We have been carrying out Quinquennial Inspections (5-year mandatory inspections) of churches for many decades, through the experience of Architects John Gratton and now Simon Gratton. We were appointed to carry out a Quinquennial inspection of a church in Calow, Derbyshire, and noticed something amiss when entering the Nave – the ceiling was sagging where the central truss sat.
Working with a conservation experienced contractor, we removed a portion of the ceiling to investigate. Scaffolding was erected carefully.
It was revealed the bottom chord of the truss had fallen away from the central post, destabilising the structural integrity of the truss and putting the roof at risk of collapse.
Working with a specialist conservation engineer, we proposed a solution to freeze the truss in place, stabilise it, and halt any further movement.
The pictures above show the truss when first opened up, the post clearly losing connection with the chord. We worked closely with the church and contractor to manage the project, get the solution in place, and allow the Church to return to normal services with the knowledge that their ceiling wasn’t close to falling down. All parties were pleased with the results.