Gable Hall School – Window Renewal

Key Facts:

Client Name: Gable Hall School
Location: Corringham, Essex
Type of client: Secondary Academy
Services provided by M+C: Bid Funding Preparation/Submission | Building Surveying | Structural Engineering | Procurement | Project Management
Value: £269,500
Contractor: Avenue Architectural Glazing
M+C Lead: Lee Hatwell

Gable Hall School have continually adopted a highly effective asset management programme and planned maintenance regime. As a major phase of maintaining the school portfolio, window renewal works figured highly within the programme. This scheme represented a second phase of the overall window renewal scheme.

A new bid application was created; the earlier phase having been funded by by the YLPA (now the EFA). This submission featured an extensive review of the existing window construction and issues faced by the school. Significant issues such as poor ventilation, major condensation, solar gain and dangerous casements were all identified. As this window renewal scheme was a second phase, comparison between new and old could be offered, enabling a stronger case to be provided.

Our building surveyors developed a thorough options appraisal. This provided a comparison between uPVC and Aluminium window systems; weighting their initial capital cost with whole-life costs. The resultant specification proposed the uPVC system; offering a manageable balance across the life-cycle cost for a high-intensity environment. The specification included turquoise frames and Trespa panels to match the new corporate identity for this popular school.

With funding successfully obtained, the scheme was fully tendered, specifying a Rehau uPVC system to a range of qualified contractors. Hardwood doors were a tender stage amendment, offering a better resilience in the high traffic areas of the school.

The successful contractor; Avenue Architectural Glazing were given a challenging programme of just 14 weeks from the May half-term to 17th August. The window renewal scheme was fast-track, with Avenue planning on the replacement of three window sections each day; for the full two-storey height. This programme had to allow for a range of structural repairs to allow the full height of the curtain to be constructed. As some work had to be carried out during term-time, careful programming was essential to minimise disturbance for the school; particularly in the exam period. Works were however completed on schedule and with minimal disruption.