Three Museums, One Town, Countless Lessons

A Quantity Surveyor’s Reflection on Working Across Bury’s Museum Heritage by Emma Howarth

As Quantity Surveyors, we often move from project to project, sector to sector and client to client. Every now and then, however, a group of projects comes along that feels particularly special.

Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to be involved in work relating to all three of Bury’s museums: The Fusilier Museum, Bury Art Museum and Bury Transport Museum.

The work itself has been varied. It includes a roofing contract at The Fusilier Museum, completed in 2023, a further roofing project that is about to start on site at Bury Art Museum and, most recently, the completion of an insurance reinstatement valuation at Bury Transport Museum.

Each museum tells a different story about the borough’s heritage, culture and identity. Whilst the exhibits within their walls may vary considerably, they share an important purpose: preserving the past and making it accessible to future generations. Having the opportunity to contribute professionally across all three sites has therefore been both a privilege and a personal highlight.

The Challenges of Heritage Projects

Working on heritage and cultural buildings can be very different from delivering a new build development. Existing and historic buildings often bring complexities that are not immediately visible, from ageing structures and materials to conservation considerations and the challenge of introducing modern standards without compromising historic character.

From a Quantity Surveying perspective, this can make early cost certainty more challenging. The full extent of an issue may not always be apparent at the outset, which makes appropriate investigation, contingency planning, risk management and communication particularly important. Understanding where uncertainty exists allows the project team and client to make more informed decisions as the work progresses.

Heritage projects can also require us to think beyond the physical building. Museums may contain important collections and exhibits, remain accessible to visitors and play an active role within their communities. The way works are planned and delivered therefore needs to consider disruption, access and the protection of both the building and what it contains.

On heritage projects, good cost management isn’t simply about keeping expenditure within budget. It is about understanding where investment is needed, managing uncertainty and helping the project team make informed decisions that protect both the building and the client’s objectives.

Three Museums, Three Stories

Although all three projects relate to museum buildings in Bury, each has brought a different perspective to my role as a Quantity Surveyor.

The Fusilier Museum stands as a tribute to the history of the Lancashire Fusiliers and the servicemen and women who have served their country. Our roofing project, completed in 2023, demonstrated the care required when carrying out essential work to an established heritage building. The practical need to maintain and protect the building has to sit alongside an appreciation of what that building represents and the importance of safeguarding it for the future.

Bury Art Museum has long been a cultural landmark within the town, providing a home for art, creativity and education. With the next roofing project preparing to start on site, the focus is currently on the planning and preparation that takes place before physical work begins. It is an important reminder that good project outcomes are influenced considerably by the decisions made before anyone arrives on site, particularly when working with an existing cultural asset.

Bury Transport Museum has provided a very different Quantity Surveying perspective. Rather than construction work, my recent involvement has centred on completing an insurance reinstatement valuation. Reinstatement valuations require consideration of what it could realistically cost to rebuild an asset following a major loss, and heritage buildings can bring particular considerations because of their character, construction and individual features. The museum celebrates the region’s industrial and transport heritage, showcasing some of the engineering achievements that helped shape the local area. Looking at such a building through the lens of reinstatement value provides another reminder of the importance of understanding and protecting distinctive assets before that information is ever needed.