What Are The Most Common Mistakes When Restoring Churches?

Even with regard to heritage and historic buildings, churches are unique community pillars that are often timeless in an ever-changing world.

This is one of their greatest strengths and why so many historic churches are beloved to this day, but it can also make construction and restoration projects more complex if you do not work with architects and project managers who specialise in church buildings.

There have been many examples of reorganisation and repurposing in recent years, some of which have had more positive results on the community than others. With that in mind, here are some common mistakes made when restoring churches.

Failing To Prioritise Character

The reason why church buildings are so prized and desirable even if they no longer hold a congregation is because of their historic character and beauty. This is something that should be left as untouched as possible.

In the case of listed buildings, which many churches are, sometimes this is a legal requirement but even when it is not, construction work should be planned to be as minimally intrusive to its original features as possible.

Internally, it is important when adding new amenities to ensure that they do not affect the structural integrity of the original building.

Underestimating Specialist Costs

Working with complex and historic buildings necessitates working with specialists who are trained to use historic materials and build in a way that is sympathetic to the original structure.

As well as this, working with historic buildings can unearth hidden complications that might cause the costs to increase, which needs to be factored into any budget.

Taking Too Long

If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well, but with certain older buildings that are underutilised, there is a ticking clock on how long you can wait to restore the building before it starts to fall into disrepair, increasing the costs exponentially and potentially rendering the building unsalvageable.