SOLUTIONS FOR STRUCTURES
Restoration Consulting
Walker has pioneered new methods and set industry standards for restoration and preservation of structures. We are dedicated to helping owners extend the life of their facilities. We use state-of-the-art strategies to offer tailored recommendations that enable you to improve the long-term health and value of your assets.
Our experience includes office, medical, and institutional buildings; historic structures; bridges; tunnels; water treatment facilities; airports; sports/entertainment facilities; parking facilities; and plazas. Compared to overhauls, renovations, or wholesale dismantling and reconstruction, Walker’s restoration approaches are practical, less disruptive to the occupants and surrounding communities, and a substantially smaller investment in time and money.
Walker develops specialized, practical repair designs that will increase the performance and extend the service life of your facility. We are familiar with different types of structures, including buildings, bridges, and stadiums, as well as many types of construction materials, façade and window systems, and roof and plaza designs.
Asset Management Plan
Walker’s asset management plans are tailored to meet the needs of facility managers, developers, and owners with multiple buildings or parking structures. The plan’s main objective is to provide owners with an effective planning and budget management tool for maintenance and repair. The plan includes a baseline evaluation of existing conditions, subsequent periodic repair and restoration, recommendations, opinion of probable cost, and an update of maintenance components based on remaining service life.
Façade Condition Assessments and Repairs
Walker offers comprehensive architectural and engineering services for all kinds of façade types including terra cotta, stone, masonry, metallic, concrete and glass. Walker provides condition assessments and develops repair designs to extend the service life of the facade.
Also, Walker provides assistance with façade ordinance inspections that will meet the requirements for cities across the country. Learn more here.
Maintenance Plans
Walker regularly prepares maintenance programs for new and existing structures. Maintenance programs are developed to assure proper and timely actions to minimize premature failure of building components and systems. Walker provides recommendations for prioritized repairs, alternatives for remedial actions, and a detailed opinion of probable costs. Walker’s engineers and architects work closely with clients to arrive at an implementable course of action.
Facility maintenance must be performed at regular intervals to be cost-effective. Our maintenance plans include task schedules for all building components, such as floors, structural supports, stair/elevators, occupied space, lighting, plumbing and support equipment.
Condition Assessments
Walker’s professional staff will assess the current condition of the structure, conduct appropriate material and non-destructive testing, identify potentially hazardous conditions, determine not only the extent of the deterioration but more importantly its root cause. Walker provides recommendations for prioritized repairs, alternatives for remedial actions, and a detailed opinion of probable costs. Walker’s engineers and architects work closely with clients to arrive at an implementable course of action.
Historic Preservation
Walker’s experts work within historic preservation design regulations and balance our client’s project and budget priorities to provide holistic and lasting preservation solutions while maintaining the structure’s integrity. This includes comprehensive architectural and structural evaluations of historic enclosures and the integral structures and detailed analysis of the project requirements. Our experienced teams will develop design documents suitable both for local permitting and historic review board approvals and compliant with applicable standards (such as the nationally-recognized Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties). We collaborate with specialty product manufacturers and qualified restoration contractors nationally, and can ensure that the distinctive characteristics of these historic property assets are preserved and maintained for generations to come.
Preparation of Construction Documents and Specifications
From design through construction documents, Walker develops specialized, focused and practical repair designs that will increase the performance and extend the service life of the structure. We are familiar with different buildings, construction materials, façade and window systems, roof and plaza construction, bridges, and stadiums. Our detailed construction and bidding documents, coupled with on-site monitoring, reduce potential change orders and verify that repair objectives are met.
Review and Analysis of Bids
Walker can assist with the contractor bidding process which includes providing bid documents for contractors to review. Walker can also assist with evaluation of bids.
Construction Contract Administration Services
Walker provides on-site field visits and consulting during repair construction to observe contractor performance and resolve any field issues that may arise. We review material data, shop drawing submittals and recommend changes as needed. In addition, we address hidden conditions, provide resolutions, and monitor the contractor’s quality control along with answering questions that may arise.
