Sample of Historic Building Condition Assessment Report
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St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Hoosick Falls, New York
An examination, assessment and preservation plan for the exterior envelope of the structure
Prepared by Ward Hamilton
April 22, 2011
INTRODUCTION
This building conditions assessment report is an examination, assessment and preservation plan for the exterior envelope of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church located at 70 Main Street in Hoosick Falls, New York. Architect Henry Dudley designed it according to the Ecclesiological principles of Episcopal church design, after English country parish churches, which they held to be the ideal for churches of that denomination. Uncharacteristically, he used brick rather than stone. He was probably commissioned by local industrial magnate Walter A. Wood, a member of the church. Several additions and renovations were made to the original building in the decades after its construction, most notably a parish hall in the early 20th century. In 2000 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
BUILDING
The church is on a small lot on the west side of Main Street, just south of a village park and a short distance from the post office opposite. It is two blocks south of downtown. It is on a small flat lot, set back slightly with a hedge and lawn in front and mature trees around it. A driveway on the south leads to a small parking lot in the rear. Behind it is the only section of a cast iron fence that once surrounded the entire property. There are three sections to the building itself: the nave, a freestanding bell tower with hyphen connecting it to the nave, and a parish house attached on the south. The first two are brick while the third is stucco over wood frame. The nave has a steeply pitched gable roof shingled in slate. It has corner buttresses. Its west (front) facade has a small enclosed porch with a similar roof and buttresses. Two lancet windows are on either side; a rose window is above. A shallow molded cornice is at the roofline; two ornamental brackets are at the peak. The main entrance has double wood doors with wrought iron decorative hinges and a pointed arch limestone surround.
On the sides sympathetic later enlargements have covered the original walls. Two lancet windows remain on the south, and there are roof dormers on either side. The north side’s addition, which allowed for a side aisle in the sanctuary, has paired lancets and a shed roof. A transept with lancets and a steep roof similar to the church’s main block is at the rear. The one-and-a-half-story parish hall projects from the south. It also has a steep gabled roof, and is decorated with hood moldings on the windows. Narrow lancets also light the single-story connector to the bell tower. It has four stages, all delineated by sandstone trim. Corner buttresses rise two stories. The first has an entrance similar to the front. The second has another lancet on the east and west, the third a clock and the fourth a pointed arch louvered opening with Meneely chimes. The hipped roof is pierced by triangular vents and topped by a cross.
Inside, the sanctuary has a hammer beam roof with trusses of dark stained wood. Plaster walls, original pews, a lectern with brass eagle and stained glass from different periods complete the trim. In the chancel are a marble altar originally from another church and an elaborate oak reredos.
HISTORY
The St. Mark’s parish was founded in 1833. It held services first in the local schoolhouse, then in a meetinghouse where the village’s Baptist Church is now. Two decades after its founding, it had a congregation big enough to build its own church. Walter A. Wood, later to become the village’s major industrialist through the manufacture of mechanical mowers and reapers, played a major part in building the church. He visited Troy, the county seat, frequently and was familiar with Henry Dudley’s work there, such as St. John’s Episcopal Church (now a contributing property to the Central Troy Historic District) and some of the buildings at Oakwood Cemetery. Dudley also designed and built Wood’s Tudor Revival house (no longer extant) on the hillside behind the church.
Dudley, an English immigrant, was a member of the New York Ecclesiological Society. Its members advocated that Episcopal churches be modeled on English country parish churches, particularly in small country towns, where they felt that form was more harmonious with the surrounding rural landscape than the white frame Greek Revival churches that had dominated American church architecture at the time. They also called for simplicity, since it was not necessary for a church to be elaborately decorated to fulfill its purpose. Most churches designed by Ecclesiologists thus featured steeply pitched roofs, axial plans, and clearly defined separations between the various functional spaces.
The only unusual aspect of St. Mark’s among Dudley’s work is its use of brick rather than stone. It is not known why, although perhaps that material was available in enough quantity in Hoosick Falls at the time to make it economical to build the church of it. Construction began on the main block in 1858; it was completed and consecrated two years later. Dudley designed the later additions, the north aisle and transept, in 1865. In the next two decades, the chimes would be added to the tower and the altar windows installed. The church underwent a major refurbishing in 1880 without any effect on the design. Ten years later the chancel was enlarged.
The last significant addition was the construction of the parish hall, in 1912–13, almost 20 years after Dudley’s death. Its original large single hall on the first floor was divided into classrooms in the mid-20th century. Since then the church has remained largely unchanged.
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CONDITIONS
The exterior of the building was examined specific to slate, metal and other roofing, brick masonry façade and limestone foundation, and carpentry to include (but not limited to) windows, doors, trim, fascia, and soffit. Recommendations for remedial action will follow in a later section.
Roofing
The slate is a semi-weathering, purple stone quarried in Vermont and in very good condition. Many repairs have been made using Vermont “Sea Green” slate which is fine structurally and only impacts the aesthetics of the roof. The flashing details, with two exceptions, are in very poor condition. The various flashings are a combination of terne-coated steel, or some other ferrous metal, and copper; all are long past the end of their service life. Only two valleys (replaced in recent years) are found in an acceptable condition. Of major concern is the lack of counter-flashing over the step-flashing that makes up the sidewall details. Of equal concern is the area where several sections of roof collect and funnel snow through a four foot opening. Desperate attempts to correct problems are evidenced by the rubber membrane draped over the roof deck.
Masonry
The foundation/watertable is comprised of locally quarried dolomite, a marble-like limestone. The orangey-red, common brick of the exterior is, overall, in good condition. However, at several locations, the grade is much higher than at original construction. This brings the problem of capillary action (“rising damp”) into play. Many brick have deteriorated and spalled; replacement of these units is now necessary. A general lack of maintenance (repointing, removal of vegetation, etc.) has affected, or now threatens to compromise, the integrity of several corners and pilasters.
Carpentry, doors and windows
The wood work is found in good condition. The stained glass windows and trefoil in the oculus have been protected with plexi-glass sheeting. Woodwork, trim and doors appear to have been maintained well.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REMEDIAL ACTION
All practices and methodologies recommended are in strict compliance with guidelines set forth by the National Park Service, US Department of the Interior[1]. On a municipal level, many communities maintain a level of vigilance specific to homes and buildings in historic neighborhoods. The courses of action outlined, below, will address these issues in an appropriate manner.
Roofing
The slate roof is in good overall condition, but still needs hundreds of repairs performed. All replacement units shall be matching, Vermont semi-weathering purple units. All flashing details should be replaced with new 20 oz/sq’ copper to code and standards set by the National Slate Association. Flashing details are identified as 163 linear feet of valleys, 98 linear feet of side-wall flashing, 233 linear feet of ridge detail, 18 linear feet of gutter to be covered with copper sheet metal, and the flashing/counter-flashing where the chimney meets the roof. Additionally, the “four foot valley” should be replaced with approximately 140 square feet of flat-lock seamed, 20 oz/sq’ copper sheet metal roofing, installed to SMACNA standards and guidelines. The former gutter at the eaves of roof section “Z” should be covered with 20 oz/sq’ copper sheet metal roofing, installed to SMACNA standards and guidelines.
Masonry
Before any work takes place, the grade must be cut back and lowered below the watertable. Brick masonry mortar joints should be repointed, as needed, with a high lime mortar that is sympathetic in texture and appearance to the rest of the building. Absolutely no Portland cement should be used in the mix. In the locations where replacement units are needed, those brick should come from locations on the building not visible to passers-by. Closely matching units should then be used to fill salvage locations. In some locations, stone elements will need to be reset. This work, like the brick, must be performed with a high lime mortar that is sympathetic in texture and appearance to the rest of the building. Absolutely no Portland cement should be used in the mix.
Carpentry, doors and windows
As a matter of maintenance, wood, trim and doors should be painted as needed. No specific sections need attention at this time. However, these elements should be monitored and scraped and painted as needed. Note that this evaluation was performed from the ground. Dormers on the roof above the sanctuary and the tower should be inspected with an aerial boom lift. Maintenance issues should be addresses at that time.
ENGINEERING ESTIMATE OF COST FOR PRESERVATION WORK
The following estimates of cost assume that a fully-insured, experienced preservation contractor performs the tasks specified at full commercial rate. The prices do not assume work performed at prevailing wage. Prevailing wages are the rates charged by union-shop contractors, and will result in a higher price than the estimates provided.
Roofing
(a) Replace 163 linear feet of open valley details … $48,560
(b) Replace 98 linear feet of sidewall flashing detail … $26,130
(c) Replace flashing and counter-flashing detail, chimney … $4650
(d) Inspect and repair slate, as needed, entire slate roof … $14,840
(e) Install approx. 140 square feet of flat-lock copper roofing … $19,280
(f) Cover 18 linear feet of gutters with copper sheet metal … $7200
(g) Replace 233 linear feet of copper ridge detail … $18,660
Masonry
(a) Replace broken, spalled, and missing brick; repoint brick, as needed, with high lime mortar, entire exterior … $26,220
(b) Reset stone watertable pieces, as needed, above grade … $12,600
(c) Alterations to grade, invasive vegetation removed … $5400
Carpentry, doors and windows
(a) Set aside funds for inspection of wood work with aerial boom lift and attention to same … $7680
PRIORITIZATION OF PRESERVATION TASKS
All tasks, above, are listed from greatest to least importance below. Certainly, the issue of water infiltration is of paramount concern:
- Install approx. 140 square feet of flat-lock copper roofing
- Alterations to grade, invasive vegetation removed
- Replace broken, spalled, and missing brick; repoint brick, as needed, with high lime mortar, entire exterior
- Reset stone watertable pieces, as needed, above grade
- Replace 163 linear feet of open valley details
- Replace 98 linear feet of sidewall flashing detail
- Replace flashing and counter-flashing detail, chimney
- Inspect and repair slate, as needed, entire slate roof
- Cover 18 linear feet of gutters with copper sheet metal
- Replace 233 linear feet of copper ridge detail
- Set aside funds for inspection of wood work with aerial boom lift and some attention to same
CONCLUSION
Upon careful examination of the exterior envelope of this structure, the primary concerns are water infiltration and the effect of the rising grade. Precipitation entering through the roofing system will become the cause of many other problems and system failures. As such, remedial action starts with the roof. Masonry issues, however, are of equal concern and should not be ignored. The moderate-sized repairs that are needed now will only grow with time. The primary goals are to stop water infiltration and correct masonry failures. Once this is achieved, and even while work is on-going, regular inspection and maintenance of the building systems is critical to the structure’s longevity. Be sure to have the roofing inspected annually, gutters and outlets cleaned out biannually, and vegetation removed from the building (including the grade, vines and other vegetation) as needed.
CREDIT
Details specific to the description of this structure and its architectural history were taken directly from “National Register of Historic Places nomination, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church,” Peter Shaver, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. (November 24, 1999)
APPENDIX – Photographic Documentation
The base of this pilaster is sheering from the structure. Failure to address appropriately will result in major structural problems.
Poorly executed slate repairs (typ. throughout the field of the roof)
Again, a lack of maintenance, invasive vines, and the changes in grade are gradually compromising the structural integrity of the corner of the building
Another view of the “valley” where two steeply-pitched sections of roof (one an 18:12, the other a 20:12) dump over 500 square feet of collected snow onto a lower-sloped section (8:12.) Compounding the problem are the steep sections, seen above
Poor planning: Snow that lands on over 660 square feet of roofing in this area is funneled into this four foot opening. Inappropriate attempts to address problems include rubber membranes, as seen here
A general lack of maintenance is contributing to major issues. Failure to repoint the brick masonry of this pilaster may compromise its structural integrity
A complex situation: Various planes of the roof, each at different angles, converge. Flashing details at these intersections are more involved and, in this instance, compounded by a chimney protrusion
Sheet metal flashings are a combination of copper and terne-coated steel or similar, ferrous sheet metal. All have outlived their service life and need replacement. Slate at the bases of the valleys is in poor condition (typical at several locations)
Changes in grade are bringing moisture to the brick. The stones of the watertable, which act as a damp-proofing course, become obsolete in situations like this. Through capillary action, moisture rises into the brick and causes deterioration
None of the sidewall flashing details are counter-flashed. Instead tar and mastic has been used to stop precipitation from infiltrating the building. Some makeshift flashing modifications, as seen here, are found at other locations as well