Riverside Mansions is a large-scale residential block in London with approximately 3,500 m² of flat roofing and 1,500 m² of communal walkways and balconies. The project required a roof retention refurbishment for a residential block, enabling the client, a chartered surveying practice with an established relationship with Garland UK, to move away from reactive repairs and escalating costs for the building owners.
The roof had last been refurbished around 14 years prior to Garland UK’s involvement. Despite ongoing patch repairs, persistent water ingress remained a concern. The client required a long-term, future-proofed solution that avoided full strip-out while delivering cost certainty and value for the asset.
Garland UK Technical Manager Alex Kitis carried out a detailed roof condition survey across the site. To eliminate assumptions and reduce financial risk, Garland UK instructed independent moisture scanning by RWS. The data results confirmed that only 11% of the roof area required a full strip and repair. Over 89% of the existing roof remained serviceable.
This evidence-based approach directly influenced the specification strategy, allowing the majority of the roof to be retained and avoiding unnecessary replacement works. As a result, Riverside Mansions achieved approximately £150,000 in savings through reduced labour and disposal costs alone.
Riverside Mansions is an occupied residential environment with shared access routes. Communal walkways and balconies are essential for resident access, meaning prolonged closures were not acceptable. Any solution needed to maintain safe access throughout the works while keeping disruption to a minimum.
The project also involved multiple stakeholders operating simultaneously on-site. The main contractor, A S Ramsey, was responsible for balustrades and external decorations, working alongside Garland UK Approved Contractor, London Seamless Flat Roofing, for the roof works. Effective coordination and clearly defined sequencing were essential to avoid delays, resident complaints and additional cost.
Alex Kitis explains, “On residential projects like this, clear communication is critical. We made sure all parties understood the programme and the access requirements from the outset, so disruption was minimised and residents could continue using the building safely throughout the works.”
Garland UK developed a targeted retention-led specification centred on retention, speed and cost control. Saturated areas identified during the detailed roof condition report and moisture survey were stripped back and replaced. The remaining sound areas were prepared and overlaid using Dura-Coat, Garland’s cold-applied liquid waterproofing system.
Existing insulation already met Part L requirements, eliminating the need for costly thermal upgrades and further reducing project cost. This allowed the specification to concentrate on waterproofing performance and system longevity.
Dura-Coat’s fast-curing properties played a key role in the project’s success. The system allowed walkways to reopen within a couple of hours, maintaining resident access and avoiding extended closures. This reduced disruption and prevented the indirect costs often associated with residential refurbishment projects.
For balconies and communal walkways, Garland UK specified the Dura-Walk system. Approximately 1,500 m² of walkways and balconies were refurbished. Adhesion testing was carried out prior to installation due to previous low-level liquid applications showing early signs of failure. The new Dura-Walk system delivered a durable, anti-slip finish suitable for both private balconies and high-traffic communal areas.
Riverside Mansions now benefits from a fully refurbished waterproofing system,without the cost or waste of full replacement. By retaining over 85% of the existing roof build-up, the project avoided unnecessary strip-out and achieved an approximate £150,000 saving for the client. These savings were realised through reduced labour, lower disposal costs and a more efficient, evidence-led roof refurbishment specification.
Alex Kitis adds, “The surveys allowed us to be precise with the specification. By only stripping and repairing what was genuinely saturated, we protected the client’s budget and still delivered a long-term, robust waterproofing solution. That approach saved around £150,000 on this project.”
Residents experienced minimal disruption throughout the works, with continued access to homes, balconies and communal walkways. The fast-curing Dura-Coat system proved well suited to a live residential environment, while the refurbished Dura-Walk areas now offer safe, slip-resistant access for residents.
The completed works are backed by a 20 year Single-Point Guarantee for the Dura-Coat system and a 15 year guarantee for Dura-Walk. The project demonstrates how Garland UK’s technical expertise, data-led specifications and collaborative project delivery can unlock measurable cost savings while securing long-term performance for complex residential assets.
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