Summer Holiday Strip-Out Projects: Preparing Educational Buildings for Major Upgrades

With students and staff absent from the school premises, summer vacation brings a great opportunity for renovation and construction work in schools and colleges. For renovation, stripping out works is the best approach. Here, the strip-out contractor removes the old building materials or parts of the building and prepares the site for further renovation. It involves eliminating non-structural elements from the building.

Any old educational building that needs repairing, strip it out, is the first thing to do. It is a sustainable way of carefully removing old building materials.

In this blog, we will discuss why summer vacation is the right time for building renovation or construction in educational buildings.

So, let’s begin the discussion.

Why Summer Break is Ideal for Strip-out and Renovation in an Educational Setting?

Educational buildings are filled with students and academic staff all the time; long vacation is the only time to get the strip-out work done. Moreover, construction contractors can easily access the site to see where renovation work should be done. Repair or construction requirements can be checked freely.

Strip out works that might cause noise and dust pollution, which disturbs the natural flow of education. But completing these works during the summer vacation causes no disturbance to students. Moreover, contractors can complete difficult strip-out or construction work without interruption.

Common Areas Targeted in Educational Strip-Outs

As students are not on the premises, sites where they study or attend lectures are the primary focus of renovation. This can be classrooms, lecture halls, libraries, cafeterias and other areas.

As the number of students increases in the schools, the classroom area and lecture halls need expansion. Hence, during the summer vacation, the school authority may undertake strip-out or renovation work.

If any mechanical or electrical system upgrades are required, you can also undertake this work during the vacation. Our workers at Strip Out Company safely remove any electrical equipment in the building. Careful removal of electrical equipment offers an opportunity for its reuse. Our workers strive to remove electrical wiring without causing damage. You can reuse them, they are in good condition. We also apply this approach during the stripping out of the concrete structure.

Things to Plan Before Summer Vacation Starts

A site survey is a must before renovation work begins. It helps identify hazardous elements present onsite, or look out for any risks involved in the work. Before the vacation starts, the contractor can assess the building at a suitable time when students are not present.

Moreover, suppose any permit or permission is required. In that case, it can also be obtained before the summer vacation. If the site contains any asbestos-containing materials, proper planning for their removal needs to be in place.

With strip-out work in the educational buildings, concrete waste will accumulate on the grounds. A thorough waste removal plan should be in place to clear the site of construction waste.

A construction survey can help identify if the school building contains asbestos or any portion of the building that requires demolition. You would get a proper picture of the site and the necessary strip-out work to be done. 

Ensuring Safety and Compliance

During the strip-out and renovation work, the educational authority should follow the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations in the UK. The educational authority must adhere to the legislation governing safe renovation and construction work in academic buildings. The school or the concerned educational authority ask for permission from the local authority if the strip-out and renovation work is a major development.

How to Maintain Sustainability in Educational Renovation?

When construction work produces minimal waste and adopts an environmentally friendly approach, it becomes sustainable. The strip-out process helps reduce waste and reuse old building materials.  It also helps reduce construction costs. The strip-out process helps achieve the UK's Net Zero target. If the school authority decides to demolish old educational buildings during the summer, they will have more time to decide which construction materials to retain and which ones to discard.

With a reliable strip-out contractor like us, you also have the opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of your building.

Conclusion

Summer vacation is the best time for school renovation, as students are out of school, and construction work can be done safely. Additionally, contractors can safely remove old building materials and transport them to the designated waste disposal site. If the school authority plans to renovate, schedule it for the summer vacation. This is the ideal time for any renovation or construction work.