Refurb and maintenance

The Window Company (Contracts) has joined forces with Basildon Borough Council in an innovative scheme aimed at giving private homeowners the chance to upgrade their homes to match council owned properties being refurbished around them.

Multi-Trade property service company The McDougall Group has boosted productivity with the introduction of a BigChange service management system, which can help mobile workers within the social housing sector.

The web-based system can be used by building and housing maintenance teams, and connects in-house teams with contractors thanks to being accessed on computers, phones or tablets – basically, BigChange offers a single platform for easier management.    

McDougall has equipped its tradespeople and engineers with smartphones and tablets running JobWatch, part of the all-in-one solution from BigChange.

Whether it’s the kitchen sink or the shower, there’s a good chance that all social housing tenants will experience plumbing problems in their home at some point. The Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) recently commissioned a study into the most common plumbing issues in the home, with dripping taps and leaking pipes being the leading problems reported.

Many of these can be prevented by using properly tested products and hiring a qualified plumber or installer, ensuring that water systems or fittings meet the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations and Scottish Water Byelaws.

Windoor balcony enclosures not only increase the light inside a home but they allow for an outside seating space which can be enclosed on cooler spring and autumn days – therefore extending balcony use more than a traditional design.

The balcony enclosures can be fully opened up when the resident wants to bask in the summer sunshine, and for the chillier days the system has a unique track which allows all the panels to slide and turn inwards. They are then secured safely and discreetly against the inner wall.

Here, Housing Association magazine editor Victoria Galligan speaks to the Windoor team about the benefits of the products' design, and finds out why they are a popular choice for the housing sector…

Swifix fixings have recently been installed as part of the external wall insulation system for a major refurbishment project for Caerphilly Council.

With social housing maintenance and capital expenditure budgets stretched thinner than ever, focusing on the finer detail of the window and door specification is critical to meet this dual challenge.

Carl F Groupco is supplying hardware to Tai Tarian, one of the largest social landlords in Wales with responsibility for over 9,000 properties.