CLEANING, MAINTENANCE & RESTORATION THE RECOVERY
With hopes that an end to the pandemic is in sight, cities across the UK are gearing up for r Managing Director of building restoration specialist Thomann-Hanry, shares his advice
With the prospect of restrictions being eased as the UK emerges from lockdown over the coming months, the thoughts of estate managers and property owners are now turning towards the resumption of scheduled upkeep and maintenance programmes.
Planning ahead and working to a logical schedule is essential. We often hear stories of businesses looking to ‘mop up’ year-end cash surpluses with maintenance work that is hurried, badly planned or even duplicated. As much maintenance work involves the necessary evil of scaffolding, it’s also important to identify all works required to the structure of the building as a whole, so it’s only shrouded in scaffolding once – and for the minimum amount of time. Failing to do this, at a time when businesses have never had to be more careful with their budgets, can lead to catastrophic wasted expense. Every aspect of the building needs to be considered – from leadwork, slate roofs, asphalt, and stonework down to small but important details such as pigeon protection.
Of course, the option of façade gommage means that it’s now entirely possible that scaffolding isn’t needed at all. We find that many property managers still mistakenly default to the traditional school of thought that scaffolding is the only solution. However, with a reach of 42 metres, Thomann-Hanry’s agile mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) access system means our technicians can work up to a height of 14 storeys, bringing many office blocks and hotels within easy range.
Identifying any required structural works is the starting point. With Thomann-Hanry, this can be done by means of a condition survey, carried out after a façade gommage clean has revealed the surface of the building, ‘warts and all’. Again, having quick, easy access thanks to a hydraulic work platform enables structural surveyors to get up close and personal with the building. Armed with a detailed report from Thomann-Hanry, the client is then well-placed to prioritise works accordingly.
Once remedial works have been identified, Thomann- Hanry is able to provide a streamlined one-stop solution. We directly employ all stonemasons, painters, and restorers, so we don’t have to rely on subcontractors. As we made our name through the ground-breaking façade gommage process, it’s a not uncommon misconception that all we do is clean buildings. That couldn’t be further from the truth. With all the expertise in-house, we’re specialists in every aspect of restoration of buildings of all ages, from ancient to modern.
And it’s not just the exterior of the building – we’re often also commissioned to work on internal stonework, flooring and staircases, repairing and protecting them to
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address years or even decades of wear and tear, restoring interiors to their original splendour.
However, such is the unique impact of façade gommage, this is still the process that turns the most heads, affecting seemingly miraculous transformations in timescales unheard of with conventional cleaning techniques. Projecting fine powders, similar to mineral talc, under low pressure across the surface of stonework and masonry, façade gommage gently erases and lifts away layers of accumulated grime, turning the clock back years – often in a matter of days.
www.tomorrowstileandstone.co.uk
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