A Comparative Analysis - A Questionnaire on Qualifications and Expertise
| Area of Expertise/Qualification | ATICS | OTHER | |
| 1 | Building Knowledge | ||
| 1.1 | Practical experience of surveying 20 years + | ||
| 1.2 | Practical experience of building refurbishment 20 years + | ||
| 1.3 | A degree in a building discipline eg CIOB No | ||
| 1.4 | FRICS RIBA |
No |
|
| 2 | Wood-preserving Knowledge | ||
| 2.1 | Certificate for Surveyors in Remedial Treatment (CSRT) Examinations independently moderated by the Institute of Wood Science.Timber module [CTIS] - passed 'with credit' | Yes 1994 |
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| 2.2 | Damp module - passed 'with credit' | Yes 1996 |
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| 2.3 | Health, Safety & Law module - passed 'with credit' Note - Dr George is the first person and one of only two to have passed all three modules of the CSRT with a credit. |
Yes 1996 |
|
| 2.4 | Practical experience of wood treatment with a remedial firm 20+years | ||
| 2.5 | Member of the British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association | ||
| 2.6 |
Committee work for the 'old' BWPDA (charity): |
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| 2.7 | Legislation about Wood Treatment | ||
| 2.7.1 | Familiar with and practising the appropriate parts of the: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health [COSHH] Regulations Control of Pesticides Regulations [COPR] Health and Safety at Work Act Labelling and Warning Regulations Food and Environmental Protection Act [FEPA] Wildlife and Countryside Act |
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| 2.7.2 | Liaison with the HSE, in Committee with the BWPDA, on relevant aspects of the drafting of the various Codes of Practice and Guidance documents etc., later issued by HMSO, on the application of non-agricultural pesticides/wood preservatives. |
yes |
|
| 3 | Practical experience and building skills | ||
| 3.1 | Structural carpentry of a simple nature - joists, beams, floorboards, etc. | yes |
|
| 3.2 | Simple joinery (second fixings - skirtings architraves, etc.) | yes |
|
| 3.3 | Bricklaying | yes |
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| 3.4 | Plastering (including lime/cement/gypsum and casting plaster) | yes |
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| 4 | Academic qualifications | ||
| 4.1 | Member, Associate or Fellow of the Institute of Wood Science | yes - Associate |
|
| 4.2 | First degrees:
1) Non-scientific * Trinity College, Dublin University |
no |
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| 4.3 | Postgraduate degrees
1) Non-scientific |
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| 4.4 | Engineering or structural qualifications
1) Timber engineering |
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| 5 | Historic and listed building Qualifications/ Experience | ||
| 5.1 | Attend the 6-day repair course run by the SPAB for professionals in building conservation | yes - in 1985 |
|
| 5.2 | Duration of conservation experience on historic buildings | 15+ years |
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| 5.3 | Examples of clients for whom we have worked: - National Trust - England and Wales - National Trust for Scotland - Crown Estate Properties - Royal Palaces - Churches of many different denominations - Local Authorities - City of London Corporation |
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| 6 | Lecturing experience | ||
| 6.1 | Numerous lectures and seminars for:- engineers, architects, surveyors and builders |
yes |
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| 6.2 | Lecturer on Timber Decay and Treatment for - the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) - repairs courses |
yes |
|
| 6.3 | - at some Institute of Wood Science Meetings | yes |
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| 6.4 | - for the Building Surveying course at the South Bank University | yes |
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| 7 | Publications/papers | ||
| 7.1 | Numerous trade journals and other publications - includes "The Conservative Repair and Treatment of Timbers in Historic Buildings" - the BWPDA Annual Convention 1992 | yes |
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| 8 | Trading Style | ||
| 8.1 | Limited company Private individual Partnership |
yes |
|
| 8.2 | Office with modern facilities | yes |
Copyright Atics Ltd
Comments in broad terms on the guarantees provided by specialist timber treatment contractors and whether such a guarantee should be provided for these properties
Guarantees:
In broad terms, guarantees are rarely worth the paper they are written on!
At any one time, of the 2000 odd companies in the business of treating timbers in situ somewhat over 600 will not be trading in 4-5 years time. Of the 2000, only about 250 belong to the reputable British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association (BWPDA) ~ and even in this selected group the turnover of those ceasing to trade such as to be unable to honour their guarantees could well be 5-10 per year ie 25-50 every 5 years.
Firms belonging to the Guarantee Protection Trust (GPT) (a company limited by guarantee) can offer an insurance backed alternative should the member no longer be able to honour its guarantees as a result of liquidation or for other reasons. Thus, membership of the GPT offers a route to continued protection via an insurance system.
In practice, it is our experience that most fungal decay guarantee claims relate to wrongfully/negligently carried out work or to failure of the building owner to protect the property from water ingress. It is not common to find a `natural' cause other than those described above.
Most guarantees have a disclaimer or exclusion clause for the latter cause (failure to maintain) and hence it is incumbent on the owner to maintain the property well. If such maintenance is done decay rarely will recur! If the cause of the recurrence is negligence, there is recourse to law.
To achieve a maximum chance of claiming under a guarantee the steps to take are as follows:-
a) Employ a member of the GPT.
b) Choose a substantial company with a good history of trading and plenty of assets, preferably one owned by a big multinational corporation.
c) Keep regular maintenance records to prove that you have taken all reasonable measures to keep the building `dry and weather proof' and thus avoid the usual, and quite reasonable exclusion clause.
All problems associated with guarantee claims such as have been described above can be avoided by the simple expedient of:
1. Ensuring that the work is done properly in the first place and,
2. Ensuring that the building is kept dry.