Project Progress Update: Warwick House, Solihull
The UK's pressing challenge of providing enough homes has escalated in recent years. Addressing the frustration of first-time buyers across the country requires innovative thinking and entrepreneurship.
The Project at Warwick House
One such residential regeneration project is Warwick House in Solihull. This former office block is in the heart of the town centre and is only 7 miles from Birmingham, making it the perfect location for communicating across the West Midlands. With 32 one-bedroom apartments, Warwick House is ideal for first-time buyers and investors.
We were privileged to be recommended to the client, who appointed Starfish Construction as the principal contractor following a tendering process for the building remediation project. The project involves remediating 160 windows and designing, supplying, and installing 410m2 of aluminium spandrel panels.
The project, expected to take 19 weeks, involves the fire remediation works on various elements, with the full scope of works including:
- Removal of existing windows
- Install EPDM membrane around the existing window
- Reinstall the existing window & install EPDM back into the existing structure
- Install spandrel panels and all associated works
- Reboard, make good and paint all internal reveals.
Robert Morgan, Senior Project Manager, commented: "Construction projects are as much about the area around you and the people within as they are about the physical construction work. Gone are the days when nothing mattered more than the build process. Good planning and management make the project run smoothly and reduce friction and conflict with residents and neighbours. At the core of Starfish Construction's Elevate methodology, which envelops the organisation's mindset is to mitigate risk and ensure a harmonious and safe environment during construction works.
Challenges and solutions
The Starfish Construction team's challenges mirror all our residential remediation projects nationwide. Occupied apartments mean you must ensure the residents' privacy, safety, and security, considering this is their home at all times. Our innovative Residents Hub is a dedicated portal for each project, which allows residents and owners to follow each phase of the project, understand the complexities, and stay up to date with project milestones via the updates page, where residents can subscribe for project information.
Warwick House also shares an access road with Solihull Hospital. Although the hospital is non-A&E, it houses an urgent treatment centre and a wide range of clinical services from Midwifery to Cancer Care. To ensure the access road was not blocked, we implemented a just-in-time delivery protocol to ensure all deliveries were out with peak staff shift changes and to minimise clinic disruption.
Current Onsite Progress
- Design drawings issued and approved
- Site Setup is fully complete
- All scaffolding phases completed
- Phase 1 window remediation works completed
- Phase 1 internal repairs are on schedule and over 50% completed
- Phase 2 window remediation works are well underway
As we reach the next significant milestones, we will update the project's progression as we create a better, safer living space for Warwick House residents.
