59–61 High Street, Polegate

Duration
20 weeks

The Brief

• We were commissioned to complete this project by a local landlord, who is also the landlord for the Hawes Construction Group head offices.
• The client had acquired an old Barclay’s bank on Polegate High Street, just along the road from our offices, and had permission to convert it into half-commercial, half-residential premises, with an office on one side, and two one-bedroom residential flats on the other.
• The original building was wrapped around a small central courtyard, which was to be divided in half and shared by each of the flats.
• One of the residential properties was to be inside the bank’s existing walk-in safe, which had 12-inch-thick reinforced concrete walls.
• Throughout the works, there were tenants in residence in the adjacent properties, so we had to stay mindful of them, keep them updated, and minimise any disruption.

Our Solution

• To convert the existing concrete safe into a usable living space, we had to form holes in the concrete walls in order to install windows and doors.
• We also installed a sun tube, to bring natural light into the space.
• Both of these tasks were accomplished using concrete diamond drilling and cutting.
• The walls were completely solid, with no damp-proofing, so we had to line the internal walls with a waterproof render, and then insulate and plaster them.
• Some of the floors also had no damp-proof membranes, so we had to treat these and bring them up to standard.
• We also built new block walls, to divide the original bank into the three separate spaces.
• During the works, we discovered quantities of asbestos, so we brought in approved specialists to remove this with the utmost care.
• At certain points during the project, we needed to block off part of the pedestrian path. In order to do this in a safe manner we undertook Highways Training so that our workforce could redirect safely.
• We installed suspended ceilings to improve the fire, acoustic, and thermal properties of the building.
• The existing flat roof was in a state of some disrepair, so we re-asphalted it to ensure a watertight finish.
• We then brought the whole building up to date with modern electrics, plumbing, and drainage.
• The front of the building was decorated using a colourful specialist monocouche render. This allowed us to refresh the façade of the building, while staying respectful to the style of the building and remaining in keeping with the rest of the street.

The Result

• Hawes Construction Group completed the project on time and on budget, and we were able to complete most of the work using our own multi-skilled workforce.
• The landlord has been able to make the most of the building, getting the best of both worlds by combining a commercial property with two residential flats.
• The old bank, which was formerly run down and redundant, is now replaced with a thriving and modern business office that serves the local community, as well as two top-quality flats which are perfect for young professionals.
• The building is now attractive and bright, and the finish is sympathetic to the age and style of the property.