FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
The Cavell Hospital, part of the Circle Health Group, required essential roof refurbishment after its 1,000-square-metre mastic asphalt system reached the end of its serviceable life. With signs of water ingress and internal impact, Circle Health Group engaged long-term partner Garland UK to provide a reliable, compliant, and cost-effective waterproofing solution, delivered within tight budget and performance parameters.
£1 million Projected Costs
The existing warm roof system, composed of mastic asphalt over mineral wool insulation, exhibited widespread failure. Thermal shock had caused surface shrinkage and cracking, particularly around internal gutters and service penetrations. Water ingress was widespread, and several plant installations penetrated the waterproofing system, further complicating refurbishment efforts.
Initial projections feared the replacement of roof-mounted plant equipment could increase the total cost of the project by up to £1 million. With these logistical and financial barriers in place, the client needed a creative approach to achieve refurbishment without incurring excessive cost or operational disruption.
Images before the roof refurbishment
90% Project Cost Saving
Garland UK’s Technical Manager, Alex Kitis, implemented a service-led approach starting with a detailed roof condition survey that provided clear and accurate data for targeted specification. A comprehensive moisture scan was conducted, precisely mapping areas of saturation. This revealed that only 20% of the roof required full strip and replacement, while under 50% of the existing substrate could be retained under building control repair rules, avoiding a full thermal upgrade.
Crucially, this survey enabled the project to proceed with minimal disturbance to the plant equipment. Instead of a full removal, which would have added approximately £1 million to the budget, strategic isolation of plant units allowed for works to proceed with only minor relocation. This reduced plant-related costs to under £100,000, a saving of over 90%.
These savings were made possible by the Dura-Coat, the liquid waterproofing system’s ability to be easily applied under and around complex plant penetrations without the need for disassembly, making it ideal for intricate roof layouts with heavy detailing. For stripped areas, a new build-up incorporating a vapour barrier and 120mm PIR infill insulation with tapered insulation to the gutters was installed to promote water runoff through the congested internal gutters.
Image after the roof refurbishment
Long-term Guarantee
Through expert diagnostics, collaborative planning, and a high-performance Garland system, Circle Health Group ensured the hospital could remain fully operational throughout the works, avoided significant cost escalations and reduced risk for the vital clinical building.
Technical Manager, Alex Kitis adds: “This was a complex and highly constrained project, where every decision needed to balance clinical operational needs, structural performance, and financial limits. Our goal was to develop a solution that delivered maximum value for the client, not just for today, but for the life of the building.”
The result was a future-proof roofing solution backed by Garland UK’s comprehensive 20 year Single-Point Guarantee, ensuring peace of mind for Circle Health Group and setting a new benchmark for cost-efficient asset management in the healthcare sector.
