Editor Bill Palmer met with Michael Schuller at the 2021 World of Concrete. Schuller is president of Atkinson-Noland & Associates, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado, a consulting firm that specializes in historic restoration and preservation of masonry structures. 

Performing masonry repair on older structures, especially in downtown areas undergoing revitalization, is a hot market segment. During the interview, Schuller delves into the challenges contractors face when planning to work on historic masonry structures as when performing new construction. Conforming to new building construction standards when updating structures can become complex.

When discussing the first steps he takes when starting a historic masonry renovation, Schuller underscores the importance of doing due diligence. “We do a lot of legwork, we talk to the building owner, we talk to the building maintenance people, go through their files to see if anyone has done any reports on the building, maybe they have records of a renovation that was done 30 years ago, that is really important to look for,” said Schuller.

Schuller is a popular World of Concrete Seminar presenter and serves on the show’s Education Advisory Committee. In 2019, The Masonry Society published Assessment and Evaluation of Masonry Structures. Schuller worked with book’s authors, Dr. Ahmed Hamid, to create the industry’s most up-to-date source of information on this important topic.  Schuller believes that one of the book’s best offerings is the Assessment Checklist. The four-page list outlines important items suitable for all masonry structures. “Our team uses similar checklists on every project,” said Sculler.