Roof and Solar PV Replacement
Dartington House, Senior Street, London, W2 5TE
Highlights
The solar PV panels project began with the installation of scaffolding and hoists to provide safe access to the roof. As a retrofit specialist, Axis carried out a full strip of the existing roof down to the concrete substrate, with the removal of 60 outdated solar panels, the deteriorated roof coverings, and the old mansafe guard rail.
A new tapered roof system was installed by our roofing specialists, incorporating insulation, water barriers, and a felt membrane. This retrofit upgrade achieved a thermal efficiency of 0.15 U-value, meeting building regulations. Following this, our solar panel installers fitted 135 high-efficiency solar PV panels, supported by inverters and battery storage.
The new renewable energy system is designed to generate approximately 54,000 kWh of clean electricity per year. A lightweight plastic mounting system was used to reduce structural load while withstanding wind uplift forces.
Specifications
• Scaffolding and hoists installed
• Strip out and roof replacement
• Removal of old 60 solar PV panels
• Installation of new 135 solar PV panels
• Rendering, painting, decoration of tank rooms and chimney stacks
• Installation of lightning protection
• Bauder tapered roof system
• Perimeter guard rails
£1.4m value
23 weeks duration
Final phase included replacing decayed timber cladding and doors to the tank rooms, re-rendering and waterproofing the chimney stacks, and decorating the external surfaces for a refreshed finish. New loft hatches were refurbished for safer roof access, a lightning protection system was added, and new perimeter guard rails were installed to meet modern safety standards. Rooftop cables were organised into trays and redundant satellite dishes removed, leaving the roof neat, complaint, and fully optimised for long-term performance. Through collaborative planning and consistent communication between Axis and Westminster City Council, the project was delivered smoothly on schedule and within budget, combining both functional upgrades and aesthetic improvements.
Resident Care
Our team held biweekly meetings with Westminster City Council to coordinate resident care. Residents received key information through letters and a monthly newsletter. Additionally, our RLO were regularly engaged with residents by phone, email and in - person meetings.
Corporate Social Responsibility
As part of our commitment to giving back to the local community, we undertook a garden clean-up for residents and reseeded the green areas where our site cabins had been positioned, helping to restore and improve shared outdoor spaces. This reflects our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility and leaving neighbourhoods in better condition for residents.
Benefits
• Helps client achieve Net Zero targets
• Enhanced energy efficiency
• Futureproofing
• Improved rooftop infrastructure
• Reduced electricity bills
Client Relationship
The whole process from start to finish has gone absolutely smooth. The team in the office, the back office of the contracts managers and the QS’s through to everyone on site through every step of the process have been absolutely amazing. It hasn’t been without its challenges but the team has worked tirelessly to get through them as swiftly and as quickly as possible. From my point of view I couldn’t have asked for a better contractor to carry out these works. Throughout my career in the last 16 years since I’ve been in contracts management and construction project management Axis has so far been one of the best tier one contractors that I’ve ever worked with.
Projects Manager at Westminster City Council
