How to manage your project

Many churches are unprepared for the amount of work involved in managing a building project. Ensuring that you have a comprehensive project plan and detailed budget will help you to stay on top of the project as a whole, and keep your end goals in sight.

Involve the right people

You should set up a management group, to oversee the planning, development and building stages of your project.

It is helpful if some of your group have a basic knowledge of caring for heritage buildings, can understand technical drawings and have experience of negotiating contracts and supervising work. It is important that none have conflicts of interest.

The group should agree a project director, someone who will manage the project on a day to day basis, and keep an eye on the budget. It may be that you appoint your architect or surveyor as project director. Your group should always agree a decision making process, and have one main point of contact.

National Churches Trust: involving people

Employ specialists

For any work carried out on your building, you should employ an appropriate professional.

If your project is funded from the public purse (including Heritage Lottery Funding) you must also ensure that you tender for and make agreements with contractors according to procurement regulations.

National Churches Trust: finding specialists and trades people

ChurchCare: advice on procurement

The National Churches Trust, and some other funders, require professionals working on listed buildings to have conservation accreditation. This is worth considering at an early stage.

Ensure good practice

It is your management group’s responsibility to ensure that good practice is maintained throughout the project. This includes: health and safety on site; financial management of income and expenditure; and, that any special considerations to be made when working with a historic building are adhered to.

National Churches Trust: site safety

National Churches Trust: sound financial management

National Churches Trust: historic building considerations