produce working drawings, specifications and material types and grades.

The company’s recent work includes a structural survey to a lighting tower for Network Rail at Camden rail depot in north London, an extensive survey of a boiler-house chimney stack at INEOS on Teesside, risk assessment surveys at York University, a full structural survey of the 400m Stoodley Pike in west Yorkshire for Calderdale Council and a site survey at AGG Chemicals in Lancashire.

In London, Stone recently completed a full survey at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in the City which uncovered the need for a series of refurbishment projects. The historic venue, areas of which date back to the 1300s, is used for exclusive events and weddings but parts have fallen into disrepair and require preservation works.

Working alongside Purcell Miller Tritton, one of the UK’s most prestigious architectural practices, Stone is refurbishing C19 doors and windows and the decoration on the stained glass and redwood windows, installing new air-conditioning units, providing rope access to high-level areas and converting the existing glazed roof to protect it from weather and atmospheric damage.

Another recent project in the north-east of England was at Gibside Monument near Gateshead. The National Trust-owned structure is located in the estate formerly home to the Queen Mother’s family and dates back to the C18. Stone’s detailed inspection survey was vital in providing a maintenance programme to help with the upkeep of the historical 140m feature.

When engaging a contractor to complete surveys it is essential to ensure the team has specific expertise in the types of buildings or structures to be inspected especially when access is not readily available or awkward which is common in dangerous structures, such as industrial chimneys.

Stone’s surveys are regarded as some of the most thorough and efficient available thanks to its experts’ effective planning and design. Stone’s own craftsmen carry out the inspection of high or awkward structures using traditional methods without inconveniencing clients, services or operations.

Dave Stone is managing director of Stone Technical Services
www.building-condition-surveys.co.uk