Client
iQ Student Accommodation
Value
£284,000
Sectors & Services
Buildings Repairs & Refurbishment Concrete Repair Condition Surveys Coatings Cleaning & Preparation Projects
Concrete Repairs Ltd (CRL) was appointed as Principal Contractor to refurbish the external concrete façades of the Opal Villas student accommodation building. The asset forms part of a live residential estate operated by iQ Student Accommodation and required targeted intervention to address age-related concrete deterioration.
Following a detailed condition inspection undertaken by CRL Surveys Ltd in 2016, areas of defective and spalled concrete were identified across the perimeter structure. The project was required to arrest ongoing deterioration, reinstate structural integrity, and enhance durability while improving the external appearance. The works formed a key part of the client’s wider asset management strategy, ensuring the building remains safe, serviceable, and visually consistent for continued student occupation.
SERVICES UNDERTAKEN
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Principal Contractor duties
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Design and installation of access scaffolding
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Concrete condition survey and hammer testing
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Concrete repairs to frames, mullions, and aggregate panels
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Reinstatement using BS EN 1504 R4 cementitious repair mortars
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Light pressure washing and surface preparation
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Application of decorative anti-carbonation coatings
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Redecoration of balcony metal balustrades
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Replacement of defective mastic seals
The project commenced with CRL providing full design and installation of perimeter access scaffolding, enabling safe and efficient access to all external elevations. Acting as Principal Contractor, CRL coordinated all site activities and interfaces, ensuring works were delivered in a controlled manner suitable for a live student accommodation environment.
Following scaffold installation, a comprehensive concrete condition survey was undertaken using hammer testing to accurately identify delaminated, loose, spalled, and otherwise defective concrete. This intrusive survey allowed repair extents to be clearly defined, ensuring that all unsound material was addressed and no hidden defects remained untreated.
Concrete repairs were completed to all defective perimeter elements, including the concrete frame, mullions, and exposed aggregate panels. Deteriorated concrete was carefully broken out back to a sound substrate using lightweight breakers to minimise vibration and avoid unnecessary damage. Exposed reinforcement was thoroughly cleaned and primed prior to reinstatement. Repairs were shuttered where required and reinstated using Sika Monotop 614F and Mapei Mapegrout Hi-Flow, both high-performance cementitious repair mortars conforming to BS EN 1504-3 R4. These materials were selected for their structural performance, flow characteristics, and compatibility with the existing concrete.
Upon completion of the concrete repairs, all external concrete surfaces were lightly pressure-washed and cleaned to provide suitable preparation for coating application. A new decorative anti-carbonation coating system was then applied to protect the repaired and existing concrete from carbon dioxide ingress and environmental exposure. Balcony metal balustrades were redecorated, and defective mastic seals were replaced in agreed locations.
"I have found working with Martyn Lewis extremely easy and straightforward despite a number of potential issues that we have come up against during the contract - he has been willing to make suggestions to overcome any obstacles and has been proactive for the duration of the works to ensure that we deliver the project to the end-client. Similarly, Andy Barley, on site, has been very good in the way that matters have been programmed and handled and his constant liaison with the client site manager."
iQ Accommodation (Fulkers Consultants)
Long-term durability was central to the refurbishment strategy adopted at Opal Villas. Thorough identification and removal of defective concrete, combined with the use of BS EN 1504-compliant repair mortars, ensured structural continuity and reinstated the protective cover to reinforcement. Careful surface preparation through controlled pressure washing provided a clean, stable substrate for protective treatments.
The application of a decorative anti-carbonation coating system significantly reduces the rate of carbon dioxide ingress, helping to mitigate future reinforcement corrosion and slow the progression of concrete deterioration. Redevelopment of balcony balustrades and renewal of defective mastic further improved weather resistance and detailing. As a specialist contractor with extensive experience in façade remediation, CRL delivers resilient, low-maintenance solutions that extend service life, reduce future intervention costs, and support the long-term performance of residential assets.
