Nuneaton & Bedworth Refurbishment Project 2017

Client: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council

Contract Value: £1.9m

Date: Completed October 2017

Works: External Refurbishment, including External wall Insulation, Roofline extensions, replacement doors and windows to 153 Social Housing Properties.

Key Challenges – Because it was necessary to enter into the properties to facilitate the works, due to replacement of the windows to the properties and alterations we needed to do to the lounge window size, a key challenge we experienced with the tenants was their feelings of our intrusion into their private space. We overcome this by being very understanding of their privacy and their needs, and by good communications. This detailed to them what we were doing and why and how long it would take, along with what we expected from them. We always made sure that they knew when we were calling, with suitable notice, and that they then had the opportunity to move any personal and private items. If they had trouble moving furniture items themselves, then we assisted them. We were sensitive to the invasion our works represented to them, and if necessary did our works in 2 visits so they had the chance to move items in half the house in one visit and the second half in another visit.

Integrated Project Team – At the outset of the project, Westdale appoint a team to manage and run the project, and this consists of a Project Manager, A Site Manager (SMSTS accredited), a Tenant/Resident Liaison Officer, a Quantity Surveyor and a Site Facilitator. We also have a dedicated Health & Safety Manager (NEBOSH qualified), who has a NEBOSH qualified assistant.

This team was introduced to the Nuneaton & Bedworth Council team, and relevant roles and responsibilities explained, along with contact numbers and email addresses. The N&B team exchanged contact details and regular site meetings were scheduled, and minuted. We had a very good relationship with the N&B team, working together to ensure that any tenants concerns were addressed in a timely manner. Tenants and N&B were kept updated by approved communications and information booklets, which assisted both teams in ensuring the smooth progress of the project.

Management Reports – Westdale raise a number of contemporaneous reports during the course of the project, which track progress, financial position against contract sum, customer satisfaction and issues raised. These reports enable the client to regularly review how the project is progressing against programme & budgets. We incentivised tenants to complete the Customer Satisfaction forms by holding a prize draw to select a winner from the returned forms.

Sustainability – Our EWI works were installed in accordance with PAS 2030 quality checks. This ensures that the property is thermally enhanced for a long period of time, reducing the heat loss through the walls, and reducing the tenant’s bills to heat the property. Their Carbon Footprint is considerably improved. The system can also reduce damp and therefore can have health benefits to the residents who suffer from asthma and breathing issues.

Boarding used was sourced from Sustainable Sources– FSC Certified

Tiles removed from the front of the properties were not sent for landfill- they were taken to a specialised recycling plant where they were crushed and re-used in road making etc

Offcuts from insulation boards were not placed in the skips either- they were segregated, collected by the supplier and compressed to be recycled. This reduced the amount of skips that were needed on site (which cuts down vehicles and emissions) and reduced the waste going to landfill.

Removed windows are fully recycled. The uPVC frames are out-sorted and collected weekly by Eurocell. The glass is placed in skipped collected by a local skip company, where it is crushed for use in road re-surfacing aggregate.

We are slowly changing our company cars over to all electric, or plug-in hybrids as part of our aim to reduce our carbon emissions

We have subsequently undertaken 2 additional refurbishments schemes for NBBC, with a similar scope of works, refurbishing 120 Solid Wall properties 2020/21 and commencing another scheme of over 180 Non Trad & Solid Wall properties in July 2021.