QUINQUENNIAL INSPECTION REPORT KINETON COTTAGE...Quinquennial Inspection Report I Kineton Cottage 36-279 I 5 BHB 3.00 Condition of Exterior 3.01 North Elevation There is a very pronounced

Ref: 36-279

January 2016

QUINQUENNIAL INSPECTION REPORT

KINETON COTTAGE

Georgian House

24 Bird Street

Lichfield

Staffordshire

WS13 6PT

t: 01543 254357

f: 01543 416540

e: [email protected]

Brownhill Hayward Brown Ltd

Registered in England and Wales

Registration No. 6538949

Quinquennial Inspection Report I Kineton Cottage 36-279 I 1 BHB

1.00 Description

1.01 Stone built cottage of two rooms. Ground floor has a lean to extension. First floor has

dormer windows set partially within roof. This is a pitched roof with plain clay tiles.

For the purposes of this report I will use the ecclesiastical compass as applied to the

church on the same site i.e. the cottage frontage abutting the road in the west elevation

(Fig. 1).

Simple stone cottage set on back of pavement to the west and abutting a brick barn to the

east. Brick chimneys to the east and west gable walls. The roof is steeply pitched, plain

clay tiled covered with half dormered windows to the north (Fig. 2). Partial rendered west

wall and south wall. A stone clad, lean-to extension to the ground floor at the north east

corner.

Simple two room plan with staircase to first floor. Bedrooms to east and west with

intervening bathroom. Painted timber window frames, solid ground floor, suspended

timber first floor (Plan A).

Plan A


Fig. 1

Fig. 2


2.00 Condition of Interior

Solid floors entirely covered either with a linoleum or carpet without noticeable defect.

2.01 Front Ground Floor Room (West) (with doorway onto the pavement)

Walls – Evidence of rising damp to section of south wall the rest of the wall is covered by

cups, kitchen equipment.

Ceiling – generally sound although there is a crack at the abutment with the west wall.

Cracking to the plasterwork around the doorway which is hollow though generally in good

condition.

2.02 Rear Room (East)

There is a crack through the east wall of the extension and above the window in the west

wall and also through the ceiling.

2.03 First Floor

Modern timber stairs to the first floor. First floor comprises front and rear rooms with an

intervening large bathroom. Fully carpeted without apparent major defect. Unfortunately

the area where there is a bulge on the outside wall is covered by built-in wardrobes.

There is some tearing of the paper in the corner at the junction of bathroom with front

room (Fig. 3). Crack through the ceiling adjacent to the stair top (Fig. 4). In the

bathroom there is a leak above the dormer west pitch. Uneven plastering but generally in

good condition. Also tear above the stair in the ceiling progressing down the wall.

2.04 Rear East Room

All fully carpeted but without major defect. There is a tear, indicating movement, between

the bathroom partition and the north wall.

2.05 Roof Void (Fig. 3a)

Insulation between rafters. Timber roof structure in generally good condition.


Fig. 3

Fig. 3a


3.00 Condition of Exterior

3.01 North Elevation

There is a very pronounced bulge in the stone wall above the western window. This is an

area where there was previously a large opening. A timber lintel covered this opening.

This timber has been faced with stone, has woodworm in correspondence with disruption

in the wall. The lintel in the wall goes half way across the window. Thus the head of the

window frame supports part of the wall above. This situation also pertains to the doorway

and the flashed lintel above the eastern window. This disruption should be investigated

further. It is the outer skin of the wall which is bulging. The inner wall may be in more

solid condition. There are open joints at low level where there seems to have been an

attempt to inject a damp proof course. A number of badly spalled stones some broken

around the bulge. These stones will need to be replaced (Figs. 5-9).

3.02 Single Storey Lean to Extension

Stonework generally in good condition.

To the east elevation the lower part is stonework, the top section has a plywood covering.

All is sound but rather untidy (Fig. 10).

3.03 West Elevation

Partially pebble dashed (Fig. 11). Historical bending timber lintel above the doorway with

open joints to some of the stonework above. Rotten elements to the first floor window. A

number of badly perished bricks and open joints to the chimney. Wall plate is also

slightly displaced to the south pitch of the roof (Fig. 12).

3.04 South Elevation (Fig. 13)

This is without windows and is completely pebble dashed. There are four vertical cracks

through the pebble dash. Some of the render is breaking away from the wall. There is a

pronounced bulge in this wall at high level about half way along its length.


Fig. 5

Fig. 6


Fig. 7

Fig. 8


Fig. 9

Fig. 10


Fig. 11

Fig. 12


Fig. 13


4.00 Roofs and Gutters

4.01 North Pitch of the Roof

There are about half a dozen missing tiles. There is a leak to one side of the eastern and

western dormer. Open joints to the brick chimney at the west end.

4.02 South Pitch of the Roof

Some spalling. Disintegrating tiles particularly at eaves level otherwise in generally good

condition. A small number of missing tiles.


5.00 Scope of Inspection

5.01 The inspection was confined to a visual examination of the exposed parts of the

structure, both inside and out, but did not include woodwork, services, finishes or other

parts of the structure which were covered, unexposed or inaccessible, and it is not,

therefore, possible to report that any such part of the building is free from defect.


6.00 Services and Insurance

6.01 Each quinquennium the heating system should be inspected by a qualified heating

engineer.

6.02 An Electrical Test Certificate should be obtained from a qualified electrical engineer each

quinquennium.

6.03 Any lightning conductor should be tested each quinquennium.

6.04 It is advisable that at least one fire extinguisher should be kept in an easily accessible

position within the church. This should be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s

recommendations.

6.05 It is advised that the fire insurance should be reviewed each year.

6.06 A log book should be kept of all repairs and improvements carried out at the church.

The nature of the work should be described, the builder carrying out the work, the cost,

and the supervising architect. A standard format for the log book is obtainable from the

Church Commissioners.

6.07 This is neither a specification nor schedule of works and should not be used for that

purpose.

6.08 The writer would be happy to meet with the Management Committee to discuss the

recommendations contained in this report.


7.00 Recommended Repairs

The cottage is a simple structure which relies on the floor joists to tie the north and south

walls together. Walls above openings are mainly supported on the timbers frames of

doors and windows on relatively small lintols.

If these fail the weight of stone above deflects (see in particular, the wall above the door

in the front (west) elevation).

The lack of structural continuity is further eroded by alterations to openings which have

occurred over the centuries.

There is much evidence of timber failure i.e. woodworm in woodwork buried in the north

elevation with resultant destabilisation of the walls. Stone walls rely on good mortar

joints to provide a bond and to make the wall weathertight. There are many open joints.

All of these factors have contributed to cracks and bulging in the fabric.

Repairs need to be undertaken to consolidate this fragile fabric. Further investigation is

needed to establish the make up of the walls. All rotten timber must be removed and

replaced and a positive tie must be established to stop the bulging and thrust from the

roof. Open joints should be repointed in an appropriate mortar and the roof must be

repaired to ensure that all stormwater is channelled efficiently away from the fabric and in

particular the foundations. Where feasible the external ground level should be reduced

to a level below the internal finished floor level.

The timber should be redecorated Budget cost £15,000


8.00 Programme for Repair Works

Priority A (urgent) Budget £10,000

The cottage masonry must be consolidated. The cause of the destabilisation should be

investigated in detail and appropriate repairs put in hand.

Broken or missing roof tiles should be replaced and rainwater gutters, pipes and drains

checked.

Priority B (as soon as practicable) Budget £5,000

The external ground level should be lowered, as is feasible to a level below the internal

finished floor level.

A programme of repointing open joints in masonry should be put in hand.

Priority C (as funds allow)

Redecorate and upgrade interior.


APPENDIX A








Documents

QUINQUENNIAL INSPECTION REPORT KINETON COTTAGE...Quinquennial Inspection Report I Kineton Cottage 36-279 I 5 BHB 3.00 Condition of Exterior 3.01 North Elevation There is a very pronounced