Does it need an architect?

It is difficult to be precise about whether an architect's specification will be required. Where substantial work to an historic building is involved then an architect's specification will be required, together with method statements from any specialist contractors eg conservators, window repairers.

Critical questions are:
• who will be taking professional responsibility for the success of the work
• are they suitably insured?
• will they be able to produce a suitably clear and detailed statement / specification of the extent and nature of the work and the methods, materials to be employed?

When an architect must be involved, you do not have to emply your Quinquennial architect although you are encouraged to do so. The QI architect knows your building.

Whichever architect or other suitably-qualified professional advisor you choose to employ, you should have a clear contract setting out what you are expecting from them and what the fee is to be.

How long will it take to get a faculty?

It depends! Every effort will be made to speed your faculty petition through but experience shows that any attempt to shortcut the system only ends in delay.

The preliminary stage can vary from no time at all to several months.

Once the formal petition has been submitted, if the papers are sufficiently clear and complete and there are no further questions to be resolved, then a faculty may come through within a month of the DAC meeting at which it is agreed to recommend that the Chancellor grant the faculty. The DAC meets every 5 or 6 weeks (except in August and December).

However, if the church is a listed building, then amenity bodies have 28 days in which to make comments and this may mean the petition has to be deferred to a later meeting.

If the papers are not sufficiently clear and complete or are wrongly submitted, then they will be delayed because resources in the Registry and Diocesan Office are too limited to sort out the corrections for you and the papers may therefore be returned.

But the DAC has visited and knows about it, so why do you need all this paperwork?

Not all the DAC will have visited. The petition papers will be looked at by all the DAC and the Chancellor as well as other people with an interest such as members of the public, amenity bodies, and future generations. Therefore they need to give a complete understanding and description of the proposals.

The test is: if I came as a stranger into this church with these papers would I know exactly what was to be done and why?

Can I submit the form electronically?

The preliminary consultation may be sent electronically to the DAC secretary if all the accompanying papers are also sent in this way.

At present the petition (form 1 part 2) must be lodged at the Registry as hard copy (2 complete sets of papers).

The DAC approved the work - can I start now?

No! The DAC does not approve work, it advises the Chancellor about the suitability of granting a faculty for the work. The Chancellor (not the DAC) decides whether or not the faculty is granted and he is not bound to follow the DAC's advice. Work should not be started until a faculty has been received.

Can you recommend a builder?

No! The DAC secretary may be able to let you know of builders who have done similar work on churches but is not able to recommend or guarantee the work of any contractor. Your architect may be able to suggest contractors and, if supervising the work, will take responsibility for making sure it is done properly. Otherwise you will need to rely on local reputation. The DAC may ask for references and qualifications for a contractor.