FAQ

Yes. The same principal remediation works will be carried out to all five blocks. The existing external wall construction will be stripped back to the timber frame and a new external wall system installed, including sheathing, membranes, cavity barriers, support systems and new external cladding. The programme is phased, so the timing and stage of works will differ between buildings.

Yes. The existing timber cladding will be replaced with Benx Supertech cementitious/fibre-cement cladding panels in a dark brown finish. The intention is to retain a sympathetic character while providing a crisper, refreshed and more uniform completed façade.

The new external wall build-up incorporates materials selected for significantly improved fire performance. A1 is a reaction-to-fire classification under BS EN 13501-1, indicating no contribution to fire within the classification test.

The external wall remediation design has been prepared by Diamond & Co., including the relevant technical and fire-safety requirements. SCF will carry out the façade remediation in accordance with the approved project design.

A structured inspection and quality-assurance process will operate throughout the works. SCF’s QA Manager will work in conjunction with Diamond & Co.’s Fire Engineer and Building Control. Critical layers and details will be inspected before they are covered, with photographic and inspection records retained. Product manufacturers are also anticipated to inspect selected critical details and provide reports where appropriate.

As the existing cladding is removed, previously concealed areas around windows will become visible. If existing damage, deterioration or defects are identified, these will be reviewed before the new façade closes the area. Where necessary, the matter will be referred to Diamond & Co. and/or an appropriate specialist contractor so that a suitable resolution and any required making good can be agreed and completed.

Yes. External items forming part of the building fabric or associated systems that need to be temporarily removed or altered to carry out the works will be appropriately reinstated before the relevant block is deemed complete. This does not include residents’ personal belongings.

The project will be delivered in phases. Phase 1 is Taylor and Stanley, Phase 2 is Wordsworth and Merivale, and Phase 3 is Paxman. Each block will be worked on separately, even where two blocks sit within the same phase. Please refer to the live Construction Programme in the Residents’ Portal for the latest planned dates and durations.

Yes. Construction is not always linear and the sequence may need to respond to site-specific or unforeseen conditions, weather, access, material availability, inspections and other dependencies. Changes will be reflected in the Construction Programme and relevant information published through News & Updates.

The Residents’ Portal is the main source of project information and notifications. All general project notifications will be published through the Portal rather than issued individually to each resident. The Construction Programme will show the planned sequence and timing, while News & Updates will explain progress, current activities and where works are being carried out.

The News & Updates section will be updated at least once every two weeks, with additional updates where required. Residents should check the Portal regularly to understand when works are approaching their building and what activity is taking place.

Use the Contact Us section of the Residents’ Portal for any questions, queries or concerns. SCF will respond to queries raised through the Portal within two working days. Before submitting a question, please check the FAQs, Construction Programme and News & Updates as the information may already be available.

Scaffolding will remain for the period required by the programme for each block and will be removed as soon as the relevant works and inspections are complete and it is safe and practical to do so. Please refer to the Construction Programme for the latest position.

Yes. Scaffolding will extend across the external elevations, including outside windows and around the exterior of balconies. It will be covered with debris netting. This will temporarily affect views and may reduce natural daylight entering apartments.

Yes. Workers will need to work from the scaffolding directly outside and close to windows at various stages. We appreciate that this may feel intrusive. The works progress around the building in stages, so workers will not necessarily be immediately outside your windows throughout the whole scaffold period. Please check the Residents’ Portal to understand where works are taking place. Workers are expected to behave professionally and respectfully at all times.

Access will be restricted once scaffolding has been erected around the level of your property. From that point the balcony or terrace forms part of the external construction site and must not be accessed until SCF confirms it is safe to do so. Temporary door and/or window restrictors will be fitted where required.

Please refer to the Construction Programme and News & Updates to understand when scaffolding is approaching your building and when balcony or terrace access is likely to be lost.

All personal belongings must be removed before access is restricted, including furniture, plants, planters, decorations and other loose or stored items. Once the area becomes part of the construction site, SCF cannot accept responsibility for personal or third-party items left there.

If you have large balcony furniture or other items that you cannot store within your property, please liaise with Encore Estates in advance to discuss whether a satisfactory storage solution or alternative arrangement can be identified.

No. SCF will not require access through your apartment to reach your balcony or terrace as part of the planned works. All SCF access to balconies, terraces and the external façade will be achieved externally from the scaffolding. If an unforeseen circumstance requires internal access, this would be discussed and arranged separately in advance.

No. Residents, visitors and members of the public must not access the scaffolding at any time. It forms part of an active construction site and is for authorised workers only. Do not remove, alter or bypass temporary window or door restrictors, and ensure children and visitors understand that the scaffold must not be accessed.

Yes. Debris netting will be provided for the duration of the works. It forms part of the site safety measures and helps contain dust, small debris and materials within the working area. It will be removed as the scaffolding is dismantled.

The scaffolding, working platforms and debris netting may reduce some of the natural daylight entering your home. We appreciate this may be noticeable. The scaffold and netting are temporary and will be removed as soon as the required works and inspections are completed and it is safe to do so.

Noise will vary with the stage of work and will not be at the same level throughout the construction period.
– Scaffold installation and dismantling can be quite noisy due to handling and assembly of materials.
– Removal of the existing cladding/façade is anticipated to be one of the noisier stages.
– Installation of new sheathing boards and breather membranes is relatively quiet, mainly involving screw guns and material handling.
– Installation of supporting rails will be more noticeable because fixings are made into the primary structure.
– Installation of new cladding panels will mainly involve screw-gun and material-handling noise.

Higher noise will be intermittent as the works move around the building rather than continuous. Noisy activities may occur at any time during the advised working hours. Specific individual advance notice of noisy periods will not normally be provided; please use News & Updates and the Construction Programme to understand the current stage of works.

Yes. Drilling will be required at various stages, particularly during brickwork removal/associated cavity-barrier works and installation of the new supporting rails into the primary structure. Noise can transmit through the building and may be heard or felt beyond the immediate work area. Drilling may continue for several weeks overall, but the effect on each apartment will change as the works move around the elevations.

Some vibration may be noticeable, particularly when drilling or material removal is taking place close to your apartment. The works predominantly use battery-operated hand tools rather than heavy machinery routinely working against the building, so significant or persistent vibration is not anticipated. Please report unusual or excessive vibration through the appropriate project contact route.

Construction activities can generate dust. Control measures will be used to minimise dust and debris, including debris netting to the scaffolding. If works are taking place close to your apartment, keeping windows closed where practical can help reduce dust entering your home.

Yes, but temporary restrictors will limit the maximum opening to approximately 100 mm while scaffolding is in place. Do not force, remove, alter or bypass the restrictors. You may choose to keep windows closed during dusty activities.

Windows can remain open up to the permitted restricted opening. During dusty activities you may prefer to keep them closed. In hot weather, practical measures may include closing curtains or blinds during the hottest part of the day, using fans where available, and ventilating when works have moved away or outside site working hours. Do not bypass the restrictors.

Yes. Residents can remain in their homes while the external wall remediation works are carried out. One of the first remediation stages is removal of the existing combustible external cladding. As it is removed, an A1 non-combustible CP Board will be installed to provide a protective weathering layer ahead of the remaining external wall system and cladding.

Once the existing cladding has been removed from an area and the CP Board installed, that part of the external wall will already represent an improvement in fire safety compared with the existing façade. Further layers, cavity barriers, support systems and cladding will then be installed and inspected.

At ground level, Heras fencing will securely separate the site compound and active work areas from resident routes. At apartment level, temporary window and/or door restrictors will be fitted where required to prevent unauthorised access onto scaffolding, balconies or terraces within the construction zone.

During the works, the construction site includes the building, scaffolding and surrounding external areas enclosed within the Heras fencing, together with any external balconies or terraces within the controlled zone. Please do not enter any area within the construction perimeter, even when no work appears to be taking place.

The scaffold and active site areas will be separated behind Heras fencing with controlled, lockable access points. Access is restricted to authorised workers and approved personnel. Security cameras will be positioned around the scaffold/site perimeter to assist with monitoring.

SCF workers will wear branded workwear displaying the SCF logo shown on the website: a black cube containing a green “S”, red “C” and blue “F”. Royston Scaffolding workers will also wear clearly identifiable branded workwear. If you are unsure about someone working around your building, please contact the SCF Contracts manager or Site manager for reassurance rather than approaching the person on the scaffold directly.

No. Existing electronic door access controls at the main entrances will remain in place and SCF will make no changes to these security arrangements.

No. The existing fire alarm arrangements within your building will remain in place. SCF will install a separate series of interconnected site alarms on the scaffolding for workers. These are separate from the building fire alarm system.

Regular tests and drills of the scaffold alarm will be carried out. The usual day and time for planned testing will be published in the Residents’ Portal so residents are less likely to confuse a site drill with their own building alarm.

No. Your building’s existing emergency arrangements will remain in place. The building currently operates a stay in place policy. Existing emergency routes will not be obstructed or hindered by the works and emergency services will continue to have full access to the development.

In the event of an emergency, follow your existing emergency procedures.

We welcome feedback from residents. If you see something you believe presents an imminent danger or requires immediate attention, contact the SCF Contracts manager or Site manager. If you wish to report an unsafe act or condition that does not require an immediate response, use Contact Us in the Residents’ Portal. Please do not enter the construction area or put yourself at risk to investigate or resolve an issue yourself.

During normal site working hours, contact the SCF Contracts manager or Site manager for urgent construction-related problems. Outside normal working hours, contact Mike Malcolm, SCF’s Emergency Point of Contact. For general queries, use Contact Us in the Residents’ Portal.

In the event of an emergency, follow your existing emergency procedures.

Yes. Safe pedestrian access to and from the main entrance of each building will be maintained. Heras fencing will separate construction areas and create clearly defined resident routes. Where scaffolding is positioned above or around an entrance, suitable protective measures will be incorporated to help protect the entrance from debris arising from the works.

No. The stairs between Taylor and Stanley and between Wordsworth and Merivale will be out of use to residents for the duration of the relevant works because these areas will become part of the site compound. Alternative designated pedestrian routes will be provided and main entrance access will remain available.

Yes. Encore Estates has advised residents that the works will cause temporary disruption to resident parking. Encore Estates is coordinating parking and any necessary reallocation. Questions about your parking space or alternative arrangements should be directed to Encore Estates.

Yes. Delivery drivers will continue to access the car park areas. They will be provided with a drawing showing designated access routes. Where a driver needs to enter or pass through the SCF site compound, they will be escorted by an SCF worker. Drivers will not be permitted to move independently through the construction site or use the scaffolding to access buildings.

No. There is currently no anticipated change to the usual bin collection arrangements. If a temporary change becomes necessary, information will be published through the Residents’ Portal.

Yes. Emergency vehicle access will be maintained throughout the works, with emergency services continuing to have full access to all required areas of the development.

Yes. Existing cycle storage facilities will remain available with no disruption to resident access currently anticipated.

No internal access is anticipated as part of the planned works. Balconies and terraces are treated as external construction areas once they fall within the site perimeter, and SCF will access them from the scaffolding rather than through apartments. If an unforeseen need for internal access arises, this will be discussed and arranged separately in advance.

Yes. External seals and finishes around existing windows will be upgraded as part of the new façade installation. No works to internal finishes around windows are currently anticipated. Workers will need to work externally close to windows during relevant stages.

Before works commence, SCF will undertake a photographic condition survey of the full exterior of each building. If you believe your property has been accidentally damaged as a result of the works, report it to the SCF Contracts manager, Site manager or Resident Liaison team through the Residents’ Portal.

SCF will review the reported damage and circumstances, including pre-works photographic records where relevant. Where damage is confirmed as attributable to our works, the appropriate action required to make good the affected area will be determined.

We appreciate that construction activity close to your apartment may disrupt home working. Unfortunately, due to the nature and scale of the project, we cannot schedule or rearrange the construction works around individual residents’ working arrangements. The works need to follow a planned sequence to complete each building safely and efficiently.

Please use the Construction Programme and News & Updates to understand the stage of works. If a particular stage is likely to cause unreasonable disruption, you may wish to consider alternative working arrangements during the most disruptive periods where possible. SCF will minimise unnecessary noise and disruption wherever reasonably practicable.

We appreciate the impact that daytime construction can have on naps, routines and family life. Unfortunately, we cannot schedule or rearrange the construction works around individual household routines. Please use the Residents’ Portal to understand the stage of works and consider alternative arrangements during particularly disruptive periods where possible.

For safety, children must not enter fenced construction areas, scaffolding, or balconies/terraces that have become part of the construction site.

We recognise that residents working night shifts may need to sleep during the day. Unfortunately, we cannot schedule or rearrange the construction works around individual sleeping or working arrangements. Please use the Construction Programme and News & Updates to anticipate the current stage of works and consider alternative arrangements during the most disruptive periods where possible.

No impact to your current means of access is anticipated. Existing access to main building entrances will be maintained. If you have a disability, mobility requirement or other specific access need and have concerns about the temporary arrangements, please contact the Resident Liaison team through the Residents’ Portal.

Any resident who has concerns about how the works may affect them is encouraged to contact the Resident Liaison Officer through the Residents’ Portal. This includes elderly or vulnerable residents and, where appropriate, family members, carers or representatives. While it may not always be possible to alter the construction sequence, the Resident Liaison Officer can listen to concerns, explain what to expect and help identify practical measures that may be available.