(Re)-making the Grade
MBS discovers how Nu Construction successfully completed a refurbishment project for a Grade II listed Victorian mansion in West Yorkshire.
Built in 1888, Cliffe House is a Grade II listed Victorian mansion set within 11 acres of mature woodland in the village of Shepley, near Huddersfield. It was originally built for the Senior family, owners of the local Sovereign Brewery.
The ownership of Cliffe House passed to the local authority in 1948 and since then it has provided bespoke learning and events for schools, colleges, businesses and local community groups. With plans to make the property a centre of excellence for events, conferences and outdoor adventure activities, Kirklees Council decided to refurbish the property to make it suitable for future use.
Brief
Halifax based Nu Construction, a specialist heritage building contractor, was awarded the contract to carry out the refurbishment. The required works included re-roofing, re-wiring electrical installations, installing new heating distribution and sprinkler systems, upgrading the existing fire prevention system and improving fire egress arrangements.
Additionally, improvements and repairs were needed for internal and external decorations, including the full refurbishment of stained-glass windows and the replacement of floor coverings. Minor amendments were also required for the drainage, and the property’s sanitary and welfare amenities needed upgrading.
Challenges
Heritage property projects can be inherently challenging in that they require specialised knowledge and experience, especially in areas like conservation and the use of
traditional skills and materials. With the refurbishment of listed buildings requiring contractors to work within the remits of Listed Building Consent, as well as meeting current building regulations, having heritage expertise in place from the outset improves the chances of planning applications being approved and reduces the prospect of issues arising during the project.
Another challenge facing listed properties is safety, with loose masonry, weak floors and failing roofs being common problems that require risk assessment prior to commencement. Also common among older properties, especially those that have been re-purposed, like Cliffe House, is that heritage features previously covered over are revealed, leading to additional conservation work being required.
Solutions
Nu Construction undertook comprehensive surveys and assessments prior to commencement and maintained regular communication with all parties throughout the project. A positive relationship was forged with the client’s design team and regular dialogue with the project team ensured all aspects of the work were fully coordinated.
To ensure that restoration and conservation work was carried out in sympathy with the historic fabric of the building, Nu Construction was able to call upon its long-established and extensive supply chain of accredited restoration craftspeople. This enabled those with the most suitable heritage skills to carry out specialist tasks.
In terms of delivering the refurbishment and conservation of heritage features, specialist craftspeople were used to complete repairs, such as the strengthening of structural timber king post roof trusses, the reconditioning of sliding sash timber windows, the restoration and sealing of original tiled walls and floors, and internal plaster patching using lime plasters to replicate and match existing plasterwork.
Externally, stone masons carried out minor repairs to stone works, flushed joints with water and pointed using traditional lime mortar. The sloping roof, meanwhile, was completely re-slated with new and reclaimed Westmoreland Green Slates, in keeping with the property, while code-approved plumbers covered the flat-roofed area with rolled top lead work and finished with ornate lead flashings and valley gutters.
Structural repairs were made to the roof, together with stone repairs and the repointing of chimney stacks. Carrying out the roof works required seven levels of scaffolding to be erected around the full perimeter of the building, together with tented scaffolding on the roof to prevent water ingress and allow all-weather access.
Glazing was a significant part of this project. Bespoke patent glazing was manufactured and installed to replicate the original glass roof lights, while a specialist conservation consultant carried out a full survey of the stained and painted glass windows. With some damaged panels needing to be removed from their frames and repaired in the workshop, they were temporarily replaced by clear glass cut to size and the
frames weather protected. Repairs required stained-glass panels to be taken apart, the glass cleaned and in some instances the making of new leads and glass pieces. Once completed, panels were fitted back into the existing frame using steel strengthening bars where required.
To ensure that the installation of new electrical, plumbing and heating systems were carried out with conservation in mind, M&E contractors with heritage building experience were chosen for the project. Wall chasings for new services were formed with minimal disturbance to the ornate fibrous plaster cornice and picture frames, which was successfully achieved by strategically drilling behind the plasterwork rather than cutting through it. Heating pipework was installed with minimal disruption
to the building fabric. Skirtings and floorboards were delicately removed for pipe runs, with the pieces marked up so they could be re-fixed in their original place using traditional methods.
Outcome
With many years’ experience working on heritage construction projects and having a supply chain of expert craftspeople to deliver traditional skills, Nu Construction completed all the Cliffe House refurbishment work in sympathy with the original fabric of the buildings.
All works met the requirements of the Listed Building Consent building regulations and the client’s brief. As a result, the fully refurbished Cliffe House has its historic features preserved while being upgraded for use as a community facility.
A spokesperson for Cliffe House said: “The work completed has secured the future of the services run out of the property and addressed building condition issues. Nu Construction worked with the design team, clients and end-users throughout the project in a constructive and productive manner. The finished scheme is a credit to all those involved.”
Tony Pollard, Contracts Manager at Nu Construction, added: “Working literally from top to bottom on Cliffe House was an exciting project, requiring expertise in a wide range of areas. We are extremely pleased with the finished result.”
