Uni-span Scaffolding is pleased to announce that we are the successful tenderer for the supply of material and labour to the historic Somerville House High School roof restoration project, located in Graham St, South Brisbane.

Somerville House is a day boarding school and was established in 1899 along the lines of an ‘English High School’ of the day with the relevant changes to allow for climate and local conditions. Academically the school is one Australia’s best performers in academic achievement and performance related guidelines.

Our client for this project, Kelly Group Contracting, is charged with co-ordinating and overseeing the roof restoration on the Administration building, which is heritage listed and well over 100 years old.

Locating accurate plans for a building well over 100 years old was always going to be a challenge, so the Uni-span design team hand measured and photographed the building providing accurate data on which a design drawing and material takeoff could be produced.

Adding to the design parameters was the requirement that no fixed ties would be allowed to the face of the historic building therefore challenging the design team as to the positioning of the only other alternative, buttress bays, as this is an operational school and space is at a premium.

The site sits on the corner of one of South Brisbane’s busiest precincts with the Mater Hospital, local businesses, pedestrian traffic accessing South Bank and various other destinations provided the client with a very real need for total confinement of the construction site. Uni-span supplied and fitted our unique Uni-mesh containment mesh system to the scaffold and provided a complete safety barrier allowing work to continue throughout the day with full protection to the school community and the general public.

The ability to work with critical timing windows was a consideration in the determination of the successful sub-contractor and Uni-span provided the client with a work method encompassing co-ordinated deliveries and out of school hours erection, along with most of the work being carried out during the mid year school holiday period to minimise the impact on the school safety and operation.

During this erection period, the Uni-span labour team was mindful of the significance of the building and the need for extreme care, so as not to damage the face of the building as well as various site landmarks within the construction precinct.

Note: For more information or if you have a project and would like some advice from our experienced team please contact info@uni-span.com.au or call us on 07 3442 4000.