How to Find the Right Renovation Architect

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When planning the conversion of a period building, or even extensive changes, it makes sense to use architects and surveyors who have experience of older properties and understand the special challenges they pose. A surveyor with special knowledge of traditional buildings can provide insight into their structure and materials. A conservation architect will appreciate the design traditions of a period building, the things to look for, the pitfalls and the opportunities. In addition, such specialists should have a better understanding of the legal requirements of working on a historic building and the complexities of the relevant VAT legislation.

Finding an architect with an interest in conservation has been made easy by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Clients Advisory Service (CAS). The RIBA itself was formed in 1834 to pursue the advancement of architecture. Today it still pursues that aim and runs the British Architectural Library (open to the public at a charge of £10 a day for occasional visitors), as well as a useful bookshop. It was not until 1972 that CAS was formed as an information service available over the phone and to those calling in to the London office its stunning headquarters in Portland Place.

You can still phone for free referrals and assistance in selecting the right architect for your project indeed CAS receives many thousands of such calls each year, not just through its headquarters but also via the 10 regional RIBA offices and through the offices of Wales (RSAW), Scotland (RIAS) and Northern Ireland (RSUA).

The RIBA stress that they do not aim to sell architects to people but rather act as something like a marriage bureau in some cases they even point out that hiring an architect may be unnecessary. They are also keen to allay fears that an architect will impose his own taste at the expense of both the homeowner and his buildings.

Nowadays it's also possible to check for suitable architects yourself. In 1996, a Register of Practices was set up to clarify the status of each architectural practice, its expertise and the services it offers: you can now purchase a paper-based directory of registered practices, which is published annually in book format and available from RIBA Publications. The 2002 Directory is £50. Alternatively (and more cheaply), you can search through the RIBA Register online, using various criteria including location, special expertise and type of service. This has the added advantage of allowing you to access the websites which have been created by many architectural companies to show images and details of their past projects. The style of such websites themselves will also give you a feel for the character of that particular practice.

About a fifth of the RIBAs 4,000 listed architects have a stated interest in conservation work so you should be able to find someone to suit your project, whether it's a new Gothic folly or the conversion of a traditional barn. Architects with a particular interest in conservation are likely to have gained extra qualifications, so look for membership of IHBC (Institute of Historic Building Conservation) or AABC (Register of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation). The 80 architects on the AABC Register have been assessed by a team of peers (plus a knowledgeable non-architect) as to their individual knowledge and experience in conservation work. More information can be found on the AABC website , or by telephoning them for advice (01625 871458).

All architects in the UK are registered with the Architects Registration Board, to show that they have achieved recognised educational qualifications and work experience. Inclusion in the RIBA Register of Practices means that they also have in place management procedures to ensure they comply with RIBAs continuing professional development obligations and that the architects they employ adhere to the RIBA Code of Conduct. Aside of qualifications, experience and convenient location, its important to remember that the architect is someone you should get on well with. Make sure you're compatible by looking through their portfolio and above all talking to them. Does the architect listen to you and do you respect each others views?

Architects Fees

Regarding fees, RIBA Publications can provide a booklet which answers frequently asked questions and has example fee scales for small projects. RIBA Press Officer Melanie Mayfield adds: "We publish A Clients Guide to Engaging an Architect which includes indicative fee scales to enable the client to estimate how much the work is likely to cost. The organisation also publishes a standard form of agreement to help those clients embarking on a building project for the first time and designed for use where the cost of the building work is not expected to exceed £100,000".

Because the architects input can vary so much from project to project there is no fixed fee scale, but the RIBA says that generally a full service fee is likely to be between 8% and 18% of the total building cost. Melanie Mayfield points out that "architects working on listed buildings may charge a higher fee, due to increased complexity of the project". But remember that, while architects fees may represent a hefty chunk, they should be able to see ways of saving you money and keeping building work to a minimum.

Fees are not always charged as a percentage of the total construction cost: depending on the service required, they may be billed as an hourly rate or as a lump sum. Budget, fees and the timing of payments will, of course, vary from case to case but should be agreed at an early stage.

Suitable Surveyors

You may feel you need a surveyor instead of (or as well as) an architect. Indeed, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) recommends that anyone buying a listed building or a property built before 1900 should have a comprehensive building survey especially if you are planning renovations or if there have already been extensive alterations.

A full building survey (rather than the less detailed homebuyers survey and valuation report) will examine all accessible parts of the building and can be tailor-made to cater for your own particular needs and worries. As well as testing for damp, dry rot and woodworm, a full survey will give you information on the construction of your property and the materials used this can be invaluable when it comes to making repairs.

Through the RICS website you can search the list of surveyors worldwide by location and by specialisation. Of the 12,000 surveyors listed online, details of 158 can be found under the heading of historic building conservation. They range from sole traders to group practices, and many have their own websites. A paper version of the whole RICS Directory is available to non-members at £105 or you can phone the RICS Contact Centre for details of a surveyor in your area.

To cater more specifically for the needs of historic buildings, RICS founded a Building Conservation Forum in 1987, for those with special interests in the area. Information about the Forum can be accessed via the RICS website, which also provides links to other relevant sites. The Forum has 1,000 members and is managed by Kieron Higgs, who deals with some requests from the public. "I do get some phone calls and emails asking me to recommend a surveyor who's accredited in the field," he says. "I can't favour just one surveyor, so I give the name of three that they can contact for advice. If those surveyors can't advise, then they will recommend someone who can".

Accreditation Scheme

Accreditation in the field of historic buildings is a special focus for the Forum. It has been running an accreditation scheme, but is currently fine-tuning the system. "English Heritage propose that by April 2003 any grant-aided work has to be done by a surveyor who is accredited in building conservation", explains Kieron. "However, the system being developed to meet this requirement will extend across various disciplines, not just surveying, and across many different organisations rather than just the RICS".

Overseeing this liaison for the Forum is John Gleeson, who explains: "I'm involved with the other professional bodies that currently have accreditation schemes: we're working together closely on a unified assessment system. At the moment, the focus is on creating something that can be agreed by surveyors and architects, who are the only professionals with an accreditation scheme in operation. However the scheme is set to expand further".

"We are working with the structural and civil engineers and would hope to see a scheme in place in the near future: a framework is there and they will be able to adapt it to their own needs. Therefore there'll be a consistency and continuity in how professionals are assessed". He adds: "What is very pleasing at the moment is that the architects, surveyors, engineers and the Institute of Historic Buildings Conservation are all talking together in the past there has been a lot of professional rivalry. We're trying to get a scheme that suits the public".

The accreditation system for surveyors, which the Forum has been running up to now, already has 56 accredited surveyors, considered specialists in conservation. Applications are likely to increase rapidly once the new scheme is in place though numbers will never be huge.

"Conservation is a specialised area", comments John Gleeson. "But it's common for the everyday architect or surveyor to come up against a listed building, so it's likely that the need to work in this area will increase. We have a lot more people noting now that there is an accreditation scheme and there will be more joining it. And there is a carrot for the professionals in that English Heritage, Historic Scotland and I think CADW as well have said that anyone who works on a building which has been given grant aid by one of those bodies will need to be accredited. There's a knock-on effect, because a lot of bodies go to the register of people being used by English Heritage. So applications are on the rise and there will be an increase in numbers".

Accreditation will be based on the assessment of projects, details of which will be sent out to relevant examiners who decide whether applicants qualify. John adds that "the projects will cover a wide area and that the Forum may devise another, additional scheme for surveyors to extend the coverage of accreditation even further. The RICS has a wide skill base, ranging from quantity surveyors, planning and development, to working in photogrammetry, valuation of historic buildings, historic forests and estates for example, so we will probably have a second scheme which will include these other areas of very specialist skills".

A chartered surveyor will use the letters MRICS or FRICS, meaning that they are respectively either a member or a fellow of RICS. A technical surveyor will use the letters TechRICS. John explains that "surveyors accredited under the scheme are unlikely to add any further letters after names, but they might attach a label saying that they are RICS accredited or registered. He adds that people will still be able to phone RICS for advice and should also be able to access the information from a number of websites".

"Surveyors offer a range of varied services, from checking for subsidence to managing the construction of new buildings, so fees differ accordingly. There is a schedule of fees for certain types of work", says John. "It might be a percentage or a lump sum. Sometimes you can get a very close idea of what the costs might be". He adds: "Conservation projects can be a bit more detailed. You have to find out more about the building and sometimes do a lot of investigatory work. Often things aren't straightforward and a surveyor may take a bit longer. But most people get good value because specialists will be doing it for the interest: the client is getting greater input for their money".

"An accredited surveyor will have extra expertise to offer: They'll have the experience of dealing with all the issues", says John. But he stresses that "they're unlikely to be more expensive. It's a limited market and a financially challenging area: most clients are in desperate need of money for their buildings and fees for a consultant are not going to be high. Any grant aid will have to be rigidly controlled they wont give extensive amounts of money for consultant fees".

Incidentally, you might consider joining the Forum yourself membership is open to anyone and costs £52.88 (including VAT) for non-RICS members. This means you'll have access to their seminars, conferences and the journal which includes features on such topics as lime plaster and vernacular architecture.

VAT and Period Properties

VAT regulations can be complicated for work on listed buildings and are considered unfair by the many national conservation groups who have been lobbying the government for almost a decade because they believe current legislation discourages conservation.

At present VAT is charged on building work of all descriptions at the standard rate (currently 17.5%) unless it can be either 'zero-rated' or it can be charged at the reduced rate of 5%. If your property is listed, any repair work will be charged at the standard rate.

Approved alterations defined as work to the fabric of a listed building which requires and has received listed building consent are zero-rated, providing the work is carried out by a VAT registered contractor who must zero-rate invoices for qualifying labour and materials.

Where renovation work is so extensive that no more than the external walls of the building remain, and/or the total cost of the approved alterations (excluding repairs) represents 60% or more of the total cost of the work known as substantial reconstruction both repairs and approved alterations can be zero-rated.

In certain instances, other VAT reliefs are available on work to listed buildings. The conversion of a non-residential property such as a warehouse, barn, school, church, or a former dwelling empty for ten years or more, is also largely VAT free whether the building is listed or not. VAT is charged to owners at the reduced rate of 5% on labour and materials, but under the terms of VAT Notice 719, owners can reclaim any VAT paid on completion, together with any standard rate VAT paid on materials they have supplied themselves.

Building work on residential buildings (listed or not) that have been empty for three years or more, or where the number of units is being altered, is taxed at the reduced rate of 5% on labour and materials. This relief is only available through VAT registered builders.

Architects and surveyors are usually VAT registered and will therefore charge VAT on their fees. VAT on professional services is not recoverable.

Details of the situation regarding VAT and protected buildings are given in VAT Notice 708 and information about VAT refunds on conversions of non-residential buildings are laid out in VAT Notice 719. These notices are available free from Customs & Excise or can be downloaded from the organisations website (www.hmrc.gov.uk).

All prices quoted are correct as of July 2003

Further Reading:

• How to Assess a Property for Renovation
• How to get the most from your house designer
• Working with an Architect