Quinquennial Inspections

I am registered with several Anglican Dioceses in the south of England to carry out quinquennial inspections under the Inspection of Churches Measure (1995). I also carry out inspections for the Catholic Dioceses of Portsmouth and Birmingham, the Wessex Synod of the United Reformed Church, and several Baptist chapels.

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My services to these parishes extend well beyond the quinquennial inspection: I provide continuing advice on any building problems which occur, guidance on maintenance, and assistance with Faculty procedures.

Contract Advice

I have over 40 years of experience administering most of the commonly used building contracts.

I have provided specialist advice to several larger practices on selecting the right contract and interpreting its terms. Legal advice should of course be sought when necessary, but a practitioner’s perspective is frequently of more practical assistance.

Expert Witness

Over the past 30 odd years I have acted as an expert witness under the instructions of many well-known legal practices; initially whilst working for Bickerdike Allen Partners and Hyett Salisbury Whiteley, and since 2001 in my own name.
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These reports have dealt with the performance of the architect in carrying out his professional services, from the briefing and design stages through to contract administration. I accept instructions from any party, including that of a single joint expert.

Some of these reports have involved investigating technical failures in buildings, through which I have developed working relationships with other specialist organisations when additional laboratory investigations into materials have been necessary.

I bring to my expert work a point of view well rooted in architectural practice, which gives my opinions reasonableness and common sense which helps an early resolution of the dispute and is persuasive in court.

Project Troubleshooting

I am occasionally appointed by other architectural practices to advise them on projects of difficulties.

My role has been tailored to the perceived problems, which may be ones of resourcing and information quality on the architect’s part; or of management, delays and cost-over-runs involving any of the contract parties.

I am usually asked to prepare a report, for the attention of the client or practice partner. In other instances, I have joined the consultant team for a period of time or provided a full range of services to complete a troubled project.

Access Audits

The Equality Act 2010 imposes wide duties upon building owners to ensure that their buildings do not disadvantage the disabled in any way.

This is often thought of just in terms of physical access for wheelchair users: but it includes consideration of people with slight, speech or hearing difficulties, elderly people, expectant mothers, those in charge of small children, children themselves, the temporarily injured, sick or ill, and so on.

I am experienced in carrying out Access Audits for a range of client bodies, using my expertise as an architect to provide practical solutions.