Location
Centre of Edinburgh
Conservation Structural Engineer
PDP Consulting
Contract Manager
Ross Renton
The Brief
MPACT was appointed by PDP and their facilities management client to carry out repairs, replacement and repointing of the stonework to this early 19th Century building located just off one of Edinburgh’s main thoroughfares.
With the scaffolding in place, a more in-depth inspection was conducted which highlighted the need to conduct further works. Given the exposed nature of the building it was deemed appropriate to attend to the refurbishment of a number of window frames and the upgrading of the lightning protection works. The stone wall separating the land from the adjoining graveyard was also in need of repair with the appropriate works carried out.
Details
The property, built over a two-year period, is all that remains of a grand building, which at the time was the largest of it’s type in Scotland. The main property closed in the early part of the 20th century before being demolished.
Given the exposed position of this building, it was deemed necessary to cover the scaffolding with an all-weather protection to protect both the exposed areas of the edifice whilst it was being worked on and of course to ensure the safety and well-being of the operatives.
As a Grade A listed building we worked under certain conservation specifications, specifically with regard to limiting the scaffold fixings to those absolutely necessary with the focus on using ties over parapets to minimise abrasive direct contact with the building.
Outcome
Our dedicated staff of stonemasons have worked on several Grade A listed buildings, locally and further afield. Their expertise, which covers restoration and conservation as well as specialist pointing and rendering works, ensures that we deliver a first-class finish. Being able to demonstrate this was the main reason we were asked to work on this project. As a company, we work alongside conservation engineers throughout the UK, who are well-versed in the intricacies and demands of restoring structures of this type to a precise finish.
For this project, we were called upon to prepare a historically accurate mix of mortar and sand for the pointing works. This aspect, crucial to the integrity of the building, required sign-off by the conservation engineers overseeing the works, before the task could commence.