Refurbishments: A selection from North London

A selection of photographs illustrating refurbishments undertaken in North London.

Usually these individual properties were grouped together, in multiples of between 4-10 houses, by geographical area, to form  a single contact. Contract values ranged from £500,000 to £1.5 million. They were undertaken for a number of different Housing Associations, including Circle 33 Housing Trust and New Islington & Hackney Housing Association.

There is a popular misconception, that "small" refurbishments are best dealt with using "small" local builders. Nothing could be further from the truth! These projects require far greater knowledge base and skill on the part of the Contractor than the majority of New Build contracts. Typically, they encompass every construction technique and temporary works possible. It is not unknown for, flying and raking shores, scaffold gantries, support work, temporary roofs, dead shoring, dewatering and the use of conveyors, hoists and chutes, all to be required for a single property. Add, the need for specialist foundations, underpinning, stabilization measures, ring beams, new bay construction, working in confined areas and stir with Health and Safety legislation and Party Wall works; would you let the Contract to "one man and his dog"?  

Who will you employ to supervise the works, how much time will they spend doing it. What will it cost?

And what about the replacement of those original features the Conservation Officer and Planners are so concerned about?  Stucco mouldings, box frame sash windows, fancy bays, special brickwork, cornices, wrot ironwork are our stock in trade.

If you want a first class quality job, the practical problems dealt with without fuss and with the minimum of supervision, come to us, we have been taking it all in our stride for the last 20 years.