Challenging luxury residential new build project
When UKCSA Full Member Haddonstone Limited won the order for this project at the start of 2017 against competition from other cast stone manufacturers, a great deal of detailed work had already been carried out by consultation between Haddonstone’s architectural sales & estimating, technical and production teams in conjunction with the developer.
This luxury residential new build project had the usual challenges of an exacting end client, although the largest challenge – literally were the decorative structural portico panels which the client envisioned. Haddonstone had never before created such large pieces; more akin to pre-cast concrete than architectural and aesthetic cast limestone. The panels were designed not only to support their own weight but also the building above. Haddonstone’s experienced team had to work together along with the clients engineer and designer in order to produce these massive panels, which needed to be not just structural but also with the fine finish expected of architectural cast limestone.
Specialist lifting equipment had to be hired in to cast and manoeuvre the three 3.2m x 2.5m, 4 tonne panels. Everything from the mould, to the reinforcement and the method for pouring, curing, lifting and demoulding required careful consideration and planning, each panel had a value of over £5,000 so there was no room for error.
The house in Beaconsfield is a magnificent luxury home with an extensive amount of cast stone totalling more than £100k, comprising of: window and door surrounds, columns, portico and cornice.
The production of the stone for this project was completed without incident and on time for the client which could only have been achieved by co-operation from all parties; the cast stone manufacturer, the client, designers, and indeed the installation team on site.
Haddonstone’s whole team focused on the communication and relationships with all the other parties in order deliver such a successful project result.
