Woolacotts Consulting Engineers have a long history of providing engineering advice and project management within the facilities maintenance space. We are seen as trusted advisers and are often called upon to assist in planning our clients building maintenance and remedial requirements. Our competitive fees, prompt attention and detailed innovative solutions are seen as major benefits by our clients.

We have worked directly with clients such as Qantas, Nestle, and Selleys & Yates (part of the Dulux Group) for many decades, undertaking structural condition assessment reports and building fabric safety audits for their various facilities. As an example, we have been providing advice to Qantas at their Sydney Jet base since 1957.

Woolacotts have also worked with several large commercial real estate services firms such as BGIS, JLL, and Cushman Wakefield. We are currently assisting these companies with their work on facilities such as Post Offices, Police stations and Correctional Facilities.

In recent months Woolacotts have been commissioned to inspect and provide solutions for various facilities in regional areas of NSW and Queensland. Some of our projects include:

• Nyngan Police Station – Condition Assessment and recommendations for remedial works

• Toowoomba Medical and Dental Centre – Assessment of foundation subsidence

• Raymond Terrace Police station – Condition assessment of building fabric

• Corowa Police Station – Condition assessment and remedial works for a 1880s heritage police station.

• Tocumwal Police Station – Condition assessment and remedial works for a 1890s heritage police station and courthouse building.

The breaking of the drought has led to changing moisture conditions in reactive clay soils below a number of these buildings, which in turn has led to building movements. Older masonry structures are particularly susceptible to foundation movements leading to cracking of the masonry walls as evidenced in the images below.

We have worked with our clients to achieve cost effective repair solutions that deal with other constraints, such as providing sympathetic repairs of heritage structures. Our approach ensures that repairs do not compromise heritage significance and that the cultural significance of items are maintained over time.

Featured above: Tocumwal Police station

In this type of work and in these times of COVID restrictions, our staff have appreciated the opportunity to travel and experience some of what our regional towns have to offer, from the great pies and pastries at Howlong Country Bakery, the grain farms in bloom along the Murray River, the giant Murray Cod at Tocumwal and the Botanic Gardens in Albury.

As stated by Associate Structural Engineer, Joe Spatola:

It has also thrown up some interesting challenges such as remembering to double check the GPS route when in travelling from Albury to Tocumwal. The fastest route would see you crossing the border into Victoria and then back into NSW, which the police on the boarder patrols would rather you did not do. On the plus side, not having the queue to check in at Sydney airport was refreshing, though the lack of people in the terminal was a little surreal.”

If you require building maintenance and remedial services for your property, please get in touch with our expert staff. To learn more, visit our services page here.