Retrofit Site Visit, Appledore 3/08/10

As we move closer to our site commencement date planned for this Thursday, we visited the site to make contact with the residents to bring them up to speed with our plans going forward, and to make a start on the additional survey information that was urgently required. The areas of interest were the existing PVC window and how they are fabricated to suit the existing internal steel frame. The existing external wall mounted services and how we plan to move them, remount them and at what stage of the retrofit works this would take place. It was noted in our conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Waters that the new porch extension would require a wheelchair ramped access with a handrail for further support. This initially was not on the original scope, but through contacting Giles at Ashford Borough Council we intent to make this addition one of our priorities.

All the existing services were located to enable the site compound and welfare facilities to be utilised, and the proposed compound area marked out.

Existing Window Surround Survey

To enable us to perform the intrusive survey, a window surround masonry brick had to be carefully cut and removed so as not to destroy the integrity of the brick or cavity insulation.



It was clear that once the brick was removed we could determine how the existing window was fixed to the internal steel frame. This will ensure that the measure and order of the new high efficient triple glazed window, no problems will arise and also provide a smooth transition with the installation.


Again by this photo you can clearly see the existing internal face of the window is fitted to the external face of the steel frame.




Existing PVC Window Survey


This survey was conducted to identify any cold bridging areas to the existing window structure itself. Following this survey we was able to determine that where the existing window structure meets the existing internal steel frame, two 50mm x 50mm voids were identified with only 2 nr 2mm thick PVC covers with no insulation seals, this we found was the only partition construction between the internal heat and the external cold. We found this to be a very useful exercise, as on fabricating the new high efficient triple glazed window, measures can be taken to avoid this cold bridging for the new installation.

External Services

Here shows a typical example of the existing services to be repositioned, all service pipe work penetrating the property wall will need a 100mm section of brick surrounding the pipe broken out to enable the cutting and extending for the new pipe location. Once made good, this then will allow the new pipe work to sit on the outside face of the proposed external insulation and plaster.