The project required the complete refurbishment of 68 existing bedrooms and the construction of 60 new beds all within the existing occupied premises.
Challenges on this site were many and varied from working in very close proximity with the residents and staff to the constant issues with existing services that differ from any existing documentation. Given the re-furbished rooms required the complete demolition of the ensuites, including slabs, and demolition of the external wall to expand the bedroom by enclosing the existing balcony, North made the decision to use a dedicated team to run the refurbishment part of the project, and allowing a separate team to complete the new build.
The existing rooms were completed in stages to allow residents to be temporarily relocated whilst the work in their area was completed. A significant part of the success of the project was the communication between North personnel and the client, forecasting time frames for relocation, erecting and removing the correct style of hoardings for their location, scheduling noisy work or large deliveries was part of the day to day running of the site.