Tim Floyd, Building Science Expert

Heritage Woodwork Consultancy Associate

Tim brings a wealth of experience in the field of building science to Heritage Woodwork Consultancy. As the founder and leader of Floyd Consult, he is highly regarded for his extensive knowledge of architectural materials science and chartered surveying. Tim is an expert in diagnosing and assessing issues related to timber in various types of buildings.

Tim employs cutting-edge technology to process samples and conduct in-depth examinations of building materials under the microscope. With his expertise in the “biology of buildings,”  he’s capable of identifying and addressing issues related to dampness, insects, fungi, and mould that can threaten the integrity of listed structures.

TIM FLOYD's Survey & scientific assessment expertise

Tim Floyd offers a wide range of building condition assessment services, specialising in historic buildings. Tim assesses period woodwork structures, carries out chemical analyses, identifies fungi, and advises on remediation after flood or fire damage. He also offers expert witness services, lectures on building-related subjects, and consults on repair work for buildings with statutory protection.

Water in Buildings

An assessment of how the building envelope and all elements associated with it, are affected by moisture. Find out more >

Timber Survey

How structural timber and joinery have been affected by biodeterioration and movement.
Find out more >

Environmental Science

Assessing, recording and managing problematic and sensitive building environments.
Find out more >

Materials Science

Identification and advice on various systems, materials and chemicals associated with historic buildings. Find out more >

Building Biology

Investigating how living organisms interact with the building envelope more generally.
Find out more >

Thermal Imaging

Acquisition of infrared imagery for various forms of diagnosis. Find out more >

Tim Floyd: A Dedicated Building Condition Assessor at Heritage Woodwork Consultancy

Tim is known for his unwavering commitment to delivering top-quality service to his clients. And is dedicated to ensuring that they receive accurate assessments and diagnoses of their building issues. Whether he is crawling through tight spaces or conducting research in his office, Tim is thorough in his approach, ensuring that no detail is overlooked.

As a trusted member of the Heritage Woodwork Consultancy team, Tim’s expertise is highly valued by Vincent Reed and colleagues. His addition to our team ensures that all our clients will receive a comprehensive and unique perspective on assessing and diagnosing issues related to materials in buildings, as well as trusting his expert judgment in identifying and addressing potential problems before they become more severe.

CONSULTATIONs with TIM FLOYD

If you’re looking for building condition assessment services, consider scheduling a consultation with Tim Flloyd. Tim is dedicated to providing accurate assessments and diagnoses of building issues, and he leaves no detail overlooked. As a member of the Heritage Woodwork Consultancy team, Tim’s expertise is highly valued by Vincent Reed and colleagues, ensuring that clients receive a comprehensive and unique perspective on assessing and diagnosing issues related to materials in buildings.
Contact us to schedule a consultation with Tim and take the first step in ensuring the long-term health and safety of your building.

survey techniques of historic buildings

Surveying historic buildings requires specialised techniques and skills to accurately assess their condition. Our team of experts utilises a range of survey techniques, including visual inspections, non-destructive testing, and material analysis, to identify potential issues and provide recommendations for remediation. By taking a thorough and methodical approach, we can help ensure that these important buildings are preserved for future generations. Contact us to learn more about our survey techniques for historic buildings.

If you’re interested in a consultation with Tim Floyd please send us your details and we will call you to discuss.

If you’re interested in a consultation with Vincent, please send us your details and we will call you to discuss.

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Thermal Imaging

The thermal imaging camera detects the infrared energy emitted by all surfaces, converts this into temperature and lays the colour coded distribution of the values into a frame – also overlaid onto a digital image.

The most useful applications of thermography in existing buildings are:

To determine positions of concealed structural arrangements (timber frame behind render, joists above a ceiling or cavities in masonry for example).

To record distribution of temperature variation for environmental studies.

The evaporation of water from a surface will produce a cooling effect which can be detected by infrared analysis. As such, given suitable environmental conditions, a thermal imaging camera can be useful in the diagnosis of damp.

Building Biology

Natural biological processes will always initiate within the building envelope, the complexities of which will generally increase with the age of the building.

So although the term ‘building biology’ could be considered to encompass much of what we do, this section focuses on the more intricate biological processes associated with buildings such as sewage contamination, bio chemistry of biocides and interactions of various fungi and moulds – all of which can be tested for.

Materials Science

Identification of timber species is carried out in house using microscopic examination of thin sections when necessary.

This is used for strength grading (where the structural capacity of softwood is defined by – amongst other things – its species).

Other species confirmation carried out by us has involved determining species for:

  • Conservation of water wheels, gears and other mill structures.
  • Furniture and joinery items such as pews and timber panelling respectively.

Basic mineral salt identification is carried out in-house. More complex chemical analyses (such as establishing whether a preservative is present in a timber sample for example) might involve sending samples on to the appropriate UK accredited laboratory.

Environmental Science

The internal building environment is ultimately controlled by external conditions (daily and seasonal variation) and then by our attempts to counteract them through building materials and environmental control.

Where historic or existing buildings are subjected to a change of use, changes (sometimes imperceptibly small) to previously stable environments can precipitate various adverse responses in the building. Attempts to remediate without fully understanding all contributory factors often exacerbate existing problems and/or create new ones.

Residential Building Environments

In the case of occupancy within existing structures, the (perfectly reasonable) requirement that modern living standards and heating systems be introduced to an envelope originally built (or designed) with very different standards and systems in mind can result in the creation of very unhealthy conditions which might include:

  • Formation of condensation, leading to:
  • Mould growth and
  • Spoiling of decorative surfaces.
  • Inefficient energy usage.

Museum Environments

Maintaining suitable environments in which to store delicate items or retain delicate building finishes, especially where accessible to the public, can be very difficult to achieve without environmental monitoring and sensitive environmental control. Fluctuating environmental levels in a museum environment can produce those issues listed above, causing:

  • Biodeterioration of fabrics and paint
  • Deformation of fine joinery
  • Build up of micro stresses in paint and plaster layers
  • Recording Environmental Levels

The most important variables with regard to buildings are temperature and how much moisture is in the air, or (relative) humidity. (Visible and ultraviolet light can affect sensitive objects and are often monitored – particularly in museum environments). These levels can be recorded at various points throughout a building space, with monitoring periods dependent on the particular situation. Monitoring is achieved through units the size of a small mobile phone. Data can be stored in the unit itself or relayed wirelessly to central storage either on or off-site for analysis.

The technology for recording, storing and relaying environmental data is evolving on an almost monthly basis, so ideally a phone conversation would be preferable to discuss any particular requirements.

Data is recorded and presented in such a way as to highlight a particular issue. For instance, the graph below was prepared to highlight the causal relationship between an external environment and condensation on internal surfaces.

Timber Survey

Timber Survey is an assessment of how structural timber and joinery have been affected by biodeterioration mechanisms, namely:

  • Wood boring insects
  • Wood decay/spoiling fungi
  • Structural failure (or response) resulting from the above or from alteration is also assessed.

In Practise

  • Emphasis is placed on determining whether the decay organisms are alive, or if an environment exists that could support them.
  • Extent of decay is quantified, using various methods as the situation requires (such as micro drilling).
  • Timber species and quality are established.
  • In situ timbers visually strength graded to BS4978 (softwood) and 5756 (hardwood).

The Report

Forms the basis of a building specification. It will include schedules of timber replacement and repair where necessary. When working with historic/protected buildings, recommendations are based on

  • The biological capabilities of the biodeterioration organisms,
  • The physiology/anatomy/structure of the building materials,
  • The ultimate design and structural demands to be placed on the elements.
  • The objective is to retain as much of the original fabric as possible.

Water in Buildings

Very commonly and loosley described as ‘damp surveys’, they are assessments of how the building envelope and its internal environment are affected by moisture, with regard to:

  • Condition/design of (historic) drainage systems
  • Contours/properties of the substrate on which the building is founded
  • Properties and condition of the building materials and methods of construction
  • The effects of previous alteration
  • The growth of other (non-wood decay) fungi including moulds.
  • Building use
  • Environmental variables such as condensation, part of any damp survey, are considered more fully in the ‘Environmental Survey’.

In Practise

The techniques employed are dependent on the degree of detail required and can include:

  • Visual defect survey, invasive or non-invasive as appropriate.
  • Recording moisture levels of building elements and environment (relative humidity)
  • Removal of plaster/mortar/masonry samples for analysis
  • Optically levelled/measured survey

The Report

Would constitute the basis for a building specification. In the case of a residential building, this would detail all remedial work necessary to provide both a suitably habitable living environment and good standard of internal decor while ensuring this was not at the expense of the existing fabric.

The detail and tone of any recommendations or building specification would reflect the increased complexity and sensitivity almost always encountered with listed buildings.