How do you know when it is time for a refurbishment?

Most buildings get redecorated inside every few years or so, it is usually easy to spot when refurbishment is needed, maybe the wallpaper is peeling or the once white paint is yellowing. Often tenants just like a change of appearance for their interior, whilst the outside is often a forgotten commodity. In many cases, evidence shows that in fact, it is your exterior that needs more maintenance than your interior. This is due to harsh, ever-changing weathering and the natural ageing process. Despite being the area of your building that requires the most maintenance attention, it often gets the opposite and seems to be the most neglected. One of the main reasons for this is that tenants do not regularly examine their properties for any impairments, and often if they do, they do not really know what to look for. With our many years of experience, we have learnt there are certain signs you should look out for that will indicate to you a refurbishment is required.

Discolouration

Possibly the most common but also the most unrecognisable. Several different forms of weathering will result in your paint to become discoloured and fade. Your once vibrant and eye-catching coatings have now become dull and unappealing, in many cases, this will also leave your building mismatched and different colours as the weather will affect the different walls of your unit at different rates. If when looking at your property, you see some walls seem to be a duller colour than others, this will be that discolouration has occurred and your faded face will be far less protected (as well as being an eye-sore). It is an idea to take pictures every so often of your unit, so you can better identify any changes in colour that are not often seen day to day.

Flaking/peeling

Another effect of weathering and ageing, flaking and peeling occur to your paint coating as it starts to detach from the metal walls or roof. Flaking and peeling coatings will leave your metal sheets vulnerable and unprotected – once these begin to deteriorate you are faced with much more serious potential damages. The coating on top of the metal not only leaves it looking attractive but protects it from corrosion, if this coating is not there because it has peeled away it can no longer do its job.

Cut Edge Corrosion

Cut edge corrosion describes the breakdown of the cut edge on metal cladding sheeting which, when exposed to the elements, causes peel back and deterioration. Very common in clad buildings, but also very damaging when not treated. This will look like rust at the edge of your sheets, it can also have worn away areas of the sheets so they no longer have a smooth even edge. The clad edges will become brown due to rust – this is the indicator it’s time for repair and refurbishment.

Leaks

It is not just walls that you need to keep an eye on, roofs and gutters are just as prone to deterioration as any other part of your building. Leaks are a great cause of concern when it comes to roofing. A great indicator your roof needs attention is when it begins to leak. This could be a sign of corrosion or damage that needs to be rectified before it gets worse and more serious. Leeks can become very dangerous if neglected, not only are they a safety risk around electrics but they can be the first stage of roof collapsing.

It isn’t always easy to know it is time for refurbishment of your building, but hopefully, these factors we have outlined will help you identify any maintenance issues sooner rather than later. We have an expert solution to all of these issues, and our professional team are able to find these problems and rectify them promptly before more serious repairs are required. Call us today if you think it is time for a refurbishment and we will carry out a free site survey to see how we can help.