School Block Remediation

Arrowsmith was awarded a competitive tender for a remediation project involving the re-cladding, re-roofing, and layout alterations of a block of three classrooms. The Ministry of Education had assessed the building as a liability almost a decade prior due to design and construction faults and questionable alterations resulting in a failed envelope. However, the extent of the damage was unknown until construction began, revealing that the existing framing was damaged, undersized, and not suitable for retention. This required the building to be re-framed in stages, with the roof structure being propped up.

The construction team also faced challenges with the firewall footing, which was designed to prevent the spread of subfloor frames to the adjacent building. Changes in the reframing resulted in changes in the firewall, requiring a consent amendment that delayed works by 20 days. Once authorized to re-start, excavation immediately exposed asbestos and a number of unmarked services, which were resolved by appropriate specialists mobilized by Arrowsmith within five days. Despite these challenges, the project was completed successfully, ensuring that the building was restored to a safe and functional state for the school community.