Building Condition Assessment

A core service provided by RBA is the forensic assessment of the condition of the building fabric/materials which constitute an historic building. Assessment of the condition (or health) of the materials is crucial to resolving what is required to maintain and/or restore the heritage asset.

RBA staff, our specialist consultants and traditional crafts and trades people have expansive knowledge of both early and contemporary building technologies and the predicted normal modes of decay of building materials.

Identifying defects (or poor condition) is however just the first step, even more critical is the need to understand the cause and implications attached to that identified defect and then what remedial (repair) action/s are appropriate.

RBA has extensive technical expertise in assessing historic and contemporary building fabric and resolving appropriate and sustainable remedial measures including for the following:

DECORATIVE FINISHES (internal and external) including: paint systems, renders, stuccos, wall papers, tessellated tiling etc.

GLASS including: stained glass, leadlight etched glass

MASONRY including: dimension stone and freestone, sandstone, basalt, limestone

METALS including: wrought and cast iron, steel, bronze, aluminium

MORTARS including: traditional lime putty mixes, tuck-pointing as well as the many cement based systems

PLASTER AND RENDER including: traditional lime putty based systems, lathe and plaster ceilings

ROOF CLADDING SYSTEMS including: terracotta, slate, corrugated iron, lead, zinc, copper and fibre cement sheet

TIMBER including: hardwood and softwood framing and cladding systems both indigenous and exotic (external, structural, internal, decorative)

WALL CLADDING SYSTEMS including: stone, faience architectural terracotta, brick, concrete, glass, timber, concrete, aluminium, sheet metals, cement sheet