Apartment Refurbishment & Roof Strengthening
Avenue Corner is a 1st floor apartment situated in Durham City.
Project Overview
Avenue Corner is a 1st floor apartment situated in Durham City. The project involved the internal refurbishment of the 1st floor apartment.
Whilst stripping out to allow for refurbishment, the contractor contacted us with concerns regarding the structural configuration of the existing roof. We immediately attended site and confirmed the lack of support to the existing roof purlins and roof rafters.
Initially we advised the contractor of how to support the existing roof in a temporary case to ensure the site was safe. Following this we developed a solution which included the installation of new structural steelwork below the existing roof purlins. Timber Cripple Stud walls were then built directly off the steelwork up to the underside of the existing roof purlins.
Apartment Refurbishment & Roof Strengthening
Contractor (TBC), The Home Engineers (Structural)
Structural Engineering Services, Internal Alterations
Project Challenges
The main challenge was the unsafe condition of the existing roof structure, discovered partway through refurbishment works.
The roof purlins and rafters were under-supported, creating immediate safety risks.
Addressing this required both an urgent temporary solution and a permanent strengthening design that could be implemented quickly on-site.
The Solution
We first advised the contractor on temporary measures to stabilise the roof, ensuring the site was safe to continue work.
Following this, we developed a permanent solution involving the installation of new structural steelwork below the existing roof purlins.
Timber cripple stud walls were then constructed directly off the new steelwork up to the underside of the purlins, providing robust and lasting support.
The Outcome
The refurbishment was able to continue safely, with the roof structure strengthened to modern standards.
Our rapid response and clear design enabled the contractor to manage immediate safety risks while also implementing a long-term structural solution, ensuring the apartment could be safely and successfully modernised.
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