Of the many projects completed over the years, the work on this Christchurch-based warehouse decidedly demonstrates the expertise of the Focus Project Services team as highly skilled project managers, quantity surveyors and communicators.
Co-Founder and Director of Focus Project Services Nathan Lang was first contacted in 2018 by the owner of a centrally located, well-known Christchurch operation. Lang was provided with a two-part brief:
Lang and the Focus team agreed to manage and oversee the job, aware of the potential challenges of repairing and strengthening a fully operational warehouse.
From the beginning, however, Focus established a solid foundation aware of the technicalities of such a large project. Lang explained it simply required good planning, flexible processes and effective communication between all.
“We had a fantastic working relationship with the Warehouse Operations Manager and all site contractors, who worked together well so we could deliver efficient and pragmatic solutions,” he said.
“We managed the main contractor on this project and the great level of communication we had with the out-of-town owner resulted in him never having to visit Christchurch to oversee the process. And the great level of communication we had with the out-of-town owner resulted in him never having to visit Christchurch to oversee the process.”
The building and warehouse were simultaneously built in the 1990s. The style of this particular office block meant the wall cladding had been set flush against the frame, without a cavity system to allow for water flow and drainage. Poor detail at the top of the façade also allowed for excessive water ingress, which resulted in severe damage to the inside of the building.
The Focus team had to create a practical solution so to retro-fit a cavity system into the existing building structure and create a free-draining solution.
“Although it was technically quite difficult, it also needed to be aesthetically pleasing, so we were picky with the design detail,” Lang explained. “The result is not only practical, but it looks good too.”
With the office block repaired, the team turned their attention to strengthening the 2000sqm warehouse, which had been assessed as being at 25% - 30% of the strength required to meet building code. They needed a robust strategy to bring the warehouse up to the 67%+ building code requisite, as well as guarantee minimum disruption to 15 full-time staff who remained in full operational mode between 7am-5pm, six days a week.
“With forklifts still working and people walking around within the space, our biggest challenge was figuring out how to best do our job with minimal disruption to the day-to-day operations,” explained Lang.
Focus engaged an architect and structural engineer on behalf of the client to create a concept design and workable solution.Once consent was obtained, Focus procured a main contractor that understood the requirement for flexibility in approach and offer optimal, work-around solutions. Schedules were tightly monitored so tasks could be completed within the fully functioning warehouse environment. The pick-and-pack staff worked throughout the day, although had to make concessions when certain works - such as drilling and welding - impacted on daily operations.
“We had quite a lot of logistics to negotiate, as warehouse staff were still required to pick product off the shelves," said Lang. "We needed a team that was happy to work in allocated time slots that allowed for our contractors to fix, and their staff to pick.”
Without doubt, flexibility and ingenuity were key components of this project. Focus needed a solid solution to mitigate the impact and noise made by contractors whose brief was to weld 12 fly-braces onto each of the 6 portal frames across the warehouse roof.
“We used cherry pickers and scissor lifts to make the 8m lift to the ceiling,” Lang explained. “We were cautious of working at height, fall zones, and ensuring that all welding hot-drops were contained and didn’t fall onto warehouse products in the storage below.”
Lang highlighted that worker-safety was a key priority throughout.
“We set it up so that everyone up high - and everything and everyone below - were thoroughly protected.”
The Warehouse Manager said he was impressed with the work-arounds offered by Focus and their strong commitment to health and safety.
“They had a pretty dynamic plan, particularly when managing our high-volume areas,” he said. “If they were held up in an area our staff needed access to, they simply shifted to another area. Their communication was clear, roles were defined, and it worked well for everyone.”
Lang also confirmed that the property owner was rapt with the outcome.
“This was a fairly substantial project, in terms of cost and time, which has now resulted in our client owning a water-tight office block, plus a strengthened and code-compliant warehouse,” he explained. “What was potentially a difficult property to rent has now become an extremely valuable, future-proofed asset.”
With regards to the overall success of the project, Lang was pleased with the results. He believed that clear and concise communication was key when tackling tricky projects.
“It wasn't easy to manage such a large project whilst the space remained occupied and operational,” he commented. “But we set ourselves up with the best team possible - committed to flexible options and working around (and alongside) the warehouse staff.”
Lang’s message to anyone seeking support with repair, remediation, restoration and strengthening work was clear:
“Our team has the expertise to manage the expectations of both the landlord and tenants, as well as deliver a quality outcome that will future proof your investment,” he said.
“If you want a commercial building restored to the highest possible standard, then we can assist with all aspects of what is required - just give us a call to see what we can do.”
For more information, contact the Focus team
for a free, no-obligation chat.
ENDS
