Sheffield Communals

Sheffield City Council undertook a massive £300 million investment programme over five years to make their council homes better for tenants. These including improving kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, heating systems and communal areas. 

Over a three-year period Ryjock worked across the city to install over 25,000m² of new flooring throughout the communal areas of over 1,000 low rise communal blocks. These blocks varied in size from one storey to three storeys high, containing between two and ten flats. At the peak of the project we were consistently completing over ten communal blocks per week! 

We worked carefully with our clients to install the new flooring works with minimal hassle to the occupied tenants. In the larger blocks, with many tenants wanting to gain access to and from their properties, this proved to be a challenge. For certain periods of time, the walkways were simply not accessible to the tenants due to damp proofing and latex screeding works. We had to work closely with the tenants and give plenty of notice and two-way communication with regards start dates and times of no entry, in and out the blocks.  

Our installation teams showed great understanding when it came to elderly tenants and unavoidable call out appointments. Likewise, they showed great patience when it came to more challenging tenants. The job was as much as working with tenants, as it was installing the new floors. We are proud of not receiving one complaint, from any tenant, with regards to the conduct of both our installation teams and site management. 

The flooring works involved a full latex screed throughout the blocks, with ground floor’s also receiving a damp proofing membrane. The entire block was then installed with anti-slip vinyl, barrier matting in the entrance ways, non-slip stair nosing’s, edging strips around the landings to protect open edged vinyl, thresholds to all store doors and a full clear sealed perimeter. The transformation before and after was quite something. 

One tenant told us that she could now invite guests over without feeling embarrassed. ‘I was ashamed when I had visitors coming in, but it doesn’t look like a council block. Now it’s lovely. It looks like a private block of flats. I’m not embarrassed when people come anymore’.