National Infrastructure Plan

Key investments

• State highways: $10.7 billion over the next 10 years
• National grid: $3.3 billion over the next five years
• Urban broadband: $1.5 billion over the next 10 years
• New schools and buildings: $2.7
  billion over the next five years
• Total Budget capital spending: $7.5 billion over five years

QS critical for successful heritage projects

By James White

The Dilworth Building stood sentinel on Auckland’s doorstep as the city endured the Great Depression. It has seen proud soldiers march off to war, and weary veterans return home. It has watched great vessels enter the harbour, and witnessed triumphant parades and

But the eight decades since the imposing grey Portland stone building was completed in 1927 have taken their toll – not helped by some distinctly unsympathetic modern additions.

Auckland’s Dilworth Building, on the corner of Queen and Customs Streets, is currently undergoing a ‘like for like’ restoration

Few people among the pedestrian throngs and columns of vehicles using the busy intersection of Queen and Customs Streets are aware the first phase of a major repair project is underway, eight storeys above.

Designed in the style known as ‘eclectic stripped neo-classical’ by iconic architect firm Gummer and Ford – which also designed the old Auckland Railway Station – the Dilworth Building has many features uncommon among today’s cityscape: a noteworthy slate-roofed turret, lead flashings, extensive use of copper, and ornate masonry.

Successful heritage restorations are particularly dependent on the quality of the people contracted to do the job. Salmond Reed, probably the leading conservation architecture firm in New Zealand, is restoring the building’s exterior in stages – the first being a required re-roof. Kwanto was contracted to provide construction phase cost consultancy services, and brings its professional quantity surveying (QS) experience in heritage work to the team.

Tracey Hartley of Salmond Reed is the chartered building surveyor heading the project. She joined the firm in 2006 after moving here from England, and is a specialist in conservation work. “On a challenging project like this one, it’s essential to work with a QS who understands the specialist nature of a heritage building, the traditional materials and techniques involved. It’s important there is a good rapport between us and the QS,” she says.

It is critical a client understands in advance the likely cost of a heritage project, and this includes being well informed about the type of unforeseen work that can occur in old buildings of traditional construction, Tracey says. “To accurately predict costs in advance, we need to have an understanding of what the major problems might be.”

‘Like for like’ restoration

The Dilworth Building, listed Historic Places Trust Category I and Auckland City Council Category A, is being repaired ‘like for like’ – being returned to its original design. Like most of Auckland’s older inner-city buildings, it has been subject to seemingly ad-hoc alterations over the years, which are being removed.

The ‘like for like’ approach provides some interesting challenges for the QS involved – for example, research had to be undertaken into the unique green slate used on the turret. Eventually a supplier of the same slate was found in the United States, which changed the earlier estimated costs.

Darren Rowe is Kwanto’s consultant QS on the project. Kwanto became involved a few months before construction started in February. The re-roofing is scheduled to finish in July. Darren says the bespoke nature of the assignment has inherent logistical challenges which have called on all his QS experience with heritage buildings in Britain, where his love of old architecture was forged. “For a start, it is on a busy corner site, right in the middle of downtown. That immediately creates difficulties involving deliveries of construction materials.”

In some cases, the only time suitable for trucks to pull up and the materials on them to be lifted by crane has been pre-dawn on Sundays. Because the building includes residential apartments, Darren says effective tenant liaison has been important.

The restoration needs a number of specialist tradespeople – again, something the QS has to cost out, and consider in the overall budget. “That is one of the distinct differences between QS work for a heritage project compared to modern commercial buildings, which seldom feature old techniques such as ornate masonry or lead flashings,” Darren adds.

Adding value

Early involvement in a heritage project gives a QS the chance to add the most value, because they can begin to monitor the budget and likely design requirements from the earliest opportunity. Darren says the quality of information flowing from the project architect is an invaluable factor in the QS role. It is also important for the QS to carry out extensive research on issues posed by features such as slate roofs.

As with the Dilworth Building, on most heritage projects the QS has to factor in restricted access. Many such buildings are on main streets, and due to their age have difficulties the QS needs to consider, such as small lifts unsuitable for shifting building materials. With the right team on hand, solutions can be found to most project issues.

Kwanto has provided QS services for diverse heritage clients, including the Auckland Museum (its ongoing maintenance schedule), the 1915 Endeans Building at 2 Queen St, Mansion House on Kawau Island, and a war memorial in Birkenhead.

In my view, old buildings are like elderly people. They need empathy, and to be comfortable in their old age. And like humans, a lot of the problems with age can’t be seen from the outside. That’s where a QS is worth their weight in lead flashings.

James White is the director of quantity surveying firm Kwanto, which specialises in providing relevant remedial cost estimates to building surveyors nationwide; he can be contacted at james@kwanto.co.nz