Stage 4: Procurement and Installation
Historic England has information that describes ways of advertising and seeking tenders for building works when appointing a building or conservation firm to carry out grant-aided repairs in compliance with procurement regulations. Advertising and seeking tenders for the works will usually be part of the services of a professional adviser, where they have been appointed.
Installers should have demonstrably sufficient training, expertise, and experience of traditional construction, the whole building approach and its application to historic buildings. See our guidance on how to find the right professional help. An experienced installer will be able to contribute valuable specialist practical knowledge to a project. The costings returned should be based on the whole building approach and allow for adequate levels of supervision, checks, testing and feedback as the work proceeds.
Before starting installation works, make sure that all necessary permissions have been obtained and any conditions complied with. If something unexpected is found as the work proceeds, or a design detail does not work, this should be reported back to the project team so that suitable modifications can be made.
Good levels of site supervision will help to ensure that works are carried out to the required standards. On larger or more complex projects, a clerk of works could be appointed to monitor the quality and progress of the works on the client's behalf. Where fabric improvements have been carried out, the quality of completed work should be checked using thermal imaging and air pressurisation tests, as described in our building performance evaluation webpages.
