Esh Construction, one of the North of England’s largest contractors, has completed a multi-million-pound refurbishment project at Beddell House in County Durham.
Esh Living, the affordable housing delivery arm of Esh Construction, completed work to restore the Grade II listed residential care home in Sherburn earlier this year, with the two-and-a-half-year project for Sherburn House Charity Ltd seeing a transformation of the accommodation and provision for residents, providing a luxurious and attractive place to live.
Gary Dobson, Director of Esh Living, Build & Facilities, said: “This has been a key transformation project for Esh Living, working to regenerate a heritage building within County Durham. Through excellent working relationships with the client, consultant team, sub-contractors and suppliers, together we have provided a fantastic residential facility for current and future residents and staff.”
Six phases of internal and external refurbishments were completed to create a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments with bathroom and living room, communal areas, a dining area, and a new catering kitchen.
The result is a high-end hotel style décor which includes a communal cinema room, bar, lounge, salon, and orangery. A new energy efficient heating system was installed alongside historically appropriate double-glazed windows, which considered the building’s listed status.
Although the residential home remained operational throughout the project, disruption was kept to a minimum, and regular events, including coffee mornings, helped to create a strong working relationship with staff and residents.
Pauline Bishop, Chief Executive at Sherburn House, said: “Esh worked in partnership with the charity to carefully plan each stage of the project in order to minimise disruption to the residents living on site during the refurbishment. The efforts of the partnership has paid off as the end result is absolutely fantastic! We aimed for luxury 5* country hotel facilities and that is what we got.
“Feedback from residents and their families has been so positive, both in terms of the construction team’s considerate approach while on site but also for the building improvements, which have significantly increased the quality of life for our residents. We have been inundated with interest from potential customers and I can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the care home when the current restrictions are lifted.”
As with every Esh Construction scheme, responsible local procurement was paramount – 83 per cent of suppliers and subcontractors were located within 30 miles of the site.
For more information visit www.eshgroup.co.uk
