A long-term working relationship between Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS), and one of the country’s leading contracting companies, underlines the importance of accessing appropriate skills and experience when projects require the maintenance or renovation of traditional steel windows, or other fenestration – be it metal or timber.
The London-based specialist has won a number of contracts with MACE Group over recent years, including within the iconic Woolwich Arsenal and Battersea Power Station buildings, as well as in the heart of London’s Fitzrovia district, where ASWS was appointed, not just on the basis of competitive pricing, but also the deployment of teams of skilled craftsmen at short notice. The latter included window fixers, service engineers, carpenters, glaziers and silicone applicators.
The company is also renowned for undertaking forensic condition surveys of complex historical buildings, with the resultant drawings, dimensions and recommendations frequently forming the basis for tender documents or submissions to heritage bodies.
While its work on other projects for MACE at the two London landmarks was spread over a number of years due to their scale, and the need to remove ageing frames for restoration and storage until wider refurbishment was nearing an end, at Threeways House in Clipstone Street, ASWS was required to carry out more of what it terms ‘Light touch’ repairs in a much more compressed timeframe.
Referring to the work carried out by ASWS, Steve Hawthorne, the Director of Operations for MACE, commented: “Metal window refurbishment is a much-needed skill performed by experts like ASWS. They even offered to chop up a window we no longer needed to patch the ones we wanted. The service was polite, proactive, and friendly, and the end results were of the highest quality. I highly recommend ASWS for any window refurbishment works.”
The Operations Director for ASWS, Kris Bennell, explained: “We were invited to tender when several of the other packages had already been awarded, and in this instance were also contracted to provide our own external towers for safe access to the elevations. The majority of the work required was around the first floor, but we were also involved with repairing windows at ground and second floor levels, and within a central lightwell which featured quite large, 2.6 x 2.8 metre steel frames with small pane glazing. By contrast, the 2.5 x 2.1 metre windows on the main elevation featured just eight large panes. The overhaul involved removing excess paint from pivot hinges and rebates as necessary and clearing drainage channels, with opening lights and pivots also being reset and the hinges oiled to ensure they all close properly helping to cut heat loss. Also, with long term energy performance in mind, all of the top vents were mechanically sealed up and then jointed with silicone. And, once the opening lights had been painted, our fitters applied silicone draught proofing, which ahs the significant benefit over other methods as it takes the shape of the window. In addition, all of the old ironmongery was demounted, stripped, polished and lacquered for lasting protection.”
In terms of the actual glazing, the half dozen broken lights were replaced with new 4mm float glass or 4mm reeded for the toilet areas, re-bedded and puttied or silicone in place, while ASWS operatives undertook perimeter sealing and top-capping of the various windows as required. Finally, just prior to the handover of Threeways House, ASWS returned to site to carry out any snagging required.
For more information on ASWS, please visit asws.co.uk.
