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H+R were pleased that a longstanding client, the Octavia Hill Birthplace Museum Trust http://www.octaviahill.org/visit-us/ have received a grant from the Government’s ‘Culture Recovery Fund’ to fund ongoing refurbishment. It has been a moment to reflect on H+R’s very longstanding links with the National Trust as commercial tenants since 1975 and also in providing specialist investigative consultancy since 1980 when our first commission was at Clandon Park in Surrey. 40 years later this April, H+R have provided specialist advice on post-flood…

Wood rot and insect attack are among the most common problems encountered with traditional buildings. The team at Hutton + Rostron are market-leading experts in the investigation and repair of timber decay. In this blog, we take a look at five of the worst offenders and how to approach remedial action. Dry Rot The dry rot fungus Serpula lacrymans destroys softwood timber and, occasionally, hardwood too. Conditions for it to thrive include a relative humidity of 95% and a moisture…

Highlands and Islands have been a theme this month with an extensive survey completed on Inverness Castle and other specialist input on lochside castles in the north-west of Scotland Platts Eyot on the Thames near Richmond is an island with a fascinating industrial history having several boatyards originally owned by Vosper Thorneycroft and was the setting of the early development of motor torpedo boats and other naval craft over the last 150 years.  The island still retains a working boat…

In January and February of 2021, H+R carried out material condition investigations of the roof structures, floor structures, staircases and ceilings of the Grade II-listed Mindel House and 26 Bloom Street in Manchester – the first part of a multi-phase investigation in support of pre-commencement discharging of planning conditions.  Mindel House and 26 Bloom Street are thought to be some of the last remaining unconverted Victorian warehouses in Manchester City Centre.  Beech Holdings wre granted planning permission in 2020 to…

Specialist surveys in the month seemed to disproportionally take into account fine and complex roof structures around England and Scotland – both historic and contemporary.  Notable examples were the roofs of King’s Hall Leisure centre for the London Borough of Hackney, Smithfield Market for the Museum of London, Bedfordwell Pumping Station for Eastbourne Council, the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington and Nottingham Castle.  Failing contemporary ‘green’ roofs were sadly a feature in Scotland and the impact of mould growth a…

Timber is used as a structural material in the construction of various buildings old and new, it is a natural resource that offers strong, long-term integrity and functionality. However, wood is also a vulnerable material that needs to be protected. Two of the main threats to structural timber are wet rot and dry rot. In this blog post, we will take a look at how to spot signs of dry rot and what to do next. What is dry rot?…

A period property can make a wonderful home and may also be a shrewd investment. The building’s original features, size and location impart a unique character that modern homes simply cannot deliver. Nearly two thirds of participants in a recent lifestyle study cited this as the key appeal of older homes. These special architectural qualities, coupled with the limited supply of historical buildings, go some way to explain their premium pricing in the housing market. As one estate agent puts…

The New Year started with a ‘bang’ as enquires were received throughout the latest lockdown and also during the usual office two week break in a way never experienced before Everybody was pleased to receive confirmation that H+R would be contributing significantly to the scheduled Phase 2 refurbishments at Wentworth Woodhouse having also been engaged in Phase 1. In all, four different Conservation Architect led consortiums tendering for the work included H+R in their submissions From the greatest buildings in…

The year that was 2020, and the eastern team’s first year in its new Newark office saw everyone’s day to day lives change and many of life’s activities cease or change pace as we have adapted to living amidst a global pandemic. Despite this disruptive event we were pleased that the surveying services of the H+R eastern office remained in demand and the office in Newark was open throughout 2020 with working practices adapted to meet the needs of our…

Every effort was taken to celebrate Christmas albeit following the lockdown rules. The usual 26-foot tree filled Netley’s hallway and opportunity was taken to exchange festive greetings in person and to give gifts whenever a suitable occasion arose. All of H+R’s staff have maintained a high tempo in their work, servicing our clients throughout the strictures of the pandemic and successfully adapting our working practices. We are so fortunate to have at Netley a large well ventilated building with no-one…

The month saw some more returns to old haunts. Albany in Piccadilly was taken to the next stage in its remedial strategy for dealing with penetrating damp and retained moisture. H+R’s last visit was in 2016. The mansion known as Brightwells in Farnham finally started its refurbishment, 4 years after H+R were first engaged. In addition, H+R started re-assessing a dilapidated stately home which is now possibly the largest private home refurbishment in the UK, after an interval of 10…

In September H+R undertook a follow-up investigation of water penetration to the tower of Kendal Parish Church. This Grade I listed building has been a religious site from the Anglo-Saxon period with the current Anglican church dating from 1201.  To fully understand the performance of the building envelope it was necessary to undertake specialist examinations of the masonry condition at depth. Access was by MEWP where possible and elsewhere rope access was used.  Close examination identified that although previous phases…