2021 is off to a great start, and we don’t just mean because lockdown seems to be ending! Our team started working on our biggest, most ambitious repair project to date, and not even the covid restrictions could stop us. Our team of professionals has been tasked with repairing a medical centre in Leeds, following a massive leak, and we are, of course, following all the guidelines to ensure that while we work we keep both our team and the Medical Centre personnel safe.
This job was referred to us by an insurance broker we work with regularly. When staff noticed signs of water tracking up some internal walls in the centre of the building they couldn’t understand where the water was coming from.
They had already had other builders to investigate the source, however, they hadn’t had much success and nobody could work out what the source of the leak was.
Our team was called in and we quickly got to work. We began by investigating the central heating system, which we discovered was embedded in the floor. The first step was to expose the pipework and trace it around the building, and we soon found that there were some very minor leaks, which we repaired. Unfortunately, none of them were big enough to justify the extent of water damage in the building, so our search for the main leak source continued.
After further investigation work, we traced the source of the leak, to a pipe under the only suspended floor in the building, and we got to work repairing it and carrying out improvements to ensure it would not cause such issues again in the future.
Once the leak was repaired it was time to get to work drying out the building. As the medical centre is to remain operational, we are approaching the work on a phased basis, stripping out, drying and then reinstating just a few rooms at a time so that they can then be handed back to the medical centre to use and we can move on to the next phase.
To make the best of a bad situation, the medical centre is taking the opportunity to have some general upgrading undertaken and we are installing new integrated panel systems wrapped in antimicrobial PVC to hang new basins and taps, we’re assembling new desks and specialist blinds and disposing of all fitted furniture to give the consultation rooms a more contemporary, clutter-free look.
The big challenge here is the fact that the medical centre remains open and operational, which means that our team can only work in a couple of rooms at a time, drying, repairing and installing new equipment (blinds, panelling) and sprucing up the place with a new splash of colour and new desks.
Once all consultation rooms are complete we will then fit out the waiting area and install a new reception desk, upgrade the radiators and the colour scheme and fit new floor coverings. We will also be updating the office and staff areas fitting new desks, new flooring and full redecorations.