Consulting & Education 

Our American mindset regarding building ownership differs greatly from the European mindset. Here in America, we “own” our buildings, whereas in Europe, most “building owners” consider themselves temporary stewards of the structures they inhabit or control.

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From the time a building is constructed, gravity, time, and the elements work in concert to bring it down. As a current steward or “owner” of any structure, our job then becomes battling those forces to keep the building standing for as long as possible.

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There are many homes in Europe that are over 800 years old that are still in the same family, having been passed down from generation to generation. More important than the ownership of the structures passing from generation to generation has been the knowledge of how to care for and preserve them. Most of us here care a great deal for the homes that we live in and the buildings in which we conduct business, worship, and receive our education.

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We still, here in America, live in a very fast-paced society. Ten years can go by in what seems like the blink of an eye to us without even realizing that the home we live in may be suffering the effects of water intrusion, for instance, which is the leading cause of building and masonry deterioration and damage.

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For nearly 40 years, the professionals at Bramwell-McKay have been thinking a great deal about the relationship between buildings and water. We have examined thousands of structures during that time and have accurately assessed the condition of each.

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We have published articles on masonry restoration for Masonry magazine.

We have lectured at several historic building shows throughout the Midwest, been a guest speaker for Indiana Historic Landmarks, and designed, wrote, and taught the Causes of Masonry Failure course for the American Institute of Architects. The most important service we provide to building stewards is in helping them truly understand the condition and needs of the structure they are temporarily safekeeping.