refurbishment

A national trade body is signposting social housing professionals to a range of services to find a trusted route to solve damp and mould issues in properties.

The Property Care Association, which has been in formation for ninety years, is the UK trade body for companies and professionals who specialise in the diagnosis, control and management of dampness in buildings.

Its members understand all the different variables which can affect moisture levels in properties, such as the building’s construction, style of occupation, heating, thermal performance of walls and floors, and the provision of air exchange.

Encasement pipe boxing and casings have been used for more than 15 years to conceal interior and exterior pipework in a range of social housing projects across the UK, from fire sprinkler installations and heating system upgrades to the latest low carbon ground source heat pump and shared loop arrays.

Polypipe Building Services has provided a complex drainage solution for the refurbishment of an ageing tower block with minimal disruption by manufacturing bespoke drainage stacks offsite.

Collaborating with contractors Mulalley and consultants John Rowan & Partners, the Kent-based drainage system company provided prefabricated products adapted to meet the challenges of this 50-year-old building which had been subject to several adaptations over the years.

Building design preferences are as prone to change across the decades as any other trend; but one element of construction that never falters from one generation to the next, is the need for quality; in terms of both aesthetics and performance.

Infinity Steel from Alumasc Water Management Solutions (AWMS) is a range of lightweight rainwater solutions suited to both traditional and contemporary buildings, and to secure its continued popularity for future generations it is now available in the timeless new colour,
RAL 9007: Grey Aluminium.

Britain has an existing housing stock that is the oldest in Europe. And this means that many properties don’t have any insulation – in fact, only about 50% have cavity or solid wall insulation.
Heat loss in a house happens faster in poorly insulated homes. So with no insulation, the existing stock of houses aren’t as energy efficient as they could, and should, be.
It’s generally considered that about 35% of heat lost is through the walls, and 25% is through the roof. The lack of insulation means that cold, external walls are the chief culprit for heat loss because, without adequate insulation, they don’t keep heat inside the home, which makes it harder to maintain a comfortable temperature and causes energy bills to rise as thermostats are turned up higher and are left on for longer. And with the majority of heating systems being reliant upon fossil fuels, not only do energy bills increase but the impact on the planet is also significant.

When exposed pipework or services need to be concealed quickly and easily, the Pendock Profiles range is one of the most comprehensive and cost effective available for use in a wide variety of social housing projects and applications.

Pendock MX and TK pipe boxing can be used in most general interior applications to conceal heating system, water supply or waste pipes, while MXF boxing is a dedicated solution for covering fire sprinkler system pipework, where its widespread use is helping speed fire safety improvement projects across the UK.

Alexandra West, EGGER UK’s Product Manager, shares how making simple swaps in furniture and interior design can offer more than just a cost saving.

"Whether it is time, budget or design demands, there are simple solutions in the market to help value engineer even the most complex of projects. With consumers more conscious of their cash flow than ever before, it is important to offer solutions with added benefits.