A prominent housing association responsible for a varied portfolio of assisted living accommodation across North London engaged us to upgrade and modernise several of their ageing residential buildings, ensuring full compliance with current fire safety legislation while delivering long-term, sustainable maintenance solutions.
The client's estate comprises a mix of large nine-storey buildings and smaller six-unit developments, each presenting different operational and regulatory challenges within occupied buildings.
Our appointment required a coordinated approach that addressed immediate life-safety risks while also improving the overall condition, functionality, and safety of the properties.
Comprehensive fire risk assessments identified a range of critical non-compliances: inadequate fire stopping, non-compliant fire doors, outdated emergency lighting and alarm systems, and insufficient fire safety signage.
Several buildings also lacked compliant fire-fighting provisions, including appropriate fire box installations to house dry riser equipment and other essential fire service infrastructure. Some blocks did not have clearly defined evacuation strategies in place.
The challenge was to bring all buildings fully up to current regulations, including the development and implementation of robust evacuation plans tailored to each building’s layout and use. Alongside these life-safety issues, the client required the introduction of structured, proactive maintenance regimes tailored to the specific needs of each property, moving away from a previously reactive approach.
There was also a pressing requirement to modernise communal areas, including the refurbishment of kitchens, bathrooms, and shared spaces, to create safer, more contemporary and comfortable environments for residents.
We designed a holistic programme to address immediate compliance risks and longer-term property enhancements. Our approach was threefold:
We scheduled and implemented all remedial works highlighted in risk assessments. Upgrades varied significantly from small-scale interventions of approximately £10k per block to major, comprehensive upgrades up to c. £130k. We developed tailored, ongoing maintenance regimes, including regular testing for fixed electrical installations, fire alarms, emergency lighting, and ensuring all fire safety elements are in consistent working order.
We updated communal kitchen and bathroom facilities. The investment per block ranged from £5k to £25k, ensuring spaces compliant, modern and user-friendly. With decoration works varying from £2.5k to £70k per block, we completely renewed internal and external finishes. This uplifted the aesthetic appeal of each property, and supported fire safety by incorporating new, compliant signage and clear emergency directions.
Our team orchestrated a seamless schedule across eight sites, each with distinct architectural challenges, from large high-rise blocks to modest dwellings. We ensured minimal disruption to residents, maintaining clear communication and careful planning throughout the project.
Every block in the portfolio now adheres to current fire safety legislation. Upgrades in fire protection equipment, compartmentation, emergency lighting, and alarm systems have reduced risk across the estate.
The newly refurbished kitchens, bathrooms, and communal areas not only improve daily living but also reflect a modern design approach that supports safety and comfort.
With fire upgrade costs ranging from £10k to £130k per block, and refurbishment works scale-appropriate to each property, our tailored approach delivered significant value while addressing urgent compliance needs.
The integrated maintenance regimes ensure that these standards will be sustained long term, offering the client peace of mind and a proactive safety management framework.
Demonstrating our commitment to delivering comprehensive, high-quality solutions that mitigate risk and enhance living environments, our integrated approach has proven to be a key factor in safeguarding residents while modernising properties across a complex and varied portfolio.
Armour Hart Group’s ability to seamlessly integrate urgent compliance works with a full refurbishment program has been remarkable. Their agile project management and attention to detail have not only enhanced our properties but, more importantly, ensured the safety of our residents.
