Project: Renovation of Historical Building
Schools: Heathside Preparatory School (NW3)
The Brief
Due to planned expansion, the school needed to refurbish an old pub site into a school building. This process was made more complicated by pub site being listed as a historic building, meaning there was a regulatory requirement to maintain the original features in addition to pressure from local residents. Alongside restoration of original features the assigned contractor had to transform the inside into a fully functioning learning space. Due to a delay in planning, the timeframe was tight, and the deadline was fixed because the start of a new term was looming.
- Historic Building Renovation
- Strict Planning Regulations
- Inflexible Deadline
Our Approach
To deliver this project we needed to source a contractor who had experience with projects on historic buildings and could demonstrate their ability to deliver the level of restoration required. The site logistics were challenging, with no parking, loading bays or easy road access the assigned contractor would need to have experience working on projects in hard to access locations. After a detailed review of our approved contractors the supplier selected had experience in schools, with historical renovations and had hit 100% of deadlines set in over 80 assignments – we were confident we’d found the right supplier to deliver the job.
During the project, our team were in contact with the project manager to ensure that the timeframe was met and that planning guidelines were met. Our close monitoring of the project allowed us to reassure the school about opening times which helped them greatly in their communication to parents.
- Detailed Specification Developed
- Experienced Contractor Assigned
- Detailed Information Aided Parental Communication
The Outcome
The project was finished within the stipulated timeframe, so the school was able to open on time. Collaboration between the school and contractor meant that pupils and parents were able to view the site and this maximised enrolment. Senior members of the school, the council, governors and local residents were all delighted with the outcome – not only was the building restored beautifully but the learning environment was perfect and befitting of a school with such a lofty reputation.
- Handover before deadline
- Under budget
- Building Control Inspection Passed
- Early Viewing Possible
- Key Stakeholders ‘Delighted’
