BUILDING NAME is a riverside residential block in the lovely Rotherhithe area of London. It backs onto the Thames and provides residents with amazing views, and residents expect the common areas of their building to reflect their surroundings.
BUILDING NAME’s block managers contacted COMPANY NAME, asking us to complete the internal redecoration works they had started pre-covid. Due to the subsequent lockdowns, the project was put on hold and the job was unfortunately left half-finished, leaving the managers and residents frustrated and living with half-finished common areas.
We were asked to complete the refurbishment of the stairwells, matching the paint and carpets exactly with the existing, partially finished refurbishment. Future Regeneration were more than up for the challenge!
Assessment
At the initial assessment, it became clear that large areas had been left incomplete since the previous project. Some areas had been updated nicely while others were missed, so part of our project would involve sourcing matching paint and carpet, ensuring our own efforts blended seamlessly with the existing refurb.
2 stairwells would need to be worked on, including redecoration of the walls and metal banisters, replacement carpet for the stairs and landings, and replacing stair treads.
Solution
Open communication with residents and directors was our first port of call; making them aware of our plans and giving them the opportunity to highlight any concerns. Once we knew we had the leaseholders and building managers on side, work could begin.
We began with a considerate site setup, acquiring access equipment to enable working at heights and sourcing key materials. We then removed the existing carpets and stair treads before preparing and filling the walls, ceilings, skirting and architectures for decoration.
Once all the redecoration was completed, we followed up with the installation of the new carpets and treads before carefully touching up any areas that hadn’t reached perfection (attention to detail is our forté) to create a flawless finish.
Challenges
We faced a couple of challenges during this project- the first being the need to find the exact paint and carpet used in the pre-covid, partial redecoration.
The paint was colour-matched using codes from previous receipts and tested on site for approval before being ordered. The carpet had unfortunately been discontinued by the manufacturer so we used our connections within the industry to track down a supplier and source the exact match.
Working around residents in the stairwell also posed a challenge, but with the correct signage and their co-operation, it all ran smoothly. The stairwells remained open as emergency exits throughout, and the spaces were cleared for use outside of working hours each day.
Conclusion
The BUILDING NAME regeneration project ran very smoothly. Initial challenges were quickly overcome, and our regimental planning and upfront communication methods were appreciated by the residents who then supported us throughout the works.
The project was completed before the deadline, without any complications, and all stakeholders were pleased with the outcome.