Crystal Palace Architects

The South London enclave of Crystal Palace is more than its eponymous pleasure ground – though many residents would agree they spend more time in this ancient wood than anywhere else. The 400-acre common and woodland dotted with lakes, venues and outdoor art is the suburb’s Hyde Park. And in fact that’s where it got the famous iron and glass exhibition hall. The Joseph Paxton-designed Victorian structure, built for the Great Exhibition of 1851, moved from Hyde Park to Penge Peak in 1854, at which time the area around it was renamed in its honour, though some still know it as Upper Norwood. The original Crystal Palace structure was destroyed by fire in the 1930s, but the name remains and gives the neighbourhood image a hint of sparkle.

But look again. Crystal Palace has emerged in the past 20 years as a pretty, green south-of-the-river highlight with heritage homes and views for miles. At the hub of four London boroughs – Southwark, Bromley, Lambeth and Croydon – the leafy village streets around the park are stuffed with prewar houses and historic church towers. Detached and semi-detached Edwardian homes are common, Victorian villas and prewar terraces radiate from those and tidy modern residential developments fill in the gaps. The development of Crystal Palace as a suburb of London means the houses here have larger dimensions and more surrounding garden than properties closer to the centre, even though the neighbourhood is now firmly part of the city – and well-connected by train and Overground.

New arrivals search for real estate around the triangle of Anerley Hill Road, Gipsy Hill and Church Road. The beating heart of Crystal Palace, it edges the western corner of the park, with its manicured gardens, and is walkable from a dozen schools – including Paxton Primary, named for the Victorian architect. The private and prep schools of Dulwich, to the north, are less than 10 minutes by car, a few more by bus. The sporting fields – including Crystal Palace Football Club, contrary to popular belief – are located a few neighbourhoods over, in South Norwood.

If you are thinking about improving your period home, one thing you may want to do is extend the property. This will give you more room to have fun and enjoy your home.

However, extending a period property is a little bit different when compared to extending a typical property. This is because you need to make sure that the extension is in line with the rest of your period property. The last thing you want is to have a home that looks like a mis-match of different styles.

Therefore, you need to make sure that you find a company that has many years of experience in the industry. They need to have worked on a lot of different period properties before so you can make sure that they have experience with these sorts of properties. This is the best way to make sure that they will do your home justice.

Of course, a lot of the original materials are not going to be available anymore, so you need a company that is resourceful and knows how to recreate the original style.

Aside from this, health and safety measures are critical. This is the case for all extensions, but even more so with period homes. The reason for this is because there may be some unstable materials or elements that need to be dealt with. Therefore, scaffolding and other health and safety matters are vital.

Scaffolding hire is offered by a number of professional firms in the industry, and you will need this service if you want to extend your period home. Their services are in high demand as well. After all, with every day that passes the world is becoming more developed, and scaffolding is vital for assisting construction works. Plus, that merely scratches the surface of why a scaffolder may be required.

No matter the task at hand, you should never cut corners when it comes to scaffolding. A professional service is the only way to go, and there are numerous reasons why this is the case. Firstly, you will benefit from a variety of services and equipment. Good scaffolders can offer everything from profile bending to cutting, and they work with a wide range of equipment, including knee braces, self-lock frames, toe boards, and much more. You can also be sure of the highest level of safety when hiring a scaffolding firm. When it comes to any construction site or even home improvement task, safety should be the first priority. Reliable scaffolding will reduce the risk of injuries and falls. It ensures those who need to be at a height have a flat and solid platform to use. It is also much more cost-efficient to use a scaffolding service as opposed to purchasing the equipment required outright. Experienced scaffolders also have the ability to deal with awkward areas and overcome any difficulties in regards to property access. They can work exactly where is needed without safety being compromised.

Safety When Scaffolding

Scaffolding way needs to be erected and dismantled with the highest levels of safety in mind. Did you know that every year there are a number of scaffolds that collapse across the country? And, this is just one hazard that needs to be considered when it comes to safety.

There are a number of safety laws that scaffolding firms need to adhere to, including the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Construction (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations 1996, Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 1994, and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. There are also several safety factors to consider when it comes to any scaffolding job, including the stability of the scaffolds, working at a height, protection of the public, and training and supervision. The latter is arguably the most essential factor when it comes to stopping accidents from occurring on-site. If you are hiring a scaffolding firm, you also have a duty to ensure that they are following the proper safety standards and that you have hired a firm that has the necessary accreditation, with a team of scaffolders that have received the right levels of training. With regards to stability and working at a height, there are numerous roles to follow. For example, one safe procedure for working at a height is to make sure that during dismantle or erection there is the minimum of a three-board working platform and a single guardrail. Scaffolders may also require a licence to carry out any particular type of work. If you need to erect a scaffold on a public highway, you will definitely need a licence from the local authority.

Hire Someone With The Right CISRS Card

If you need to work from a height, hiring a professional scaffolding firm is a must. Nevertheless, you should not simply go for the first or the cheapest firm you lay your eyes on. Instead, quality and safety is a must, which is why you need to choose a scaffolding company whereby employees have the CISRS card.

All scaffolding firms should put their employees through CISRS training. Of course, it is not uncommon to have a number of trainees that are yet to complete the course. Nevertheless, on the whole, the vast majority of those working at the firm should have acquired the CISRS card, especially those that are leading scaffold teams. So, what is the CISRS card? CISRS stands for Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme. Individuals are allowed to apply for this course once they have taken and passed a labourer’s course, known as COTS (New Entrant Trainee and Scaffolding Labourer Course). CISRS is broken into two sections – Part 1 and Part 2. After completing Part 1, scaffolders must take the Part 2 course within two years; otherwise, the Part 1 will become void. Training usually takes place over a two-week period off-site. The individual must also have several months of on-site experience. The CISRS card shows that the scaffolder in question is capable of carrying out all scaffolding duties, and thus it is of huge importance.