Church Conservation: Reasons to Renovate Your Church

This country's historic churches have stood the test of time and lived through all the disruption that history has thrown their way. These buildings come with a unique record of how major national and international events impact even the smallest of places and whether religion has any value in your life, everyone can appreciate the beauty and peaceful solace of a church and also understand the need to to take care and preserve these beautiful buildings. It goes without saying that a lot of our historic churches will tell stories of this time for future generations to come.
 
Renovating your church can be a stressful ordeal. There are projects to oversee, questions to answer, concerns to hear, money to raise, bills to be paid, plans to be made, change orders to experience, contingency plans to set out and so on. And all these things just have to do with the renovation. You may have sermons to preach, ministries to lead, and people to care for during the entirety of the project.
 
With this in mind, here is some of our guidance as well as some specific information about church conservation projects; read on to discover more.

Church Conservation - the basics

Lots of churches built in the last 100 years are still going strong today, a true testament to the workmanship here in the UK. But the inside of these churches may not have had the same story to tell. Paint which is peeling and worn-out decor are indicators that the time has come to spruce up the inside of your church. Due to this, conservation of churches involves specialised processes, hiring a professional conservation company will help. But before this, you need to do a little research to figure out your church's needs.
 
If your church requires an update in some capacity, here for all you need to know about the conservation of churches.

Requirements for church conservation by faith tradition

Various faiths have altering practices, and church buildings need to serve these practices. The interior of a church must reach the needs of the congregation too so this must be factored in as well. The Roman Catholic Church has quite an extensive list of guidelines in terms of the renovation of churches. Parishes will often need to contact their Diocesan Offices of Worship for any specific rules having to do with church renovation before they plan a project.
 
Modern Protestant and Evangelical churches are much more flexible in terms of their interior style and decor. Lots of these churches are auditoriums, where staging, seating, and sound production are crucial factors. Others are more traditional in style but are less concerned with furniture or various statues.
 
No matter what the faith tradition a specific church is, you must tread with caution when attempting to change the style of a church. Updating a traditional design to a 21st-century style will need agreement from a majority of your congregation if the church is still being used. The "buy-in" of the people is crucial when proposing specific changes to a beloved place of worship.

Redecorating Churches as opposed to renovating churches

Deciding whether or not you have redecoration or reconstruction of the inside of your church is essential because then you will know which type of professional to hire. Plaster and paint experts will be able to create a new look for the walls and ceiling. The same experts will be able to renew your statues and the altar. A reliable and professional company will present a variety of options for you to consider, both traditional and modern. Professional conservation companies will offer materials, such as scaffolding as part of their estimate.
 
For a bigger reconstruction project being carried out on a larger scale, you’ll require an architect and a contractor who has worked with churches previously. The nature of church life requires specific construction plans as well as experience with sacred spaces. These professionals will work with your conservation team throughout the construction process and will commit to keeping things on track.

Hiring a conservation professional

​Look for accredited companies willing to provide you with upfront estimates. Make sure they can provide colour renditions of your proposed project for you to review. Check their websites to see what other churches are in their portfolio.
 
Perhaps ask to see a portfolio of other churches that have worked on, and get their opinions. If you can find a church with similar design characteristics to get some inspiration, all the better. It is important not to skip this step, as word-of-mouth is the best way to find the right professional for the job.
Help and advice on converting a churchIf you are serious about carrying out a church conservation project, you may find the following resources highly useful:

• English Heritage
• Federation of Master Builders
• Guild of Master Craftsmen
• Scottish Redundant Churches Trust
• Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

 
Depending on the level of conservation you opt for - a church can throw up some interesting challenges. If you wish to maintain the church’s original features as much as you can, here are a few specific tips you might not have thought of already:

• Washing machines and other domestic appliances can be hidden in original wooden cupboards.
• Sewage could be taken care of in a tank which must be frequently emptied.
• Domestic boilers using liquid gas can be used according to the weather along with a wood-burning stove if you are in the countryside or a more rural setting.

 
Additional key factors to take into considerationWhen it comes down to it, carrying out any type of church conversion is far from an ordinary house conversion and there are lots of extra special factors to take into consideration before you decide once and for all that it is the right move for you. Let’s take a look at some of the odd points you may want to consider before a church conservation project:

• Make sure that the church conversion will be done tastefully and is in keeping with the original features.
• Make sure that the developers’ have considered practical issues like noise and heat insulation. Older buildings are renowned for being hard to heat and churches were built to carry sound.
• Keep any exterior changes to a minimum, preserve that sense of timelessness and the building’s integrity.
• Churches are special due to their grandeur and scope so do not break up that dramatic internal space into smaller pieces.
• As many alterations to churches will need planning permission, be sure it is done to your taste. Changing things afterwards can be costly and difficult. High ceilings can make things hard as well.

Rodells - We Provide Church and Conservation Works

Here at Rodells we can offer you, specialist work in a range of areas. Rodells have extensive knowledge of restoration and refurbishment projects. With our skilled craftsmanship, we take great pride in restoring historic buildings back to their former beauty. We also extend our expertise to revitalise contemporary or commercial buildings and as previously mentioned, church conservation projects and specialist building maintenance. We have a history of providing excellent quality, reliable work in the commercial and industrial sectors. Whatever your needs are, our team of experts can help. To find out more about the services we offer, please feel free to contact us today, we’d be happy to help with any enquiries you may have.