The post war house-building boom in the UK left a legacy of reinforced concrete houses and flats across the UK, which requires regular maintenance. These buildings have suffered from a whole range of problems initially instigated by design errors, poor construction and the use of sub-standard materials, as well as having endured general deterioration from the environment.

Typical concrete problems have been caused by low cover to the reinforcement, carbonation of the concrete and high chloride levels. The latter may be due to the building’s location in a marine environment, or chlorides having been added as calcium chloride to accelerate the concrete cure during the original construction.

It is importance to identify why the concrete has deteriorated in order that the chosen repair resolves the problem. Concrete Repairs Ltd (CRL) operates an independent survey division - CRL Surveys, which is able to inspect deteriorated concrete and provide repair recommendations.

All residential concrete repair work is undertaken by the company’s directly employed, skilled and experienced workforce. CRL’s concrete repair techniques include:

• Hand placed mortars
  
• Sprayed mortars
  
• Flowable concrete
  
• Protective coatings
  
• Thin coat renders
  
• Corrosion control systems (such as cathodic
• protection)
  
• Corrosion inhibitors
  
• Joint sealants
  
• New pre-cast panels
  
• External wall insulation.

Some residential buildings are listed by English Heritage, which restricts the nature and extent of the repairs that are permitted. CRL has repaired many listed buildings and is fully conversant with the requirements of English Heritage. Often sympathetic repairs are undertaken using site batched materials to match the colour and texture of the parent concrete and in some cases English Heritage will permit additional corrosion control techniques, such as cathodic protection, to minimise future deterioration.

CRL also fully understands the unique operating environment surrounding repairs to occupied residential properties, which include issues related to noise, dust and safety due to the close interface with the public. The company’s integrated management system for safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ), enables it to provide a very high standard of customer service.

In some cases clients require CRL to carry out other works such as window renewal, roofing, asphalting, general redecoration and M&E works etc. To meet this demand the company operates a separate division, CRL Refurbishment, which provides a full multi-disciplined service.