PROJECTS
Restoring a family home in Fareham after a devastating fire.
A devastating fire had destroyed the roof and upper floor of this large family home in Fareham in Hampshire. Thankfully, the family’s young daughter spotted the fire outside of her bedroom window, meaning the family were safe, but the damage was still extensive. Working alongside surveyors Gately Smithers Purslow, we helped to reinstate this home to its original condition.
The details
Overview:
Five-bedroom family home with the roof burned out and extensive internal damage.
Location:
Fareham, Hampshire
Timescale:
9 months
Works included:
- Rebuilding of roof and first floor
- Structural improvements to improve resilience of the building
- New kitchen and bathrooms
- New windows upstairs
- Complete internal refurbishment due to smoke damage
The challenges
Unexpected structural ‘quirks’
As we began the strip out of the original upper walls and floors, we found that the masonry walls had been built on top of the floorboards. This meant we had to knock down and completely rebuild the walls. We then rebuilt parts of the floor, and made structural improvements below to improve the resilience of the building.
A challenging site and access
The property was at the end of a cul-de-sac on a narrow site, meaning vehicles, deliveries and materials had to be carefully managed to make sure there was enough space and the site remained safe and workable.
The impact
With a complete internal refurbishment, including a new kitchen and bathrooms, the family home was back together within 9 months. This was a hugely challenging project, completed in record time, to give the family a fresh start.
“When we give a job to a builder, we want them to get on with it, and to be able to manage the expectations of our clients, who have usually had a devastating event at their home. PAH take the pressure off, making sure they keep both me, and my clients informed throughout. They give us a good standard of work and reasonable costs in a managed, reasonable time. PAH know what we need and expect in terms of quality. They’re one of the few contractors I’d allow to work on my own home!”
Surveyor from Gately Smithers Purslow
Surveyor for this project