Key Facts
- Client: various
- Balfour Beatty company involved: Balfour Beatty Refurbishment
- Back in 1997, more than two million houses owned by local councils and housing associations in Britain failed to meet a decent standard. Local authorities faced a staggering £19 billion backlog of repairs and improvements
- The UK government responded by launching a 10-year initiative known as Decent Homes. The scheme’s objective is to bring all existing social housing up to a decent standard by 2010
- Some £25 billion had been invested by the end of 2006 and around one million homes had seen a dramatic improvement
- Balfour Beatty Refurbishment has been involved in a number of projects, which have similar challenges and considerations
- These include, firstly, maintaining open communication channels between all parties, keeping residents and local communities involved and fully informed of project plans and progress
- Secondly, ensuring that disruption to occupying residents is kept to a minimum at all times, while maintaining high quality standards and speed of construction
- Balfour Beatty Refurbishment completed the £22 million Homes for Islington contract in 27 months, raising the borough’s housing stock to the Decent Homes standard
- Work included the replacement of windows and roofs; the provision of new kitchens, bathrooms and boilers; external décor was updated and environmental work included replacing balustrades and carrying out walkway and concrete repairs
- As a result of the many community involvement initiatives employed on the project, residents named Balfour Beatty top of all 17 framework contractors for two years in a row in an independent survey on satisfaction
- For client Barnet Homes, Balfour Beatty Refurbishment is also improving the borough’s current housing stock to meet the Decent Homes standard, in a contract worth £45.5 million and due for completion in 2011
- The project in Barnet includes delivering new kitchens and bathrooms, full or part re-wiring of properties and full or part installation of central heating. Externally, work includes new uPVC windows and doors, external decorations, and new car parking, landscaping and lighting schemes
- Hammersmith & Fulham Homes’ framework contract for delivery of the Decent Homes programme is worth £43 million and is scheduled for completion in 2010.
- The project involves the renewal of kitchens and bathrooms, boiler installations, re-wiring, and external works such as new windows, doors, new roofs and repair of roofs.
