Timber frame, 22/12/10 By Ruairi Kay

The front and rear infill panels have been removed and most of the new timber frame has been installed. The build up for the frame is: plasterboard and skim finish, Intello plus vapour and air barrier, 125mm deep timber frame with Celotex PIR insulation tightly fitted between. This is then finished with ply. In the new year Walltec, (the external wall insulation sub contractor), will then fix 60mm Phenolic insulation over this, finished in a silicon render. [...]

Windows arrive, 09/12/10 By Ruairi Kay

The excavations below ground are now complete and we found on the corners we could not go as deep as we wanted as there are concrete pads about 200-300mm below the surface that support the concrete cross panels. Also on the gable the ground floor slab cantilevers over the foundation wall, so we will need to cut this projection off to allow the external wall insulation, (EWI) to run below ground level. As much as we prefer to specify EWI over IWI, things [...]

Blog 2: Work Starts, 25/11/10 by Ruairi Kay

The strip out of 33 Warnham Road is now complete and the main work is starting. The property is system built using concrete panels with timber frame infill. In plan the terrace is made up of pre cast concrete I sections forming the flank and party walls with timber frame infill panels to form the front and back elevations and contain the windows.  The retrofit package involves removing these infill panels, which  are in poor condition [...]

Blog 1: Introduction, 1/11/10 by Ruairi Kay

33 Warnham road is a 1960’s semi-detached property which has already undergone ‘Decent Homes’ improvements. Works such as window replacement and loft/cavity wall insulation have previously been carried out in a piecemeal fashion and have resulted in condensation and mould growth. The tenant reported less than satisfactory comfort levels, with the building facing extremes of temperature in both the winter and the summer months. The [...]