Project Details
- Client Name: London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
- Project Value: £45m
- Sector: Residential
- Services: Employers agent, Quantity Surveyor, Quality Control Inspectors, CDM
- Key partners: Kier
- Contact: Laura O'Donovan – 020 8294 1000
We were appointed by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to provide employer’s agent, quantity surveying, quality control inspector and principal designer services for this £45m project. The scheme includes removal of the existing cladding and photovoltaic (PV) arrays and replacement with a compliant cladding system, increased insulation, and replacement of windows on three 24-storey residential tower blocks, located adjacent to Westfield London.
A phased approach is being taken to ensure minimal disruption to residents, who shall remain insitu across 528 flats for the duration of the works. The PV panels were assessed as the highest risk to fire safety and therefore the highest priority for removal, so these works were programmed first. A holistic PAS 9980 design approach for the replacement cladding system is running concurrently with the removal of the existing non-compliant cladding.
The site is adjacent to both the railway and the A3220 road, so the removal work had to be carefully planned to take into account these logistical challenges. There is also limited access to the site due to residents’ parking and small estate roads which limit the movement of articulated lorries around the site. This meant that logistics of getting materials to and from site, along with storage on site and creating a centralised site set-up, had to be carefully considered.
Upon commencement of the commission it became apparent that there was a lack of information available on the existing structural loads and inconclusive results from previous intrusive inspections. This meant that we had to undertake extensive surveys on the buildings and surrounds to fully inform design and construction.
Phase 1 works commenced in early 2022, with the project anticipated to complete in late 2025. Works are being delivered with Kier, who carry significant experience of successfully delivering fire safety projects. Therefore, the project has benefitted from their knowledge and experience across design and construction phases.
