All churches and many licensed places of worship are legally required to be inspected by a suitably qualified architect or building professional every five years. This is known as a “quinquennial inspection” (QI). QIs are very important in helping you manage your building maintenance plans and identifying any essential or recommended repairs.
In addition to the information below, useful guidance can also be found here:
Quinquennial inspections | The Church of England
Quinquennial and other inspections | National Churches Trust
You can also download the attached guidance on QIs from the Church Buildings Council and the attached diocesan guidance on working with your architect.
Arranging Your Inspection
It is your responsibility to arrange your QI. Your most recent report should tell you the date that your building was last inspected, and you should use this to calculate the due date for your next inspection.
It is up to you whether to remain with the same inspector or firm, or to appoint a new inspector using the tender process (see New Appointments). There can be benefits to retaining existing expertise but a QI is also a good opportunity to initiate a relationship with a new Inspector.
The PCC is responsible for any fees charged by the Inspector, so it is wise to plan ahead by putting aside money each year. Make sure that when appointing a new architect you are aware of how much a QI will cost.
Most Inspectors are responsible for multiple churches so can become very busy, especially as the majority of QIs are conducted between April-October, when days are longer and weather is fairer. You should contact your Inspector as early as possible to arrange a date in advance of your due date to ensure that they are available. QIs are thorough and can take an entire day, so make sure that someone is available to remain with the Inspector on site for the duration of their visit.
Preparing for Your Inspection
The Inspector will usually ask to see your maintenance log book to assess any work which has been completed since the previous inspection, so make sure that you have this to hand and that it is always kept up to date.
The Inspector may also ask to see other relevant paperwork such as gas and electricity certifications, arboricultural reports, lightening conductor tests, or boiler inspections so it might be sensible to have these completed before the inspection so the results can be included in the final QI report. Please note that electrics need to be tested every five years by an electrician who is a member of an accredited certification scheme (such as NAPIT, NICEIC or ECA) and certified to full competence.
If you are considering any upcoming building projects or making changes to your building (see Making Changes) your QI is a good opportunity to raise this with your inspector as they may incorporate some advice into the report. Your inspector should also consider Net Zero matters and accessibility concerns so it is worth planning to raise any questions or ambitions you may have about these.
Reading Your Report
You should receive your report within three months of the QI. Read over it carefully to identify any mistakes which require corrections.
The QI report should be prepared in accordance with the Church Buildings Council Guidelines above, it should include plenty of photographs and will be organised with a priority system to help you identify work that is most urgent; some QI architects also include an approximate cost for works.
Most architects will be happy to have a follow up phone call or visit to discuss the report and answer any questions you may have.
Applying Any Recommendations
Your report should highlight urgent and optional work to help you prioritise what needs to be done sooner rather than later. Be aware that a QI report does not constitute permission to carry out any work, and you should check what permissions may be required before implementing any recommendations (see permissions).
A good QI should usually include indicative prices. These are subject to variations depending on contractors so should be understood as predominantly advisory but they can be useful to gauge the appropriateness of any quotes you may receive. Some grants or funding options may be available to help assist with the costs of repairs (see Grants & Fundraising).