2012 LABC Building Excellence Award WinnerThe judges were particularly impressed with the innovative design solutions and our professional approach in achieving a successful project. The Coach House was a technically challenging project on a difficult site and it’s great to receive this prestigious recognition of our achievement.
We were covered in all the local papers, below are clippings from the Surrey Mirror Godstone County Border News and Tandridge’s own magazine
S.M. Atkins Building Contractors were celebrating last weekend after winning the Award for the “Best domestic extension” in the South East of England
The LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Building Excellence Awards recognise and reward the best quality construction in the region. South East local authorities held their annual Building Excellence Awards on Friday 6th July at a prestigious black tie event at the Copthorne Hotel Effingham Gatwick where hundreds gathered to celebrate building excellence across the South East Region throughout 2011 to 2012.
Architects, builders and developers undertaking projects in Hampshire, Surrey, Isle of Wight, Kent and Sussex were all eligible to take part in this highly respected annual Building Control Awards Scheme.
The projects were judged on a range of criteria including compliance with Building Regulations, accessibility and inclusive environment, sustainability and customer satisfaction.
Steve Atkins said, “We are thrilled to have won such a prestigious award, this award is testament to the quality of our workmanship”.
The Coach House is a three storey detached stables/coach house situated on a sloping plot. The original construction of the house was from two 450 mm skins of brickwork with a cavity. It was one of the earliest concrete floor and steel framed buildings built. I believe the house was built in approximately 1890.
Upon seeing the building for the first time you appreciate that it is very difficult to decipher which is the original part of the house and which is the new! We have harmonized the brickwork with the existing building superbly. Not only did we find the perfect colour match for the bricks, we also matched the Flemish bond of the brickwork faultlessly by double cutting half bricks and cutting red rubber bricks especially for the brick arches. The pointing was with a reverse weather struck and cut joint. When you look at the photo of the finished project it is nigh on impossible to distinguish the original from the new.
Site problems occurred early in the first stage of the project, we needed to pile drive through made-up ground from the stable courtyard. Therefore, it was necessary to install contiguous piles to retain the ground and prevent possible collapsing thus enabling us start solid construction of the two storey part of the project to the side.
Even though the existing coach house was already an habitable dwelling we totally stripped out all the walls, electrics, plumbing etc to start with a blank canvas ready for a complete refurbishment. This included the existing single stairwell which was completely removed. In a new location we cut through the 300 mm thick concrete sub floor which was made of flint and heavy steel reinforcing mesh in preparation for a new double winding staircase. Cut-in and welding to the existing steels new “U” beams to provide support for the new stairwell was a challenge, also we fitted in new steel beams under the existing concrete floors to support the new location of the walls to the first floor. Removing the existing French doors and installing a of bi-fold door system to the rear of the house was also challenging.
The new two storey extension first floor had to be constructed in the vaulted roof space, with the valleys having to be major structural support, consisting of two 250 mm x 75 mm bolted together and having steel goal post supports for the ridge beam it became one of the trickiest and hardest roofs to pitch by hand. This roof was constructed by a young 26 year old employee (Mr. Edward Vigurs) who has been with the company since he was 19 years old. I feel it was a fantastic accomplishment and it goes show what can be achieved if you have faith in your employees.
One of the most rewarding parts of this contract was the management skills crucially required to link the designs of the architect and the requirements of the clients to the construction of the buildings, making everything come together and work. There was honest communication and a good old fashioned personal service which produced such a professional result.
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Apart from the early problems encountered with the pile driving, this home improvement project it is an outstanding illustration of an efficiently run project. The attention to detail was the key in creating such a high quality finish. Not only in the day-to-day dealings with the customer, architect and planning officer, but also in the high standards of the craftsmanship, producing such a wonderful outstanding result.