Fire damaged homes restored for families in Calcot
Homes destroyed by fire on Red Cottage Drive in Calcot have been returned to families this week, following a six-month £900,000 construction project to extensively restore the properties.
Emergency services were called to the homes on 29 July 2022, in response to a largescale residential fire, which caused the properties to suffer extensive structural and surface damage.
PAH Building & Construction was appointed by housing association, Housing Solutions, to repair the properties and have been working on site since February 2024 to strip out all five properties and rebuild the facade and interiors.
Multi-disciplinary consultancy, Gateley Smithers Purslow, provided surveying, engineering and architectural services on the project. This included developing a detailed schedule of works and drawings, as well as project managing the repair works for the terrace block.
The homes have now been repaired and renovated to modern building standards. This includes the installation of Combi-boilers, a highly energy-efficient method of heating water and homes, and the installation of additional insulation and modern glazing. These additional features will support in reducing energy bills for residents.
PAH Building & Construction are specialists in extensive and complex insurance works for residential properties, with nearly 25 years of experience in the sector.
Mark Cuttriss, Director of PAH Building & Construction, said: “The homes had suffered devastating damage and were nearly destroyed by the fire. Over the last six months we have been stripping the homes back to the underlying structure to carefully repair the exteriors and interiors, including the installation of an entirely new roof structure.
“This was a challenging project at times due to poor access on site and the extent of the damage, but we are proud to have worked closely with Housing Solutions to completely restore the properties, ensuring that families can now return to safe and refurbished homes.
Steven Brookfield, Director of Property and Development for Housing Solutions, said: “We are deeply grateful to see residents coming back together after such a challenging time. We are committed to supporting our residents to live in safe and sustainable homes and look forward to local people coming back together.”
Nathan Tilford, Project Lead and Operations Director at Gateley Smithers Purslow, commented: “This project was an outstanding example of how a great working partnership can overcome challenges to deliver a successful outcome. We are pleased to have been able to assist on this project and look forward to seeing the families taking up residency again following the restoration works.”
