Butterbiggins Road, Glasgow
Location: Butterbiggins Road, Glasgow
Value: £1.1 million
Project Duration: 31 Weeks
Contract: SBCC Standard Building Contract With Quantities
Client: Govanhill Housing Association Ltd
Agent: Riach Partnership
Butterbiggins Road is a six-storey, fully occupied apartment building in Glasgow, home to 31 residents, several with accessibility requirements. IRS Construction was appointed Principal Contractor, winning the project in competition under the PfH Fire Safety Framework, to remove and replace non-compliant cladding and spandrel panels and bring the building's external wall system into line with current fire safety regulations - all while residents remained in their homes throughout.
The scope covered full removal and replacement of the building's non-compliant cladding, insulation and spandrel panels, delivered to current A1/A2 non-combustible standards.
Works included new breather membranes and cladding support systems, insulated spandrel panels fitted within the existing frame at screens and curtain walling, and temporary removal and reinstatement of Juliette balconies. External steel columns were cleaned, prepared and treated, and associated upgrades covered gas riser ventilation and fire protection ductwork, with fire collars installed at three locations. Every element was signed off against Fieldview QA protocols, with full handover documentation, O&M manuals and as-built certification provided at completion.
Opening-up works uncovered unforeseen legacy issues, triggering an architect-instructed hold while the design team investigated and re-sequenced the critical path - extending the overall programme to 51 weeks against 31 active delivery weeks.
During strip-out, with flammable materials temporarily exposed, IRS held to strict daily discipline: no areas left exposed overnight, all waste cleared daily, nothing stored on scaffolds after hours. Tight traffic constraints were managed through banksman-controlled, just-in-time deliveries agreed with neighbouring occupiers.
Throughout, a dedicated Resident Liaison Officer coordinated access and communication, with same-day "close-ups" and daily "clear-downs" keeping disruption to a minimum, and additional measures put in place to protect safe access and emergency evacuation routes for vulnerable and disabled tenants. The project closed with zero RIDDOR incidents across 31 active delivery weeks and an AFR of 0.00, delivered against the backdrop of a Scotland-wide push on external wall safety following the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024.
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