PROJECTS
How we helped a family get a fresh start after an intense fire devastated their home
After the school run, the family had returned home to find smoke streaming from the house and the back door blown off. The fire had quickly taken hold and damaged almost every part of the house. We won the tender to complete the reinstatement and worked closely with the family to redesign the home and give them a completely fresh start.
The details
Overview:
Reinstating a family home completely gutted by fire
Managing Surveyors:
Gateley Smithers Purslow
Location:
St Mary Bourne, Andover
Duration:
20 weeks
Works included:
- Complete strip out including stud walls and floors
- Fogging to remove smoke smell
- Reconfiguring top floor to add an extra bedroom
- Re-routing the staircase to accommodate extra room
- New kitchen and bathrooms and complete redecoration throughout.
The challenges
The heat and smoke damage
The fire gave off so much heat that plaster melted off the ceilings and some of the walls cracked. We had to replace all the stud walls, floors, and some joists and the smoke smell had gotten into every crevice of the house. Even though the loft and roof remained intact, the smell and stains required Zinsser odour and stain blocker. We then fogged the whole house to clear any remaining signs of smoke.
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency was a key consideration on this project. Fire can shrink or melt cavity wall insulation, so we replaced it to prevent cold spots. We also installed an air source heat pump to replace the old boiler. To boost efficiency further, the family chose to pay for additional insulated plasterboard on the external walls.
The people
Salvaging precious memories
The family unfortunately didn’t have contents insurance, so one of our first jobs was to take out everything carefully and see what could be salvaged. We managed to save and return several items including the children’s christening bracelets.
Redesigning the house to suit their needs
We worked with the family to redesign the layout of the first floor and the staircase to give them an extra bedroom, all while keeping within the allocated loss amount from the insurer.
Inspiring the next generation of builders
We hosted two visits with students from Basingstoke College of Technology so they could get first hand experience of a fire damaged home and see the site’s progress. The second visit included electrical and plumbing work, drylining and 1st fix joinery work. Reinstatement work needs specialised expertise for rebuilding and we’re keen to inspire future builders to develop those skills and hone their passion for the sector.
The impact
A beautiful family home, rebuilt to better suit their lives and give them a fresh start. The family are over the moon to have their home – and a sense of normality – restored after such a devastating event.
“The impact of the house fire on our daughter, her husband and their children was, of course, extremely upsetting. But we were reassured by PAH from day 1 that the property would be restored to a very satisfactory level. Working with PAH has been an absolute pleasure. Every member of the team was friendly, courteous and knowledgeable. Any questions or actions we put to them were answered and dealt with immediately.Thanks to the efforts of PAH, the level of restoration was beyond our expectations and my wife and I, my daughter and her family, would unequivocally recommend PAH without question.”
Bob Cradduck
Client