National maintenance, refurbishment and new build contractor, Novus Property Solutions, has successfully delivered a new steel-frame pitched roofing solution for two high rise apartment blocks in Staffordshire.
David Garrick Gardens, a pair of eight-storey buildings in Lichfield - Garrick House and Boswell House - are the tallest in the housing stock of social enterprise Bromford and they required new lightweight roofing to be constructed onto the existing flat parapet roofs, presenting Novus with a unique challenge.
The buildings had suffered from roof leaks for a number of years, and rather than carrying out repairs to the flat roof, Novus were contracted to create a watertight roofing system that would prevent water from reaching the flat roof area.
The project included loft and cavity wall insulation, removal of asbestos, and concrete repairs at the tower blocks, as well as renewing the buildings’ windows, paintworks and air extraction systems.
An extremely large scaffold was erected, which included enabling works, to provide the grounds with a base upon which to carry out the works. The project workforce was carefully selected to ensure that every team member was appropriately trained and skilled for the job.
The outcome of Novus’ maintenance works, which encompassed more than £900,000 of the project’s budget, was a building with a brand new, watertight roof, as well as a building with greater structural integrity and increased energy efficiency.
Nigel Gosling, senior contracts manager at Bromford, said: “Novus was our main contractor and successfully carried out the roofing and brick and concrete works together with all the reinstatement works. They also carefully managed our nominated sub-contractors for the window installation and the eco-funded cavity insulation works.
“This potentially disruptive project for the residents living at David Garrick Gardens has been very well co-ordinated by the team from Novus and is now providing our customers with warmer, more energy efficient homes.”
Gary Clay, operations manager at Novus, said: “This type of roof installation was not something Novus had done before, and we overcame various challenges to ensure the end result met the needs of the tower blocks.
“Our concrete repairs have sealed the integrity of the building and reduced the likelihood of further structural repairs being required in years to come.”
